Bankor

She nodded, "Cool... Didn't know Captain Alderaan was a spy too."

She said with a smirk.

Niall chuckled at that. "Hardly." He said. "Quite the other direction. I've worked with them occasionally on some security measures." He shrugged. "I think they find me to be hard working and reliable. I'm not sure I'm especially gifted at it otherwise." He sighed, his face falling just a little. Luth demonstrated that well enough.

"Having a moral compass is probably a liability in that world... And yours functions non-stop." She replied.

Niall's lips quirked. "I can't disagree with your assessment of me."

He shrugged. "In some ways it's a liability. But SIS needs a moral compass too. Especially in security. The violations that could occur... and sometimes have. For the both the wrong and the right reasons. Sometimes you get people just looking to enrich themselves. But you also get people willing to do terrible things if they think they're doing it for the greater good."

She nodded, "Than Zane dude who came with us that one time directed me towards SIS kinda... Not sure that whole 'greater good' thing works for me though. Seems to mess people up both inside and out."

Niall's lips pursed. "Zane is... a complicated person. But he means well."

He nodded. "But you're quite right. It can, as you said, mess people up." He tilted his head to the side, considering. "I suppose I might say that any greater good that's too hard on people probably needs a second look."

"I mean... different things mess different folks up." She replied with a tilt of her head.

"Like... I'd probably be more messed up if I did what you did with Melv. But for you, keeping him alive was good for ya." She straightened her back up a bit.

"But like... crazy lying deception stab you in the back stuff... that messes everyone up. Living like that just gets you tied up in knots."

Slowly, Niall nodded. "It was. I appreciate you respecting my wishes on that." He sighed. "Part of me wished it had gone another way. But... I have to trust in the justice of the Republic."

He sighed again, looking out to the field of stars. "Luth was a spy. I mean, she was a spy for us, first. She worked deep cover for SIS, infiltrating the Empire." He chewed his lip for a few moments. "Perhaps that did twist her a bit. If you're asked to betray loyalties, how can we be surprised when they do it again."

He tilted his chin up, just a little. "We need to be there for our people. Perhaps if she'd had more support she wouldn't have..." Niall shook his head. "I tried. But maybe she needed more."

“Some people just aren’t gonna be saved. Either cause they’re jerks, or cause they want something else more.” She replied.

“Gotta respect people’s freedom to do stupid stuff too. That’s how this all works.”

"That may very well be." Niall said. "But everyone deserves a second chance. Even if not everyone gets one." His expression darkened. "I don't know about third choices. That may be too much."

It cleared a moment later. Niall's expression brightened noticeably at her comment, laughing softly. "What a succinct way of describing democracy." He grinned. "You're quite right, of course. If people deserve second chances, that means choices. And sometimes that means mistakes." He gave her a nod. "Sounds like we're in agreement, then."

She nodded, "I mean... I'd probably shoot the girl the next time I saw her personally... But that's just me. Someone makes a choice, they gotta face the consequences."

Niall's smile faded, but he gave her a slow nod. "That's something else that we're in agreement on. Choices have consequences, and when you make a choice, you accept what follows from it, too." He sighed. "I just hope she understood the consequences of her choice. I rather worry that she didn't."

He turned, looking out the viewport again. "I think if it came down to it... I could shoot her, too." His lips quirked. "It's only fair. She shot me once, after all." It wasn't as funny as it used to be.

"I'm sure she understands just fine. Gotta watch yourself Cap. You're a likable guy, but you shirk from dealing out the consequences sometimes. Do that too much and you'll get burned like this again. Some folks aren't gonna be on your team... and they're not gonna be monsters like these mandos. People who look like decent folks until they have you caught in a bind. Can't be afraid to look at people with a bit of skepticism and bust a few heads now and then."

Niall glanced back at Delmi, one eyebrow going up. "I'm familiar with the type. I assure you, I've had enough exposure to politics to be skeptical of smiling faces."

He sighed. "But... that doesn't mean you're wrong. I do give people too much benefit of the doubt. I clearly did here. And it probably will happen again." He smiled gently. "So I depend on others for that. Like Zanebry. I didn't trust my own judgement on Luth, so I got his help. It just wasn't fast enough."

"Well... I don't trust anyone so if you ever need someone to tell you why someone else sucks... you're free to come to me." She said with a chuckle.

Niall turned back towards Delmi, giving her a smile. "I appreciate that, Delmi. Who knows? I may take you up on that some time."

He sighed, although his expression was still pleasant. "You don't trust anyone, thought? That sounds difficult. And in Havoc squad, you're going to be part of a team."

"We'll have to see if I'm cut out for it or not. There are types of trust that are easier than others. Your friend could be trusted to take down Melv and his cronies... but can't be trusted for other stuff. Same thing goes for any 'team'. You can trust someone in somethings, but shouldn't in others."

"Hmmm." Niall considered this before nodding. "It rather sounds as though we may be in agreement on that, too. I just expect that we draw the lines in different places."

His lips quirked, and Niall gave Delmi a slightly wry smile. "Regardless of our differences... you're alright, Delmi." The smile grew. "Perhaps that doesn't mean much coming from someone who extends trust as easily as I do. But nevertheless." He offered his hand. "I think the Republic needs people like me, but I daresay it needs people like you, too."

"It needs people." She said with a smirk. "Not 'heroes' or posterboys."

She tapped him on the shoulder, "Luckily for you, you tend to be a decent person more often than a hero or posterboy."

"Well..." Niall's lips quirked. "The Republic Military Recruiting Office needs posterboys. I don't know who forwarded them the Captain Alderaan idea after Nar Shaddaa, but they really went with it."

He regarded her, tilting his head. "But what do you think a hero is? I'd say a hero's just a decent person in the right place at the right time." He chuckled. "Or perhaps the wrong place. Depends on how you think of it."

"I don't know if there are heroes man. A hero is something other people build up after the fact. And usually to get attention for themselves."

She looked out at the starry expanse, "If I had to say there was such a thing as a hero... it'd be someone who does their job.. and doesn't take any of the credit. Someone who has some reason for what they do beyond themselves... and plugs away tenaciously until they can't anymore."

"Hmmm." Niall said, considering. He fell silent.

Turning, he looked out the viewport as well. Were they looking at the same thing? Did it matter? "There's probably something to what you say. And in that way, I think there's no shortage of heroes in the Republic." He sighed. "What do you suppose happens when they can't anymore?"

"Then they die." She said. "And hopefully another person comes to fill in their place for a while."

Niall sighed. "You might be right. But I hope you're not. I'd like to think that, sooner or later, heroes get a chance to rest. At least some of them."

He glanced over at her. "Did I ever tell you why I joined the military?"

She shook her head in the negative.