[Jax Dolross]

There was hesitance in his voice "Uh yeah, flew with them for a couple years pulled off a few high risk ops during the war with the Empire. An amazing group of pilots." A small smile appears on his lips as he talks but there is an unmistakable hint of sadness running through it as well.

[Niall Organa]

Niall nodded slowly. "I was in the tail end of that. On Tattooine, about three years ago. That's where I got my promotion. And something to remember the Empire by." He touched two fingers to his chest, just above his heart. "Took me out of action for about two months."

He tilted his head. "It sounds like the story doesn't end there." He said, his voice soft.

[Jax Dolross]

Jax looked at Niall for a moment, looked like he was about to say something. Then he shook his head and there was his smile again this one lacked sadness but also seemed to have a tenuous quality to it "Well I need a few more drinks in before I tell the rest of that story." There was a pause but this one felt different, significant. Heavy. Jax's eyes dropped down to the floor "Not the happiest time of my life that." he said his voice a bit smaller than normal.

After a moment he recovered, an affable air about him again as he looked back to Niall "What of yourself? You're pretty young to be a captain, there has to be a story there."

[Niall Organa]

Niall nodded. "I understand. Okay." He gave the man a nod. "If things work out, perhaps we'll see about that."

"Yes." He said, sighing. "Depending on your point of view, the story is either rather long, or very short. I was very young to become a Lieutenant. A product of having been in military academies since I was out of primary school, and finishing those quickly. I graduated a Lieutenant at the age of nineteen."

Niall's eyes went distant a moment. "The battle where I received this-" he touched the spot on his chest again, "-wiped out most of my unit. No won especially was to blame. Except, I suppose, the Empire. We were fortified, but there were just too many of them. And they had Sith. I shot at one, and he battered my blast away."

His lips pressed together. "Right after that, I was hit. I don't really remember it." The lie was familiar enough that it almost felt true. "When I woke up and was decanted from the kolto, I was a captain. Promoted due to the vacancies left above."

[Jax Dolross]

As Jax listened his face wavered and as Niall continued to talk his frown deepened. The man's story was so similar to his but Niall had found the strength to continue on. Jax shuddered a moment, his voice was hoarse almost raspy as he spoke again "It seems the empire left their mark on both of us then." he said as he stripped his shirt off. Jax reached up near his shoulder and his fingers ran along his skin probing for something.

Eventually he found the small seam where the synth flesh meshed to his organic skin. Jax dug in and began to peel away the synth skin, at first revealing an astounding amount of scar tissue around his shoulder then as he continued peeling the gleam of metal began to appear mixed into the flesh and soon the flesh gave way to more and more metal until it was just metal, his mid bicep down was entirely cybernetic.

Jax laid the sleeve of synth flesh next to him on the bench and then held the arm out for Niall to see flexing the fingers and causing the servos and motors to activate. Jax sat silent for a few moments eyes transfixed on his arm, when he spoke again his voice was far away "It was a naval battle against the empire they had two cruisers to our one my squad was deployed on defense duty as command had ordered all fighters to stay near their carrier but the battle was shifting and not the way we wanted it two." he pauses and takes a deep breath "As the fighting continued I noted a gap in their defensive formation large enough that at full bore we could punch through and deliver our torpedoes knocking their cruiser out of commission. I reported my findings to my commanding officer who gave me a direct order to ignore the opportunity and resume skirmish with fighters that came too close it was too dangerous they said. Well I was young, cocky, and had the faith of my men behind me and knew we could make it." Jax's voice was shaky now his eyes still far away "Keltosh was the first one down, we lost him breaking through, a stray missile struck true, I still remember his scream right before his console blew. Next Jenz was the victim of a suicide dive, the imperial ship smashing into his, both consumed by fuel based flames. But the three of us made it and unloaded our full compliment of torpedoes at the cruiser and they landed to great effect the cruiser lost engines and drifted defenseless but then they were on us, it had taken longer than I thought it would and they had closed our escape. We tried to fight our way out but there were too many. The last thing I remember seeing was the last of my squad being shot out of space. None of them ejected. Then my vision was filled with fire and a searing pain consumed the right side of my body."

Wet spots appeared on the floor below him "The next thing I remember was flashes in a medical facility, lights, pain, darkness, pain, a blacked hunk of charred flesh dropped into a bin. More pain. Eventually I woke up in the hospital one arm short but rich with scars. I was debriefed, told that because of my squad we were able to hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive. None of them had survived. Four of the best men and women I had ever met dead because of my arrogance. I was given a medal, tried to go back, didn't trust myself to lead. My confidence was gone, I second guessed myself at every turn. Decided I was done."

There was a pause again, maybe he was done speaking. "We both lost everything, the difference is you have no one to blame and I know exactly whose fault it is."

[Niall Organa]

Niall had to clench his teeth as he watched Jax peel back the false flesh from his arm. He gathered himself as the other man held his arm out. And then he listened, quietly, as the other man spoke. Silently, of course. The importance of what Jax was saying demanded that.

Niall was silent for a few moments in the aftermath. They both were. Finally, Niall spoke. "You remember their names. Their last moments. Their faces too, I expect. Perhaps you see them sometimes when you close your eyes. I know, because it's the same for me, sometimes. I close my eyes, and see those who gave their lives for me, as clear as day."

Leaning casually against the lockers, Niall smiled sadly at the man. "If I might be permitted to share an insight with you... as a Captain, and a noble of Alderaan, there are many people who count on me. All those under my command, all those who look to me for leadership, and helped make me who I am. I do my best for them. They're all counting on me."

Niall's gaze went distant. Perhaps he wasn't looking at anything here. "But lately I've come to realize that my dead helped make me be who I am, too. And, in a way, they're counting on me just as much." He let his eyes drift closed. "So now, when I see their faces, I don't feel guilty. I feel stronger."

His eyes flickered open, and he gave Jax the slightest of smiles. "Perhaps that can help you. Either way, next time we talk, perhaps we'll have a drink to your unit. I expect they'd like that."

[Jax Dolross]

Jax nodded as Niall spoke hos shaky features slowly solidifying. His face was neutral at best. "Yeah you have the right of it. I see them most nights, alcohol helps. I relied on it too much after it happened, really up until 5 years ago I couldn't function well with out a few drinks."

A small smile appeared on his face as Niall finished "They certainly would enjoy that." He reskinned his arm making sure all of the flaps had sealed correctly he stood looking at Niall in the eyes for the first time in a bit his eyes were slightly watery and a little red bit it was receeding, slowly returning to normal. "Thank you Niall, I don't think I can stop blaming myself but it's a nice thought. I understand what you're saying."

[Niall Organa]

"One thing at a time." Niall said, giving Jax another serious nod. Although he'd experienced great tragedy, Jax had clearly been healing, even if the process wasn't done.

Reaching out, Niall gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder. "You're a good man, Jax. Sometimes we just need other people to show us what's true about ourselves." Goodness knows he needed that, sometimes.

[Jax Dolross]

Jax cleared his throat his ever present small smile on his lips. "Yes, indeed. If you don't mind I think I've had enough reminiscing for on afternoon." He said with a chuckle as he slipped his shirt back on.

He gave Niall a nod "you're a good man Niall, thank you for listening. I didn't intend to drop that on you, sorry about that. I don't usually push my issues on others."

[Niall Organa]

Chuckling softly, Niall shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You're not in the Republic Military now, but you were. And we look out for each other as best we can, don't we?"

He started to turn away, but then looked back. "Ah... do keep in touch, will you? We still have more to talk about, after all."

[Jax Dolross]

Jax nodded "I will, I'll try and get back to you as soon as possible."

Jax walked up "you gonna finish up that workout or did this little detour eat up all that time you had dedicated for it?"

[Niall Organa]

Niall shrugged agreeably. "I've probably got a bit more time." He jerked his head back towards the main area. "Come on. Need a spotter?"

[Jax Dolross]

Jax nodded with a smile "sure thing, I'm not the strongest guy in the camp, is hate to make it all this way and die to a hunk of metal."