Gotta Fight for It

[Dutch]

Dutch narrowed his eyes at Grizzelda's smirk. What was it that she had planned for him exactly? Not just in his recovery, even he could realize the woman wanted his recovery to happen swiftly. It was clear however that she did have some ulterior motive. What that was? Dutch had no clue. Not a one.

"Y'know, being coy will only get you so far."

He growled. Dutch drank the last bit of his water, a look of disappointment touching his face.

[Kella]

"Yeah, and kickin' ass gets me the rest of the way."

She took another drink of her water and particularly savored it, partly because she was thirsty, partly for Dutch's benefit.

They reached the lift, and Grizzelda punched the code for the armory level.

[Dutch]

Dutch couldn't help but chuckle at her response. His free hand moved to massage a cramp that began to set into his abdomen.

"That easy, eh?"

He scowled at Grizzelda and despite his legs' protest Dutch strode forward suddenly. As she punched in the code he pocketed his canteen to lunge forward, hand grasping for her canteen when Grizz wasn't looking.

[Kella]

Grizzelda deftly plucked the canteen out of reach, her other hand locking around Dutch's wrist, taking advantage of his shifting balance to wretch his arm around and twist it into the center of his back.

All as natural and involuntary as blinking sand out of your eye.

"Nice try," she whispered in his ear, and let him go, crossing her arms to lean against the wall as she waited for the lift.

[Dutch]

"Damn!"

Dutch growled as Grizzelda whipped the duo around, his arm suddenly wrenched and set behind him. He struggled uselessly against the grapple, but between her technique and his still redeveloping muscle he had no chance. Dutch fought the goosebumps that rose as Grizz' lips barely grazed his ear. He squirmed in discomfort until she released him.

He stepped forward. His arm rotated to relaxed the shoulder that had been grabbed. Dutch stared at the woman wearily as he massaged the arm.

"Can't blame me for tryin'..."

[Kella]

"Hm, but all the blame for failing's on you."

Right on time, the lift arrived. Grizzelda stepped inside. "You comin', cupcake?"

[Dutch]

Dutch turned away at her response. He knew she meant his failing to grab the canteen. However, with the current state of himself and Dantooine in general still hung heavy on his conscious. The lift arriving broke him of his thoughts, and he looked Grizzelda right in the eyes. For a moment he stood there with no response.

"Why?"

He asked, plain and blunt.

[Kella]

Grizzelda put a foot in the lift door and it dinged in protest.

"You're not scared, are you?" she jeered.

[Dutch]

Dutch strode forward, not breaking eye contact with the woman. He stood in the doorway with his forearm leaned against the lift door. It dinged again in protest, but he held it firm.

"No. Not anymore."

Again the door dinged in protest. Dutch didn't look away.

"And don't avoid the question. Why?"

[Kella]

Grizzelda shrugged. "Walking the homestead makes for a much better cooldown than pacing the cafeteria. 'sides, Bosco's prolly feeling a bit lonely. Old bat."

He was finally starting to pay attention. Good for him.

[Dutch]

Dutch made no motion to react to her words. Instead he lowered his arm and stepped into the lift, mere inches from Grizzelda. Clearly she wasn't getting his meaning, or she did and was choosing to avoid the point.

"No. Why do you care so much? We're nothing but a bunch of backwater farmers. It's clear you've had schooling and training. Not some local education either. You could be an Intel agent from what I've seen and heard."

His elbow moved back to hit the lift button. It clicked and the lift door slid shut behind him, sealing the two in.

[Kella]

Grizzelda huffed with amusement. "Could be. Have been."

She wasn't accountable to him. She didn't have to answer the question. But, truth be told, part of her wanted to. It was just that she didn't really have an answer to give.

"Life was getting predictable. A revolution sounded like a good way to keep things interesting."

That was what had brought her to Dantooine. But what had kept her here?

[Dutch]

Dutch quirked an eyebrow at her response at first. Enigmatic at best, but a typical response from Grizzelda.

"Interesting?" He started. "Interesting? No. Watching Al work his magic in the garage is interesting. Seeing Candi's art is interesting. Scouting with Mo in the Plains is interesting. Listening to Si'bul sing Mo's lullabies is interesting."

His fist slammed into the lift wall next to him, his shoulders heaving with labored breath.

"Watching the Sith burn my home and rape it's people? That is not interesting."

[Kella]

She could could say that it was to ensure that the good outweighed the bad, but that was crap. She had slept just as well a year ago as she did here. Granted, that wasn't very well, but that had nothing to do with moral qualms and everything to do with the fact that she trusted no one.

Not even Dutch. Grizzelda was a gambler, she never showed her cards.

But something about the situation still demanded an honest answer.

"And there's a whole lot more rape out there in the rest of the galaxy. You want to dick measure with sob stories? I've seen genocide and massacre, whore houses that would make your insides crawl out, more cold-blooded murders than you can count, and friend after friend die.

"Where I go and what I do and why I do it is my business, and mine alone. So you can either trust my help and take it. Or not. "

[Dutch]

For a moment Dutch stayed silent. With a set jaw his eyes looked over Grizzelda's face to see if she was bluffing. From what he could tell she wasn't, but Dutch wasn't exactly known for being able to read women. Especially not her. He tried to think of something to say in response, Dutch hadn't meant to earn that sort of reaction from the woman. However it was a way for him to get a little of her story.

"I'm sorry." Dutch said after a moment. He looked down and brought his hand up to wipe away the sweat over his upper lip. His grey eyes glanced back up at Grizz, a somber look upon his face.

"I'm grateful for your help Grizz." He started. "And I do trust you, you wouldn't be in my home if I didn't. I realize that Dantooine isn't the only planet being torn apart right now. It's just hard to realize when I've never known anywhere else."

[Kella]

Interesting. She wouldn't have trusted herself. But perhaps Trust could survive in places like this. Here there was honesty, honor, loyalty, safety, all the things needed to feed Trust. Perhaps that was worth more than the land they were so desperately fighting for. Somewhere in truly having ownership of that place was the security necessary for trust to grow.

The lift chimed and the door slid open. Grizzelda offered a wry smile. "To know too many places is as much of a curse."

The armory was just across the hall, and its door slid open when she placed a hand on the panel. In a leathery flutter, Bosco appeared.

"Ey now Zelda, I am glad you are making it finally, and Dutch! Always nice surprise. What is bringing you to armory today? You let woman kick your ess agin?" He laughed heartily. "I am seeing it in tail between your legs, but do not be worrying, Zelda is..." He shook a finger at her, "Special woman, I am kick many esses and I am not mess with this one."

[Dutch]

"I'll take your word on that."

Dutch said in response as he followed Grizz from the lift. He fought the grin as they neared the armory. Bosco was an old friend of the family, once apart of his dad's unit. He had come to Dantooine to retire aside his best friend, and when the Sith arrived, had taken down no less than twenty invaders with his sniper rifle. Dutch himself would have been killed by an ambush had it not been for the Toydarian's keen eyes that day.

He scowled and glared at the man's chastising, arms crossing over his bare chest.

"Can't imagine you kicking much with them tiny bird legs there Boss. Smells like something died in here, did Candi bring you spice rice again? Thought I told ya'll we don't use chemical weapons."

Dutch said with a grin. He glanced over at Grizzelda and canted his head towards her.

"Plus, I went easy on her."

[Kella]

Bosco grinned wide and glanced over at Grizzelda, who was giving Dutch a skeptical look. The Toydarian's wheezing laugh nearly knocked him out of the air, and he landed on a work bench so that he could double over properly.

"Eeeeeeeeh, you are always being the comedian, Dutch! Haha! Is reason I love you. Maybe only reason." Bosco winked.

"Now, what is bringing you to finest armory in Dantooine today?"

"Figured we'd show Dutch what we've been working on," Grizzelda said.

"Aaaaaaah," Bosco rubbed his hands together, wings buzzing him back into the air. "This will be fun time."

[Dutch]

Dutch's lips were pulled inwards and he nodded as Bosco lost his biscuits laughing. He glanced over at Grizz, and a grin spread wide at her expression. His shoulders would rise in a shrug and a light laugh. He walked over to the laughing Toydarian and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Do I really need a reason to come see the studliest Toydarian in all of Dantooine? I just needed help pickin' up the ladies Boss. You're my only hope!"

Dutch said with another nod towards Grizz. Who then spoke. He ignored Bosco as he took flight again, an almost scared expression on Dutch's face.

"Wait what? Been working on? Do we even have materials to be working with?"

[Kella]

Grizzelda chuckled. "A lot happened you were in snooze-city. Bosco and I have been running scavenging missions. I smuggled a few choice items in from off world. Picking up stuff here and there."

"Stuff that go click-click BOOM," Bosco mimed a rocket launcher as he fluttered over to a heavy durasteel lock-cabinet against the wall.