The Bear's Cave - Sedona Station, Baffin (Formerly Freeport 14, Yukon)

[Dusty Lens]

He took a moment to blow some steam from his mug of tea before taking an exploratory sip, eyes not leaving the datapad in the process. Seemed that he and his had done the good work up Gallia ways and had earned their right of passage. Day was looking up.

Could be I'm looking at things the wrong way but I think you're smoking my weed, not sure that puts me in your debt.

Which led him to wonder why he was going to let a day that was looking up be trashed by allowing this ****ed up specimen half a seat at his table. He didn't want to know her name. He didn't want to learn her troubles. He didn't want to hear her sob story. He didn't even want to use her as a source of information.

Because the look she was harboring in her eyes struck a little too close to the heart, reminded a little too keenly of those he used to fight beside before he'd become the equivalent of a pimp. Their cause had been bull****, but there's a singular look you get when you think you've entrusted who you are to something greater than yourself and it goes to **** around you.

Which wasn't a place he wanted to go back to. He was fine with where he was. He had his little school. He had his good karma. Sometimes he could pick his fights and come out feeling like the good guy. Sometimes.

He didn't need to feel like he was living for something to get by. He'd made up for everything before that.

So he worked on his datapad, reports filing away unseen as he ignored the woman sitting across from him.

He took another sip of tea. It was bitter.