Bankor

Niall paused, waiting a moment before stepping outside of the general care center. He'd done what he came there to do; check on the wounded Resistance man who he'd seen there earlier. But hospitals, especially the sorts like this that came with war, always brought back bad memories.

Standing just inside the covered entrance, he watched the rain fall. His expression grew a touch more glum as he decided that it probably wouldn't be slackening any time soon. Well, at least he had his rain gear. He would go soon...

“Why the long face Captain?” Said a voice to the side of him.

A woman was leaning against one leg holding up a medical tent.

"Hmmm?" Niall's expression shifted instantly into one of polite inquiry, his head turning to spot the woman. "Oh. Sorry. It's nothing."

He turned to face her, arms crossing casually across his chest. "I suppose hospitals just make me like that a little. Old memories, you know." He smiled, just a little. "Captain Niall Organa. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, the famous Captain from Alderaan. Pleasure to meet such a star." She said with a smirk.

"I'm Delmi."

"Famous?" Niall echoed, his lips quirking. "I guess you've seen the recruitment posters, then."

He nodded acknowledgement. "Delmi. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." He tilted his head, looking at her. "You're not Republic military, then. You with the Resistance?"

She tilted her head slightly to the left, "In a way I suppose... I'm here helping out a couple of people I owe a favor to. One's a Resistance leader... the other is the leader of your Strike Force."

"Really?" He frowned as his comm beeped. The frown deepened as he read it.

Nai'tiri wrote:Checked up on what happens to armor and weapons of Mandos who fall in battle. Meds turn it over to quartermaster, quartermaster just sits on it. Said she'd send it to museums.
Need something official, approved by your commander, to get it turned over to representative of my people.

Shaking his head, he looked up. "Sorry. You said that you know Commander Malcom?"

"Hmm... 'know' is a bit of a stretch I suppose. He helped me get fitted with a new arm after the Mandos took mine during their first assault..."

"I see." Niall frowned. Her arms, what he could see of them, appeared entirely symmetrical. It must have been a high end replacement.

"Mmm. So you were here when the Mandalorians first attacked. Are you a local, then?" He asked.

“Uhh... nope. Was here on a job actually. Wish I had some upstanding reason for it... but really it was just by chance. I helped a resistance fighter named Lelia get out of the city safely and she reported it to the Republic. Malcolm saw that I was compensated for my lost cargo and got me my new arm. Figured that’s too much a debt hanging over my head, so I offered to come back and help.”

"Just chance." Niall shook his head. "Some of my friends are Jedi. I expect they might say that there's no such thing." His lips quirked. "I'm not sure if you'd find that to be a comfort or rather the opposite."

As they spoke, he leaned casually against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. "It sounds as though debts are something you take very seriously, Ms. Delmi."

"Weird shit does happen... and yeah... sometimes it ain't a coi-inkee-dink. I got no problem with Jedi mysticism... but not everything is good happenstance, but as long as you got your life there's always something ahead of you." She said with a sideways nod of her head.

"Debts? Well... yeah. Not a lot one can hold to in this galaxy. But having pride in your name and not letting anything besmirch it no matter what shit gets thrown your way... That's something we can control."

Niall chuckled. "I find myself agreeing with that philosophy. And I expect my Jedi friends would as well, more or less."

"Hmmm." Niall's lips quirked. "I find myself in complete agreement with you there, too. Although..." The lips pressed together. "How can you know when you've properly paid a debt? This is something I often find myself wondering."

"When your gut tells you it's time I guess..." She said with a thoughtful (for Delmi) expression.

"Hmmm." Niall's lips quirked. "And I do trust my gut. Or rather, I've learned to."

He sighed, shifting his weight against the wall. "Some debts just seem too significant, though. I'm not sure my gut would ever let them go. I have to use my mind for those, I think."

"What debts does a guy like you have?" She asked as she shifted her weight on the pole.

Niall's eyebrows went up. "I have many debts."

He straightened, his eyes going distant as he considered. "I was born into the nobility on Alderaan; House Organa is a powerful one. I owe all of those who have lifted me up; thousands upon thousands. My training was a gift from the Republic that I need to repay. As a soldier, there are those who have saved my life, sometimes at the cost of theirs." He spread his hands. "It is those last that give me the most trouble, I admit."

She tilted her head, "Not to be all like irreverent or something... But... none of that self-sacrifice stuff is on you, I think. They sacrificed so you could live a better life going forward... not pine about what is behind. That's on them. That's what they wanted. Living your best damn life is 'payment' for anything they may have done for you. There's no debt there... they aren't expecting anything in return for what they did. I don't know much about compassionate giving..."

She paused for a moment before starting up again, "I don't know much... but I know that if these dudes were your friends... they aren't looking for you to pay them back. They're happy your alive."

She pursed her lips a bit, "And as for the whole royalty thing... Well... I know even less about that. You seem like a decent guy though... so one day I'm guessing when you're in charge you'll probably help the people who got you where you are. Can't pay a debt back without some capital. Seems to me like you're building that capital now."

Niall listened, his expression serious.

Finally, with a smile, he slowly inclined his head. "I think perhaps you're right. Giving their life... in a way, that was their last choice. Their final gift. You're entirely correct when you say that their gift should best be honored by living my life."

"Nobility." He corrected automatically. "And yes, that's quite right. I intend to pour all my energy into making lives better for the people who helped me to be who I am." His lips quirked. "Still, I do find it rather daunting, from time to time."

"Everything is daunting if you pine over it." She replied.

"Life doesn't do anyone any favors. Even 'royals' like yourself." She said persisting with the term with a smirk on her face.

One eyebrow went up, and Niall tsked gently, amused. "I don't know how it is where you're from. But on Alderaan, 'royals' is reserved for the royal family. I'm not quite that elevated."

His expression grew more pleasant. "Actually, may I ask where you are from?"

"All over the place recently. Been on my own for the past 5-6 years based out of Nar Shaddaa. Before that Brentaal IV for most of my childhood. My dad worked for a noble family out there... House Cormond. Don't know if you noble folks have like a secret club across worlds or something." She replied with a smirk.

"Oh, sure." Niall said, his lips quirking. "All nobles know each other." He shook his head. "I've heard of House Cormond, but I don't believe I've met a member."

His eyebrows went up. "I was actually on Nar Shaddaa about two years ago. Were you there for the peace talks? That's when it was." He paused, his lips pursing. "It was... an experience." He said.

"Nah, I was actually off on a mission... Y'all sure messed up the joint real nice. Came back and found a piece of a barge in my living room."

"Yes." Niall sighed. "Believe me, that wasn't my idea. I was out on a mission too, which is good, because when I came back most of the barge was in my quarters. Or at least, so I imagined; I couldn't get to it, of course."

He chewed his lip thoughtfully. "Who takes most of the responsibility... is a complicated question, unless one is familiar with the intricacies of Sith politics. I am not sure that I am."

After a moment, he shrugged. "Anyway, sorry about your living room. Was it a nice one?"