"Wasted lives."
Wolf turned his head to the right to the source of the voice, the elderly gentleman who sat next to him. The lines on the old man's face was slowly contorting from gloom to anger. His hands clutched tightly to his knees, and were shaking. His jaws were clenched, his glazed eyes piercing into the woman who spoke at the podium. He listened to her speak about the unknown soldier, of the mourning they felt and the memorial they now had. The elderly man turned to look at Wolf, and the young Knight tried to look away, but had to look back as the man opened his mouth to speak to him. "Do you buy into this rubbish? My son died for nothing."
Wolf shifted uncomfortably, "I'm sorry for your loss. With respect, sir, your son died to save your life and everyone else's."
"Oh? And what of every other conflict the First Order gets involved in? Every other vain and trifling ambition of our Supreme Leader? Don't tell me you think he actually cares."
Wolf was taken aback a bit at the hushed outburst from the elderly man, who was smart enough to at least keep his voice low to not disturb the proceedings and alert others to his tone. Wolf looked into his eyes and saw desperation and anger. "Please, this is not the time, we are here for those who lost their lives, not politics."
"Then what time would you suggest? When I am thrown in a cell for daring to share a different opinion?"
"I would advise you change your tone, sir. You are clearly in grief, I understand that-"
"You understand nothing."
"I have also made sacrifice-"
"You look strong but I know you are just another boy, another naive idealist who has been taken in by their imperialist fantasies."
"You know nothing about me-"
"I have done my duty, served my nation. I was fighting on the field for the Imperial cause long before you were born. You remind me of my son. Don't throw your life away like he did. You have lost your ability to walk, do not now lose your soul."
Wolf glared at him now, his own expressions betraying his irritation. "You are in a vulnerable and fragile state of mind. I suggest we end this conversation, and I will forget it ever took place. Now." The Dark Side began to seep out from him as his irritation began to grow, its icy tendrils brushing against the old man. The elderly man shuddered at the touch. "Know who you are talking to."
His fear soon dissipated however as he leaned closer to Wolf, his voice hushed, "You are one of them, then. Perhaps you could even kill me with a thought? And yet I look at you, and I still see a boy. A child who dreams of peace and order through heroic crusade and righteous force, and forgot to grow up." His face bore no expression of malice, but only of pity. Pity. Who was this man to feel pity for Wolfgang Krieger, Knight of Ren? Who was this man to speak to him with such condescension? They had barely met, he did not even know his name, who was he to speak to him in such a manner? Wolf would have no time for a response as the elderly man moved to stand up, "I know my words will have no effect on your convictions, they wouldn't have had any on mine when I was your age either. I only pray you snap out of it sooner than I did. It took the death of my son to finally convince me. I would not wish that on my worst enemy."
The elderly gentleman then got to his feet, moving back through the crowd of mourners as he made his way back down the hill. Wolf clenched his fists with irritation. He should have taken the name of the man. What insolence, what disrespect, to make such statements here, at a time like this, in a place like this. Who did he think he was? So what, the old man had seen many years, that made him no expert. A fool could live among pigs in filth for eternity and not come out any wiser. Wolf grew only more irritated that some old man could make him feel annoyed in the first place, and that his words would have any effect on him. Were his nerves really so sensitive, his skin really so thin? He sat in silence, his teeth gritting as he stared stony-faced at the rest of the proceedings.
It was then that [member="Kierel"], the trooper whom Wolf had met on Omega, came to greet him. Wolf smiled, betraying nothing of the conversation that had happened prior. Perhaps she had witnessed some of it, he did not know nor care. It was good to see a familiar face though, and one that had faced down the gates of Hell alongside him. "And it is good to see you. Yes, I made it, thanks to others." He felt odd having to look up at the trooper. "Please, sit." He smiled and gestured to the now empty seat next to him, where the elderly man had sat. Wolf would look back to the proceedings, he wanted to forget about what had just happened. A nagging question ate at him though, causing him to turn back to the trooper. "Tell me, are you proud to risk your life for the First Order?"