World Tree MUSH

    The Balmorran resistance have relocated, retreating deeper and deeper into the valley where mass assaults would be bogged down by every manner of jagged rock and hostile terrain. There are scouts traveling the rocky outcroppings, moving in samll groups as they patrol.

    Talia is waiting in a cavern with some of the rebels, as well as Thane. They've got a fire going and some stew cooking, the green alien woman idly stirring the pot.

    "Think they'll be here?" A rebel asks in between sips of delicious, much needed stew. Veggies, beef, potatoes of some sort, it's a hearty meal for a rebellion.

    "We can only hope, Zyun." Talia answers. They wait, for now.

    "That's not true," comes a voice from the cavern's mouth. "You can also trust in the Force."

    The tone is as wry as the expression on Lian Kamoya's face; she's never been much of one for proselytizing the Jedi way, but she can at least tease about it a little. Dressed in her 'adventuring seer' garb, the Jedi steps into the cavern with a soft tap-tapping of her walking staff, giving the premises a look around. "You seem to have settled in well."

    From somewhere higher up the ridge, a hawk cries out, shrill and keening. A bush rustles nearby, and then a figure, clad in white, emerges from it. Those who aren't actively looking for threats might just overlook her entirely as she steps into the milling bodies. She's not obviously armed, though she does have a Shinki perched on her shoulder, after the little robot extracts herself from the bush that is.

Misaki is dressed in her school uniform. Upon making it to the cave she looks around, frowns about something, before making it into the cave proper. "Or trust in the good inherent in your fellow people." She follows up on Lian's comment, "Though I can kind of see why you're having a hard time trusting that right now."

    Just inside the cave, right behind the newcomers, a staticky portal opens up, and Fukkireta begins playing. Right as the vocals begin, Emily leaps out, in the form of an Assassin with short silver hair and a black hood, with multicolored disco-lights alternating colors in time to the melody.

    Double-A steps out in her default form of a red-haired human-looking woman with robotic-looking eyes in a black formal dress, and whacks the back of Emily's head. "What did I tell you about behaving yourself?"

    Emily giggles, and cuts out the music. "Something hypocritical, probably!" In a swirl of silvery glitter, her clothing becomes a black and white pinstripe suit, ridiculously oversized holographic twintails appear, and her eyes start glowing purple. "I mean, trust is as trust does, I suppose!" she adds. "Though I'm pretty sure that trust is something which is earned. Or lost, for that matter."

    Talia nods slowly, unphased by sudden arrivals. She could sense people no problem. The other rebels are a bit jumpier, before Thane and Talia raise their hands. "Easy, soldiers. I put out feelers after the attack in the woods, these people are here to help." The commander nods curtly to the visitors, especially Misaki, Double-A, Emily, and Lian. "It's good to see you all again, I know this isn't exactly luxurious but it's secure for the time being." The commander runs a hand through his bearded jaw.

    He does stare at Emily when she makes her...entrance. "The kriff are you?" A rebel demands.

    Talia sighs, and she reaches for her lightsaber hwen she detects someone.

    She points to Piera and her robotic companion. "Scouts should've seen you." She says softly before she tucks her hilt back into the hilt. "And yet you're not here to kill us, I sense. You received the message we put out, I take it?"

Misaki follows Talia's gaze. "She's a friend, ma'am. Professional killer, very good at what she does, but so far I've yet to find fault in her target selection, only in her insistence upon murder." She explains, letting Piera expand upon that to any degree the assassin finds necessary. "So are you a Jedi Master like miss Kamoya?" She asks Talia.

    Piera stops when she's pointed at, doffing her hood and giving a bow. "Scouts only see what can be seen. I have heard of your cause, and through my Maestro, have been tasked with finding out if this is a cause we can support." she replies, giving Emily a chin-lifting nod, while Misaki receives a nod of recognition also. "Mi chiamo Piera Forta, un'iniziata Assassina." (My name is Piera Forta, an Assassin Initiate). After Misaki speaks, she does continue. "Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent. Every life I have taken has been one without chance for redemption, too far gone down their chosen path."

    "I don't know about 'master'," Lian says; she's answering Misaki, but looking at Talia when she speaks. "But she's certainly no initiate." Finding herself a place to sit, the elder Jedi looks perfectly comfortable when she settles in. "I admit that my main curiosity is, what brings a Jedi out to support a planetary rebellion? Is the galactic government in no position to intervene?"

Canyons and jagged rocks everywhere? That's probably why Jun's late -- he can't fly too fast, or he'll smack into something, and that would be bad. But, nonetheless, he does eventually drag his behind to the proper area. He might be sensed as he approaches, since he radiates 'holy', or 'sacred'.

He'll alight on the ground as he gets near the cave, hands up to show they're empty. "Hello," he greets meekly. "My name's Jun... I heard someone needs help?"

    Emily grins back at rebel who'd spoken up. "The kriff I am is a Eudaemon," she says, "which is a droid made out of magic and nanomachines which can reconfigure themselves into any form I desire." She then realizes that nobody here was there the previous time she made a certain wisecrack, so she says it again: "My twintails are the size of God. -- Wait, do they have monotheistic religions in this galaxy where that would even make sense?"

    Double-A frowns. "Like that makes sense to begin with," she mutters. She turns back to the rebels. "I'm Erebus-model AA23, Double-A," she says, by way of hurrying introductions along before Emily gets too bogged down in her personal nonsense. "This is Nyx-model MLE0, Emily. ... we've got to figure out an 'official' way to introduce our names and our serial prefixes at the same time ..."

    Emily raises her eyebrows when Talia makes a beeline for Piera. She practically ... nods along with Misaki's assessment. "Yeah," she says, "the jury's out on whether the Brotherhood of Assassins are Good Guys or Bad Guys --" (Double-A facepalms.) "-- but the people they fight are definitely Worse Guys."

    She gives a simple nod in greeting to Jun, whom she doesn't recognize, then glances between Talia and Lian. "So, uh," she says, "what is a Jedi? You're obviously users of 'the Force', which seems to allow psychokinesis and sensing things, but I can't find a common thread there. I just ... y'know ..." She shrugs grandiosely. "A formal definition would help~"

    Talia nods slowly as the visitors vouch for Piera. "I see..." She sits back down, and begins to pass out some dishes. "THe least we can do is offer some food, you've all doubtlessly traveled far."

    The rebel that asked Emily shrugs and digs out his canteen. "Name's Zyun, I'm one of the scout commanders here." He introduces, peeling his hood back to reveal some nasty burns on one side of his face, and a hook tattoo on his cheek. He'll pass around the canteen if people want a drink too.

    Thane nods curtly in understanding as he takes in Piera and Jun. "If you came to help people you found the right place. Assassins, criminals, pirates, if they want to help I'll make a deal with as many devils as necessary."

    Talia glances to Thane, frowning. "That's a dark path and you know it." Her objections are noted but ignored for now.

    The Jedi sighs as Lian asks her, and she shakes her head with a sad smile at Misaki. "Unfortunately no, I've only been a Jedi Knight for a year at most." She says. "I..my master, and my fellow padawans were slaughtered not long after I passed the trials to Knighthood. We were sent to hunt down a very dangerous man, a Dark Lord named Darth Angither. We were betrayed by one of our own and he..." Sigh. Talia steels herself as she chokes down painful memories still fresh to her. "I was the only survivor, and he's been chasing me ever since."

    Thane, not blind to Talia's sadness, slowly approaches her and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Her master, Furiel, was an old friend of mine. We'd been through many a battlefield together hwne I was a captain in the republic's military." Pat pat.

    Thane continues. "When I retired from active service I did some mercenary jobs before I became a contractor to the Balmorran military, and I wound up a general. One of my colleagues organized a coup attempt two years ago. He had the ruling families, and those of any who refused to join his movement, executed. It all happened so fast. I wanted no part of what he was doing, he wanted to turn Balmorra into an independent empire, fed by sales of weapons to all sides whether they were loyal to the Republic or the likes of Angither and other Sith Lords.

    Talia torques her jaw a little, and she looks to Lian when the topic shifts to Jedi Knights and the Sith, deferring to the clearly more experienced woman's wisdom.

Misaki rolls her eyes at Piera, "And who are you to decide who lives and dies?" When Talia speaks of painful memories, there's a look on Misaki's face as though she's considering doing something. She settles upon an offer, "If you ever feel like such memories are too much, I can help you with your burden for some time."

    A dark lord. No, a Darth. That puts a serious look on Lian's face indeed. "...well, that gives me some context for the time period. I'm afraid I am a Jedi of a different galaxy; in my era, the Sith are either extinct, or as I suspect, have gone to ground. You're to be commended for coming this far, Talia."

    But the question has come around to the Jedi themselves; and unlike the past, where only her abilities were truly relevant, now the context surrounding them may be important. So, Lian unclasps her cloak, folding it and setting it aside, leaving her in a sleeveless tunic-and-trousers traveling outfit.

    "Any explanation of the Jedi must start with the Force," she begins, adopting the demeanor of a teacher. "It is the energy of life, of creation. It is generated by all living things, and flows through all existence. All beings are attuned to it in some capacity, but some are born with a stronger connection, the ability to sense and interact with it consciously."

    She smiles then, gesturing to Talia, then herself. "The Jedi are an order of such Force-sensitives. Think of us as... warrior-monks, I suppose. We live a monastic life, in pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. Deeper understanding of the Force, and closer attunement with it. The Force grants many abilities, as you've noticed," she adds, nodding to Emily. "Control over our bodies. The ability to sense things near and far, past, present and future. And even the ability to alter our surroundings. These abilities make formidable warriors of any Jedi; we always strive for peace and diplomacy, but when we must go to battle... well. We are called 'Knights' for a reason."

    It's here that her posture shifts, growing a little more serious. "The Sith is an old order that stood opposed to the Jedi. They used what we refer to as the 'Dark Side' of the Force. It is the side that stems from negative emotion. Hate, fear, cruelty. Sith are, almost without exception, terrible and vicious, and formidable besides. The Dark Side grants them dangerous power."

Jun nods as Thane greets him, and agrees to let him help. "Thank you," he replies, with a polite bow. "I'm no devil, but I'll try to do what I can." Emily's nod of greeting is returned, just as simply.

Talia's words of her late master get a sympathetic look. "My condolences for your loss," he offers, with another bow, this time a deeper one. Lian begins to explain things about Jedi and the Force, and he goes quiet to listen.

    Piera looks at Misaki. "Who are you to judge me?" she shoots back without any anger or malice. A shrug, then she turns back to Talia and the locals. As she listens, she nods. "Sounds like the Templars... though thankfully the only 'powers' the Templars get, are if they find a First Civilisation artifact." she remarks. "They are, fortunately, not all that common, and some are simply inert, though the metals are tougher than any contemporary steel we can produce."

    Emily grins at Thane, and in a swirl of nanomachines, she gains horns and a spaded tail. "Double-A and I can't get drunk," she adds to Talia, "but food works!"

    Double-A hesitates, then murmurs, "This would be the first thing I've eaten since the world ended."

    Emily listens intently. And worriedly; beneath her flippant exterior, she isn't exactly calm on the best of days, but the whole story seems to be bothering her greatly. Especially once Lian describes the Dark Side and the Sith.

    She puts on an amused and faintly smug smile. "I'm suddenly glad that Eudaemons probably can't use the Force," she says dryly.

    She looks at the byplay between Misaki and Piera. "Siiiiigh," she announces. That is, she says the word 'sigh' rather than actually sighing.

    Talia can't help but soften a little as Lian complements her. And she listens to the master and nods. Yeah, she more or less got that bang-on. "Yes, more or less. I..." She isn't sure how she feels about Lian giving casual spoilers, but it would seem the older Jedi is from far enough in the future it won't matter much if she spoils a little.

    It does make her feel a little better knowing the Sith will eventually lose. The offers of sympathy are welcome too, as she nods to Jun. Misaki however gets a weird look from Talia. The girl might not know just what she's offering...or maybe she's too accustomed to it, unfortuantely.

    The bickering between Piera and Misaki is a smidge irritating, but Thane tries to handle it with grace. "Regardless of methods, we still need to work together. I think compromise might be in order. Regardless," He throws out a holoprojector the size of a small frisbee, projecting a hologram of Balmorra in text that might translate into whatever these off-worlders speak. "We need to get to brass tacks. Balmorra's strategic importance is vital to the Galactic Republic, there are systems right now in desperate need of weapons, ships, droids, food. This entire planet's been converted to act as a manufacturing hub, with Garo's control and the embargo on trade with the Republic, these resources will go to other elements, criminals and systems with a grudge against the Republic, and as mentioned, the Sith. Garo's intentions are motivated by profit...he knows the Republic's enemies have deeper pockets."

"There's a big difference between sharing my opinion and murder." Misaki answers. Upon seeing the holoprojector, she transforms and tries to replicate the hologram above her left hand as closely as she can, "What are the key points where products leave the planet?" She asks, getting ready to make annotations on her own copy as questions get asked and hopefully answered. While she's transformed, she magically reaches out to Talia, an offer to share in the burden that Talia can accept, reject or put on hold as she desires.

    It's Lian's turn to receive new information, this time on the state of Balmorra - and what she's realizing is a galactic war going on around it. Hm. "So they've styled themselves a neutral planet? Or are they openly aligned with the Sith?" It's honestly academic at this point; either way, she's already made her choice on what she's going to do here. "And more importantly, do you have any particular plans on how to bring Balmorra under Republic control?"

    Piera shrugs a little. Not pressing the point further and instead turning to the task at hand. "So, Garo is profiteering from the conflict, selling materials to this, Republic's enemies." she steps around the hologram, then blinks as another is projected from Aquila, for easier study at a distance. "Ah, thank you." she asides to her Shinki, reaching up to give the little robot a headpat before studying the replicated hologram. "Where would be best strike to cause a reaction? I take it we are attempting to draw out Garo and eliminate him as an obstacle." she side-eyes Misaki. "Through various means, depending on the situation, of course."

    Double-A leans forward to peer at the holoprojector. "... Doesn't seem too complicated," she says. "Tale as old as time. Asshole with eyes bigger than his stomach Wants Everything." You can practically hear her pronounce the capital letters. "Ancient part of human nature ... if you can trust the assessment of my Master, who was this armchair philosopher with ideas about politics and human evolution." Several expressions crossing her face in succession; her feelings are obviously complicated. But she shrugs, and leans back. "I'm just here with Emily, though. Tryin' to keep her out of, uh, a couple of specific kinds of trouble. What do you think, Emily?"

    Emily grins. "This is interesting," she says. "I certainly won't be bored!" (The Jedi might sense an earnest determination underneath.) "Hm ... though ..." She turns to the commander. "Thane, you mentioned Garo was a colleague of yours. Was there any sign of this kind of behavior or philosophy before he pulled the coup? Or was it relatively sudden?"

    Thane nods curtly at Emily when she decides to cut to the heart of the matter. "Yeah, he was always a narcissist with goals at the detriment of others. He came up from a low born station and worked his way up, but somewhere along the way his ambitions grew. He resented the high society types of Balmorra's ruling parties. He coveted their wealth and the respect they commanded. He hated the previous ruler, who never let him forget his origins." The commander's features harden a bit. "He...offered me a place among the leadership of his movement. He knew I was an outsiders, and I'd had to earn my place among the military as well. I thought about it, I really did agree with some of his points but...then I saw what he was willing to do. He killed more than just the nobles of Balmorra. He murdered their loved ones too. I wanted no part of that, and I saw the company he was willing to keep. Corruptive influences, the men he appointed his new commanders, his advisors. He was already pretty spiteful and petty, but now...he's only gotten more sadistic." The holograms turn to footage of killing fields are shown, some of the bodies once very well dressed, with ruined garments that would be worth more than a starship. Some of the bodies are much, much shorter. Mercifully, the hologram cuts out. "Our plan is removing Garo's junta and instilling the last heirs of the nobility as a temporary measure. They're being kept in hiding for now, under our protection."

    Talia reaches out and gently stops Misaki before she can begin the empathic link with her. "That won't be necessary at the moment, no. I...anyways." She takes over. "Ideally, we'll begin elections and try and rebuild Balmorra's government. For the moment, they're posing as strictly neutral, but it's clear where their allegiances lie. Problem is, most of us in the resistance were either soldiers or just civilians, laborers, doctors, and the like. It'll take time before any of us become decent bureaucrats." Thane nods curtly to that. "It's a goal worth pursuing, at least."

    "We're near one of their weapons manufacturing plants actually, they've been roping up the populations of settlements to work there...we'd need to destroy or capture the plant in order to prevent them from trying again were we to simply lead a laborer revolt." The holograms turn to a massive facility, practically an arcology, with endless rows of weapons from blasters to massive bombs being assembled. "We'll have to reccee the idea, find a way inside and determine a plan of attack."

    Zyun senses the ignorance of some in the audience. "Reconnaissance." He explains helpfully. "I lived in the plant, worked it. I can get us in, but it's going to be ugly. I've heard whispers from my guys about some of the new personnel guarding the facility. Those in the scouts who I sent there that came back barely made it home."
    

    It is here that Piera receives a direct look from Lian; not quite 'reproachful', but definitely firm. "I will not begrudge you your methods, for the most part. I assume that you have your reasons for acting as you do. But I would ask that, while you are here, please respect the ways of those who live here - the ideal scenario is that Garo is taken in alive, to face the consequences of his actions. He must be made an example, to the rest of the galaxy. Killing him should be an absolute, positive last resort. Anyone else..." She pauses for a moment, then continues with a simple, "I won't begrudge you acting in self-defense."

    Talia and Thane give more context on the planetary situation, and Lian falls quiet, listening intently. They seem to have at least a basic starting plan, and the older Jedi goes over it in her head briefly. "I'm not well-suited to discreet missions. I can if I must, but if there are better experts, I'd leave that to them. However, if you have any missions you've been hesitant to run due to heavy enemy resistance, I'll volunteer for those. In my time, I'm the Battlemaster of my order."

Jun funally says something! Lian's words get a nod, and he points out, "At best, they just put someone else in his place if he dies. At worst he becomes a martyr, and that might be the push that shoves everyone over to the other side. Then gaining ground will be next to impossible."

He also seems to have a suggestion about the factory! "Would it be possible to sort of sabotage the power to the factory?" he asks. "I mean... it needs power to make things, right?"

Then something occurs to him. "Oh, you could do that in two areas, in fact," he realizes. "Maybe one really loudly, to pull any security people there, and the other more subtly? That could serve to both temporarily stop the production in the factory, and also to thin out security forces around there so people could go in and do what needs to be done to make sure the factory never works again."

Reconaissance. Misaki thinks about that. "Uh." She asks, "Will any recon be done during daytime trying to fit in or is this gonna be a sneaky stealthy nighttime thing?" She asks, and she sounds like she's really worried it'll be the second. She nods to Talia, "Just let me know if you change your mind."

    Emily nods thoughtfully. "Well ... I can teleport," she says. "Give me a detailed enough map of a given facility, or even better, line of sight to where we wanna go, and I can guarantee getting from point A to point B. And if it is a sneaky-type thing," she adds, nodding to Misaki, "all I need is a good lie of omission." She winks. "It's against ,me 'n' Double-A's programming to impersonate anything, but as long as 'MLE0' has a legitimate-looking reason to be there ... just ..." She shrugs. "I'm not pretending to be a boy this time, unless there's another superpowered artifact in it for me." She grins at Jun. "And yeah, we could tackle the whole thing on multiple fronts! All sorts of ways we could do this, really."

    But at Lian's comment, Emily lets out an irritated grumble, smirking. "So, it's a 'minions are okay to kill, but we have to spare the boss-man or we're just as bad', hmm?" she says.

    A pained expression crosses Double-A's face. "That's ... really not what she said at all, no."

    Emily shrugs grandiosely, looks like she's about to fire something back, then hesitates and actually thinks it through for a moment. "... Fine," she says. "I'm still shooting to stun, though."

    Thane nods in agreement with Lian and Jun. "Yeah, ideally we put him on trial, and his supporters too. Otherwise we'd risk legitimizing his position as tools of the previous rulers if just put them to the sword."

    He and Talia look together, and then Zyun rubs his stubbly jaw. Misaki brings up a good point. "Yeah, that could work. I can get us some permits from a fixer I know, and disguises, cover IDs. Night-ops, if you're workin' with us, might be a problem, kid." He says to Misaki. "I can adjust, don't worry. As for the attack itself..." He eyes Jun for a moment and nods to him. "Yeah, you got the right idea. There's too much of the arcology for us to run through as one group. Multiple teams will be more efficient."

    Talia eyes Piera for a moment, she has a bad feeling Garo won't come quietly. Perhaps as a last resort...

    "I am an optimist, but also a realist," Lian replies to Emily. "If I could end this war bloodlessly, I would do so gladly. But it is a war. Expecting someone to fight a war while taking no lives is too much; if the enemy levels a blaster at you in a warzone, they've made their choice. If you can manage it, however, you have my praise." She folds her leg up across her knee, then leans forward a little, resting her arms on it. "Garo's death, on the other hand, would have grave enough ramifications that I am willing to ask those here to take the extra risk to avoid it, if they can."

    Then she turns her attention to Jun, appraising for a moment. "I suppose I'd make a fair distraction, especially if they're watching for Jedi. It's a solid plan."

Jun nods to Talia's words. "Yeah, a weapons factory is going to be full of... well, weapons, so trying to engage them inside there is suicide," he reasons.

Jun looks to Lian then, and tilts his head. "Splitting up too much would be a bad idea. But I think, if you put most of your heavy-hitters in the distraction group, they could hold out long enough for the others to get things done, right? You know your people better than I do, admittedly."

    Piera nods to Lian, "Of course Signora. My blade remains stayed until it is called upon to serve." she reaches up and pulls her hood up, stepping back from the group and, if one looks away, seems to vanish. The Force users can probably still keep track of her easily enough, and she 'reappears' in the group around the hologram after a moment or two. "My skills are much more than murder. Infiltration, 'acquisition' of items and information, and abduction are all things I am capable of."

    She looks over the rest of the group. "We could do all these things at once. At least one of us will succeed."

"The little people just don't matter enough to worry about the repercussions to their families, huh." Misaki asks Lian, her gaze set upon the Jedi Master, "From the way you guys have bene talking, I'm sure most of the troops of your enemies are choosing between taking part and starvation. They are not your enemies, they are merely victims in another shape."

    Lian's clarification actually seems to get through to Emily, but she still seems irrationally unsatisfied, looking between her and Misaki. "... I can set my energy-bolts to stun," she says lamely.

    Double-A, on the other hand, is less conciliatory. "Oh my fucking god, why is there a child in this war room," she grumbles with her head in her hands. She stands up. "I'm, I'm gonna ... grab a breath of fresh air. Emily, don't, uh, use the Timekeeper or use your magic too much while I'm gone." And with that, she storms out of the cave.

    Emily pauses. "Uh ... sorry, probably."

    Talia scratches her head at that as Double-A storms out. "...ye-yes! Well, there's a datahub that'll give us access to the arcology's mapping system. Emily, can either of you interface with technology?" She pauses. "...of course you can. I imagine it'd be easy for you to plug into a dataport and start hacking." She says.

    She also frowns at Misaki. "I can't exactly ask to spare everyone, but I can at least minimize causalities. The Governor-General's forces consist of both zealots and desperate people, and everything in between."

    This time, it's Misaki who gets a level gaze from Lian... but rather than stern, her expression is sympathetic. "Contrary to popular belief, Jedi are not all-powerful. We cannot win every battle flawlessly, we cannot save every life that needs saving. We can only fight to bring it to an end as quickly and mercifully as possible, and save those lives within our power to save. I will spare anyone who surrenders, but stretching myself to the breaking point trying to convince every soldier to stand down, or take them down nonlethally, would either bog me down endlessly or end in my death. As I said to Emily, if you can best every soldier on the battlefield without taking their life, then I will have nothing but praise for you." She shakes her head. "But war isn't kind, or gentle. I don't want this to end in you hating us, or worse, yourself, for falling short of the ideal."

    There is a glance in Double-A's direction, and a faint frown, before she turns back to Misaki. "You are old enough to choose putting your life on the line. I cannot, will not, consider you a child, not when I have seen Jedi padawans your age give their life for the sake of others. But you are still young. And the world you're about to step into is exceedingly cruel. There will be death, even if it's not by your hand, or mine, or Emily's."

Jun is... not going to comment on any of the interplay going on. He does look around, kind of frowning, but it's more an expression of concern for those involved in the disagreement than displeasure with anyone in particular.

    Emily s, trying to recover from Double-A's outburst. "I can interface, yes," she says, "but I've never tried hacking before. Double-A's the one who's better at analyzing technology ... Maybe I'll go bug YoRHa, see if 9S can spare the time ... though they'll need to be paid. Uhh ..."

    She laughs weakly. "Yeah, I wasn't built for military engagements," she says. "I've had to find my own path. My freaking creators would be horrified ..." She shakes her head. "But, like. Speaking for myself, I'm adaptable, I think."

"It seems the person complaining about children lacks the maturity to deal with disagreement with grace." Misaki comments. She listens to Lian, and nods. Her answer is not immediately directly related. "Ma'am. When a certain faction became aware of my potential, they tried to murder me before I could utilize it. The being which helped me realize my potential almost certainly has no care for my wellbeing beyond how I can be useful, and just wants me be a compliant little soldier."

I accepted this power knowing this being sees me as disposable. My world is hardly kind. I will honestly be surprised if I ever grow old enough to be an 'adult." The senshi sighs, "And yes, I understand that people die in war. I just want it to be acknowledged that we're talking about an evil, even if it's the lesser evil compared to doing nothing."

    Talia and Thane both exchange a look. Hoo boy, trying to organize these people into a unit might be a smidge difficult. Still, it's hard to begrudge either's argument. Talia just reaches out to Misaki and pats her on the shoulder. "You're a brave young woman, Misaki. I'll be happy to fight beside you all the same. And that goes for the rest of you. But for now, we need to plan. May the Force be with us all."