[ Sturmhond repeats it, while shaking her hand. A bit of curiosity comes into his eyes now. He hadn't known Samus when she was here before, but he's read over the crew's files multiple times. He's sure that name rings a bell. ]
Sort of? Interesting way of putting it.
You haven't been here before, have you? Only your name is very familiar to me.
[Samus turns her gaze away, trying desperately not to audibly sigh. Well, at least he didn't seem to know her personally.]
According to most everyone I've spoken to, yes. I was previously recruited with the Neheda, though I can't remember my time with the CDC prior to Selena VII.
According to Pilot, I either had my memories wiped, or they've recruited an alternate version of myself. I still don't know what's going on.
I guess it's worth a shot. It's a little ridiculous that they wouldn't let me know what was going on from the get-go, though. They had to know that this would happen, that I'd find out one way or another.
[Instead it's just been very disorienting, and more than a little stressful.]
Get used to it... I guess that's a bit comforting, though I'm not sure how much I believe that. It's a bit hard to get used to destroying planets.
I think there's a difference to putting up with bad circumstances and getting used to those circumstances. I have experience with this sort of thing, and even I still can't imagine finding normalcy in it. The day that happens is the day I quit this job.
[She sighs and rubs the back of her neck gently.]
I'm sure there's a reason, I just doubt I'm going to like it.
[ Well, that’s certainly not what he expected to hear. She’s the first one he’s ever encountered who’s said anything of the kind, and after a moment, surprise filters back into laughter. ]
Forgive me. It’s quite unlike them to recruit anyone with actual experience in the field, from what I’ve seen.
I was previously contracted with the Galactic Federation, though I work freelance.
[She pauses for a moment.]
Just so we're clear, destroying planets wasn't my job. It's been very rarely necessary to certain missions of mine in the past, but I'm actually a bounty hunter.
[ And he accepts it easily enough, without judgment of any kind. He's worked with bounty hunters before. In his experience, they're not generally well liked, but they get the job done, and that tends to be enough for a man like Sturmhond. ]
Still, it sounds like you have some degree of familiarity. Galactic Federation of what, exactly? A system of planets?
[Samus was used to having a larger semblance of trust placed in her name, despite her title as a bounty hunter. So now having to deal with the idea of being viewed as 'one of those bounty hunters' was something she had to adjust to. It still doesn't occur to her right away that someone who isn't a fellow bounty hunter would even think of her in that way.]
The Milky Way Galaxy. While not all civilized planets are members of the Federation, most are - and are under its governance and military protection. I work with them regularly.
As a freelancer, rather than as part of their army.
[ Sturmhond smiles at her. He had, after all, made exactly the same choice. Armies come with a lot of red tape. Privateers, mercenaries and bounty hunters have in common their ability to pick the jobs that suit, and avoid the ones that don't. ]
Fine work if you can get it. That's similar enough to what they do here. Every job has a price, regardless of its scale. I understand.
[And he'd be absolutely right to assume that she left for those reasons in specific.]
There's been an unfortunately high demand for mercenaries where I'm from. It's kept me pretty busy. Of course now I have this job to worry about... And it seems like it's going to be a permanent one.
[ Sturmhond nods, agreeing with her. She's sharp. None of them know how long their contract is supposed to be, but increasingly, it seems like that time is not short. He's heard the Instructors talk about being here for hundreds of years, for example. ]
It does seem like they're interested in a long-term investment.
But the pay-off is worth it. They hold up their end of the bargain, from what I've seen.
[ He doesn't know what her price was, but given her profession, he figures she'd want to know they weren't lying to her when they said they'd meet it. ]
Despite being a bounty hunter, that's not where my interests lie.
[She's never done her job for the money, or the fame, or anything of that nature. This job is no different.
Though she hesitates to mention her true motivations, for various reasons- not least of which is the fact that she wants the trust of her teammates and her superiors.]
Though if you're applying that to their agreement to leave the planet they've taken hostage off of their list then... that's certainly good to know.
[ Sturmhond only smiles at that. She can take it how she will, and he'll not correct her. What he wants from the CDC is far more than simply their agreement to leave his world in peace, but he has no intention of going into those specifics with anyone. ]
Whatever your reasons, they'll make good on their word.
Though if I may ask, then, where do your interests actually lie?
[Samus recognizes that others may want more than what she's asking for. She doesn't really care. She is so used to people's actions being driven by their greed that at this point, it hardly matters to her if several of her crew members are the same way.
She gives a slight shrug in response to his question.]
I just want to keep people safe. That's the simplest answer I can give you.
You make it sound as though I were offered much of a choice. Also, I'm not the only one here who has a world at stake. Almost everyone else here does as well. That's a lot of contracts that, if terminated, could result in a lot of dead planets and dead people. I want to prevent that from happening.
[She looks down at her feet with a sigh.]
One planet is nothing in the face of the countless others our contracts serve to protect. It isn't fair - and I'm aware that taken to its extreme, that line of thinking becomes fallible, but right now it's a necessary evil.
[ There is nothing that he values more than his world. Than his country. He will do absolutely anything he has to in order to keep it safe.
That's not the line he uses, though. ]
When I take a job, I finish it. Taking it to its extreme is no bad thing, when it's an extreme situation. There's no point in making your world their next target. You're right.
I'm hoping most people here with an ounce of sense won't argue with that logic.
[Martyrdom has no place in a delicate contract like this. There are no heroes here, only people dealing with the best of a really bad situation.]
Seems like we're on the same page, then. I'm not one to leave missions half-done either. Here's to working together in the future, if only to get the job done.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
For Samus (Neheda drop log)
[ Sturmhond repeats it, while shaking her hand. A bit of curiosity comes into his eyes now. He hadn't known Samus when she was here before, but he's read over the crew's files multiple times. He's sure that name rings a bell. ]
Sort of? Interesting way of putting it.
You haven't been here before, have you? Only your name is very familiar to me.
no subject
According to most everyone I've spoken to, yes. I was previously recruited with the Neheda, though I can't remember my time with the CDC prior to Selena VII.
According to Pilot, I either had my memories wiped, or they've recruited an alternate version of myself. I still don't know what's going on.
no subject
You should ask them. I would. Mind you, they probably wouldn't give you an answer.
[ It's only her memories, after all. He wouldn't be at all surprised at them redacting that. ]
You'll get used to it. You did before, after all.
no subject
[Instead it's just been very disorienting, and more than a little stressful.]
Get used to it... I guess that's a bit comforting, though I'm not sure how much I believe that. It's a bit hard to get used to destroying planets.
no subject
Is it hard to get used to that? How different is it really from destroying battleships, or enemy positions? Sturmhond is used to war.
The target is bigger this time. That's all. He has to think of it on that level. ]
You'd be surprised what you can get used to, when the stakes are high enough.
Perhaps there's a reason you aren't supposed to remember. They generally have a reason; just don't ask me what it is.
no subject
I think there's a difference to putting up with bad circumstances and getting used to those circumstances. I have experience with this sort of thing, and even I still can't imagine finding normalcy in it. The day that happens is the day I quit this job.
[She sighs and rubs the back of her neck gently.]
I'm sure there's a reason, I just doubt I'm going to like it.
no subject
[ That's interesting experience. He lifts a brow at her. ]
That makes one of us. Perhaps it won't be permanent, and you can stop worrying.
no subject
[It's a bit awkward for her to say it outright; she doesn't enjoy thinking about it too much.]
I... I have experience with planet infiltration, and annihilation.
[Hell, from her perspective she'd just destroyed a planet less than four weeks ago.]
no subject
Forgive me. It’s quite unlike them to recruit anyone with actual experience in the field, from what I’ve seen.
That’s fascinating. Who did you work for before?
geeze my apologies for this late as heck tag
[She pauses for a moment.]
Just so we're clear, destroying planets wasn't my job. It's been very rarely necessary to certain missions of mine in the past, but I'm actually a bounty hunter.
no worries!
[ And he accepts it easily enough, without judgment of any kind. He's worked with bounty hunters before. In his experience, they're not generally well liked, but they get the job done, and that tends to be enough for a man like Sturmhond. ]
Still, it sounds like you have some degree of familiarity. Galactic Federation of what, exactly? A system of planets?
no subject
The Milky Way Galaxy. While not all civilized planets are members of the Federation, most are - and are under its governance and military protection. I work with them regularly.
no subject
[ Sturmhond smiles at her. He had, after all, made exactly the same choice. Armies come with a lot of red tape. Privateers, mercenaries and bounty hunters have in common their ability to pick the jobs that suit, and avoid the ones that don't. ]
Fine work if you can get it. That's similar enough to what they do here. Every job has a price, regardless of its scale. I understand.
no subject
[And he'd be absolutely right to assume that she left for those reasons in specific.]
There's been an unfortunately high demand for mercenaries where I'm from. It's kept me pretty busy. Of course now I have this job to worry about... And it seems like it's going to be a permanent one.
no subject
It does seem like they're interested in a long-term investment.
But the pay-off is worth it. They hold up their end of the bargain, from what I've seen.
[ He doesn't know what her price was, but given her profession, he figures she'd want to know they weren't lying to her when they said they'd meet it. ]
no subject
[She's never done her job for the money, or the fame, or anything of that nature. This job is no different.
Though she hesitates to mention her true motivations, for various reasons- not least of which is the fact that she wants the trust of her teammates and her superiors.]
Though if you're applying that to their agreement to leave the planet they've taken hostage off of their list then... that's certainly good to know.
no subject
Whatever your reasons, they'll make good on their word.
Though if I may ask, then, where do your interests actually lie?
no subject
She gives a slight shrug in response to his question.]
I just want to keep people safe. That's the simplest answer I can give you.
no subject
And so, you join an organisation that makes its money from death. Interesting move to make.
no subject
You make it sound as though I were offered much of a choice. Also, I'm not the only one here who has a world at stake. Almost everyone else here does as well. That's a lot of contracts that, if terminated, could result in a lot of dead planets and dead people. I want to prevent that from happening.
[She looks down at her feet with a sigh.]
One planet is nothing in the face of the countless others our contracts serve to protect. It isn't fair - and I'm aware that taken to its extreme, that line of thinking becomes fallible, but right now it's a necessary evil.
no subject
[ There is nothing that he values more than his world. Than his country. He will do absolutely anything he has to in order to keep it safe.
That's not the line he uses, though. ]
When I take a job, I finish it. Taking it to its extreme is no bad thing, when it's an extreme situation. There's no point in making your world their next target. You're right.
no subject
[Martyrdom has no place in a delicate contract like this. There are no heroes here, only people dealing with the best of a really bad situation.]
Seems like we're on the same page, then. I'm not one to leave missions half-done either. Here's to working together in the future, if only to get the job done.
no subject
[ Moralising is all too common here. It doesn't help, not in his eyes. But that never seems to stop anyone.
He nods to her, though. ]
You seem the practical sort. I'll look forward to it.