IC Contact - Consignment

[forgivetheinsubordination]

vakarian.garrus@cdc.org
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[forgivetheinsubordination]

It's... a little on fire right now.

[His voice is still light enough, but his subharmonics are heavier.]

We're at war. A species invaded our galaxy, is trying to take everyone out. They had intel on our military and hit us pretty hard. My city is fire and ash right now.

[And he can't ask the CDC to repair it. He doesn't want them ever setting foot on Palaven if he can help it, though he might have already messed that up with his current request.]

We'll rebuild. ...Much as you do from a bad teacher.

[ceded]

[ Her expression is sympathetic, but at least she doesn't cry again. The CDC has instilled so much horror in her already, so much pain. It's the reason she came out here, after all. Hearing Garrus's story tugs at her chest, but doesn't reopen her wounds.

It's morbid, but it might be a good thing she's being exposed to so much existential darkness. Soon she'll grow numb to it all, bit by bit. ]

... I know you will. [ Her faith is quiet, but sure. ] As for me, well... I dunno. I'm not sure how to recover. There's so much I don't know, and I never realized it until I left... this might sound strange, but I really thought I knew how much I didn't know. But now that I'm with the CDC, I'm realizing I had no idea... what's out there, and what I need to learn.

[ Xion curls up, hugging her knees to her chest and still watching the sky. ]

... I'm so scared, all the time. I need to be stronger, or... I'll keep failing. I have to stop getting so upset. If I let my emotions get the best of me, I'll be useless... and then I won't be able to do my job. I can't let that happen.

[forgivetheinsubordination]

[After a moment, Garrus puts a gentle arm around Xion's shoulders.]

Finding a balance, finding a way to not be scared, those are tricky things. They're things that come with experience and practice and work. And accepting that there's a lot you don't know is a good first step. It's one everyone has to take.

[She's so small. Intellectually he knows it, but when she talks like this and is close to him, he's reminded of the fact. It almost feels like she could vanish in the blink of an eye, and that worries him a little.]

You'll learn. One step at a time. And you've got people who are here to help you be stronger. Emotionally, by reaching out to them, and physically with training. You're not alone, Xion.