First Reply Humdrum Realities

[Tru Accardi]

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Location: Space Port Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 12:30 AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work

---

Tru stepped off the company transport that brought her back from the Carbonite Smelter in orbit around Empress Teta. She was wearing her work jumpsuit overhauls covered in rock dust, a byproduct of smelting and extracting carbonite. Her face was also smudged with the dust and her eyes were heavy with tiredness from her twelve-hour shift. It didn't help that a recently passed law by the GA gave droids more autonomy which caused shortage in the work force that was only going to grow larger as droids would realize they could be free. The Impact was only minimal at the moment, but it would only grow worse with time.

Several droids had already left the Titan Dynamics owned Carbonite smelters on grounds of poor working conditions. Causing the human staff to fill in a job even more dangerous for the meat bags of the Galaxy than the droids. One would think that the company would then raise wages but nope they kept it at the minimum so those at the top could still make their billions in profit.

The thought of it all gave Tru a migraine. She hated politics, politicians even more who seldom thought about the repercussions of their choices and actions. She reached her hands up to her face rubbing the sleep from her eyes then she pinched the bridge of her nose hoping to realize some of the tension headache forming. "Ughhh." She let out a sigh then began her long walk to the machine shop she rented a room from. Bed was calling her name so she could just begin tomorrow's fight to survive anew.

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

Empress Teta was a strange place. To Fulcrum, it felt like a bizarre mixture of Nar Shaddaa and Coruscant, a place where the upper crust brushed elbows with the lowlives on a regular basis. On the other hand, that meant that there was no shortage of work in a place like this.

In fact, the detective had just finished a surprisingly easy and relatively uneventful job. A well-to-do baroness suspected her husband was cheating on her... and, of course, he was. Fulcrum had trailed behind the adulterous man for most of the evening, watching as his flimsy excuse-- a business meeting-- finally fell apart when he entered the personal residence of another of Empress Teta's well-off citizens. He had snapped a couple of holos as it happened, and the baroness had paid generously for the proof of infidelity.

Simple. Easy. Boring, sure, but after all that had happened in the last month, he deserved a goddamn boring job for once. Now he was on his way back to the shipyards, back to the Problemsolver, where a cramped bunk and some reheated tiingilar was waiting for him. What a life. With the new credits in his account, maybe he could afford to buy some new food.

The Kaleesh stalked along, his gaze glancing back and forth between the pathway ahead of him and the flickering holographic image on his arm. He was making sure that the baroness's check hadn't bounced. Not that he expected it to, of course-- big wigs were usually good for the money-- but it never hurt to check things twice.

As he turned around the corner, however, he realized that he probably should have been paying more attention.

The Kaleesh bumped into the human before he saw her. Bewildered, he immediately stepped back on his digitigrade legs, shaking his helmet in confusion. A quick glance revealed the person he had run into: a woman, a laborer by the looks of it, with carbonite smudging on her face and an annoyed, tired look in her eyes.

"Ah, shit," the Mandalorian murmured. "Sorry."

 

[Tru Accardi]

​

Location: Space Port Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 12:30 AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work
Tag: Fulcrum

---

Not really paying attention to where she was walking, lost in her tiredness, and forming headache, she bumped into someone. It was like walking into a damn brick wall with how big the person was and caused her to stumble back a few feet. As she stumbled back her eyes managed to glance at who she had just run into. She had to be hallucinating, she must have been really tired cause the imposing figure looked like a half dragon man or something.

She quickly reached up and rubbed her eyes trying to push away her sleep deprived imagination. As she pulled away her hands he was still there. He was huge, almost a foot taller than her and he indeed had what she could only describe as dragon legs. She had seen a lot of aliens coming and going from the space port on her way to and from work. Tall ones, short ones, she was even sure she saw a Wookiee once but nothing like this guy. Well, she assumed it was a guy, it was probably wrong to assume such things.

She was not expecting him to apologize but to just tell her off and watch where she was walking. Yet there he was apologizing. His mask and what he was wearing almost looked Mandalorian though she wasn't for sure as she had only seen pictures of what a Mandalorian looked like and what the Maw crusaders had wore when they occupied Empress Teta.

"No, no totally my fault. I'm just so damn tired and I wasn't watching where I was going." She finally stammered out after gawking at the strange alien person for what was probably awkwardly to long to be staring at someone. "I didn't hurt you or anything did I?" she asked realizing to late that was a stupid question to ask considering she would have no chance in hell of injuring him. Stupidly she just stood their staring at him rather then just going on her way in awkwardness.

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

The shocked expression on her face wasn't unexpected by any means, and Fulcrum wouldn't harbor any ill will towards her for it. It was entirely possible that the human before him had simply never met a Kaleesh before; they weren't exactly a people known for traveling. Fulcrum had yet to meet a single one out here.

What was unexpected was how damn polite she was. In a place like this, most people would have cursed him out and moved on with their day. Instead, there she stood, stammering out an apology-- and then asking him if he was okay, to boot. The Kaleesh tilted his head curiously, a quick, bird-like action.

"I, uh... No, no, I'm fine," he quickly replied, shaking his head. He was slightly soothed by the fact that the human before him seemed to be just as awkward as he was. At least he wasn't alone in being embarrassed. "But thank you for asking... Decent of you."

The beat of silence that followed stretched on for a moment too long, and he chose to end it. Fulcrum reached out to her with one large, four-fingered hand, each digit tipped with reptilian claws-- an offer to shake hands. "Fulcrum, P.I. Pleasure to meet you, Miss...?"

 

[Tru Accardi]

​

Location: Space Port Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 12:30 AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work
Tag: Fulcrum

---

She simply nodded to his reply of her asking him if he was okay. Then after a few moments of awkward silence he extended his hand towards her. At first Tru just stared at it then he offered his greeting and name. She seemed a bit hesitant for a second though it wasn't out of fear more at the strangeness of it, it like never happened at least not to her bumping into someone and them just offering their name and job description like that or even the greeting hand gesture at that. Finally, she too reached out and shook the man's hand.

"Tru, Tru Accardi. I don't got a special job title." She gave him a slight tired smirk as she said that. It wasn't hard for anyone who looked at her or could smell her to tell she worked in a carbonite smelter. She had to wonder, however, what a P.I. was doing at the port this late at night. Maybe he was looking into some smuggling action or an illegal gambling ring. Then again, she had probably read way to many detective novels and this guy was just headed home. She also wanted to ask him what species he was but thought that might be a little too rude considering they just bumped into each other.

Still tired but also now curious about this stranger she had just met, she figured it wouldn't hurt to ask one question. "What brings a P.I. to the port, are you investigating someone or something?" That came out dumb she thought as those words left her lips. It wasn't like he was going to tell her anyway; she should have just asked him where he was from or if he was headed somewhere. She should have just left the greeting at that and been on her way.

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

Her hand was smaller than his, of course, but there was an understated strength behind it that he admired. The calluses on her palm and the remnants of carbonite dust beneath her fingernails confirmed what he already knew to be true: Tru was putting in the work, through and through.

"Tru, Tru Accardi. I don't got a special job title."

"Maybe not a special title, but a good name. Tru... I like it." The smirk on her face was answered by one of his own, entirely invisible underneath the beskar. He didn't smile often; it agitated the ragged burn on the right side of his face, and besides, there was no reason to smile when no one could see it.

"What brings a P.I. to the port, are you investigating someone or something?"

It was a fair question, and it was half-true. Briefly, Fulcrum entertained the idea of embellishing what he was actually doing, or claiming it was classified, but the thought passed. Lying wasn't in his nature, for better or for worse.

"I was," he answered with a shrug, "but the investigation's over now. Found what the client I was looking for. Infidelity case. Not very exciting, I know, but... can't be taking down crime bosses and smuggling rings every day. And hell hath no pocketbook like a woman scorned..." It was probably the closest that Fulcrum had gotten to a joke in quite some time. Humor had never been his strong suit.

Still, he didn't get many chances to talk to people outside of work. It was nice. A part of him felt the compulsion to bid her a good evening, to stop wasting her time and head home... but another part of him spoke a little louder.

"Look... I, uh, know you're probably exhausted. Wouldn't blame you if you just wanna head home," the Kaleesh began. "But... can I buy you a cup of caf?" A beat. Another attempt at a joke. "Call it an apology for running into you."

 

[Tru Accardi]

​

Location: Space Port Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 12:36 AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work
Tag: Fulcrum

---

Another tired smile passed her across her face as he told her he liked her name. "Thank you…" The name the nuns had given her was Trudy but when she was old enough, she had changed it to Tru. She hated the name Trudy with a passion and only Nuns ever called her that everyone else had just called her Tru or Truth.

"Infidelity probably find that a lot around here especially in the Royal district." She spoke matter of fact, as she knew the nobles and upper class at least of Empress Teta seemed to have a bastard child the news reported on at least once a week looking for a dime or title. "The Lady probably paid you real and she will make a mint either divorcing or extorting her cheating husband." If it was a noble it would most likely end up being extortion over divorce, they so loved to keep their titles and prestige.

The Job wasn't as exciting as breaking up a smuggling ring, but it did have its intrigue Tru thought to herself. It would be an interesting Job to have, that was if the people you were tracking and keeping tabs on you didn't notice you. She had to wonder how someone like Fulcrum went unnoticed so well. It was that curiosity that made her push away her tiredness as he asked her if she wanted to get some stim caf.

"Nah no need to apologize it was all my fault. Still, I wouldn't mind cup of Stim Caf though…." She wanted to learn more about how Fulcrum did his job she was intrigued. "Plus, I have a few question about your work if you, you know don't mind me asking?" She also had questions about his species and the armor he wore but felt those might be a little rude or personal.

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

Her take on the infidelity case was spot on. Fulcrum had no doubt that the baroness's generosity was merely a prelude to her plan to string her cheating husband along for all he was worth. She had actually almost seemed happy to hear the news. In any event, the Mandalorian was impressed by Tru's perception on the truth of the matter. "Right on the money. You'd make a pretty good detective."

"Nah no need to apologize it was all my fault. Still, I wouldn't mind cup of Stim Caf though…. Plus, I have a few question about your work if you, you know don't mind me asking?"

In truth, Fulcrum hadn't actually expected her to accept the offer. He'd been alone for quite some time, and that came with the unspoken assumption that he was supposed to be alone-- that friendly interaction was reserved for people who deserved it, not him. He was grateful to be wearing the helmet, so that Tru couldn't see the way he blinked his big yellow eyes in momentary confusion before pulling himself together.

"By all means," Fulcrum replied. He moved to stand at the human's side, once again reminded that she was nearly a foot shorter than him; he had to crane his head down and to the right to keep an eye on her. "There's a place nearby. Good caf. They don't water it down. Walk with me."

As they moved along, the pathway ahead illuminated by the dingy, yellow streetlamps of the spaceport, the Kaleesh was careful to moderate his footsteps. His long-legged gait could easily eclipse hers. "Tell you what... You ask a question about me, I ask a question about you. You go first."

 

[Tru Accardi]

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Location: Stim Caf house, Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 12:45 AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work
Tag: Fulcrum

---

No not her she thought to herself as he mentioned her making a pretty good detective. She was a nobody from nowhere, with dreams way too big for her status in life. She didn't really know how to respond to the compliment, so she didn't. She was never good with that kind of thing, people telling her she was good at something or could be something. In fact, she practically tried to avoid such things all her life, and thoughts of just fleeing entered her mind but she stopped herself from doing so.

She mentally pushed herself into walking by Fulcrum to walk a different path than her normal one. It was mostly out of interest and curiosity that she pushed herself out of her normal comfort zone. Maybe it was her dreams to be something bigger than she really was that gave her the confidence to push on. Still one foot in front of the other it was like pushing through mud physically, but it was all in her head.

As they walked along to the Caf House she made an offer and she nodded and choked out the words. "Sounds good." She was visibly trying to hide her anxiety that started to crop up the moment she agreed to get stim caf and was complimented. She didn't have any friends or people she really talked to beyond normal chit chat, normally practicing avoidance so not to get to close to people.

"Uh um… so I guess my first question is a little strange….but given your you know size." God that came out so weird he was a tall dude a foot taller than her he knew he was big. Helll her head was craned upwards just to look at him in the helmet. "And you were what I assume in Mandalorian armor. At least it looks that way." Get to the god damned point she berated herself inside her mind. Stop stammering you igit, just blurt it out that inner monologue told her. "How do you, not get noticed so easily when tailing someone?"

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

Tru's anxiety was quietly tolerated; Fulcrum would never dream of commenting on something from which he himself suffered. She was trying to power through it, and really, wasn't that what he was trying to do? Still, a light huff of amusement slipped between the Kaleesh's lips, his helmet outputting it as a burst of static.

"No, no, really good question," he agreed, nodding down to himself. He was big, especially for a Kaleesh, who usually ran about a foot shorter. That, coupled with the bone-white Mandalorian armor, made for a silhouette that stood out. "It's... hard to explain. Easier if I show you. Keep walking, straight ahead."

In that moment, it was as if a switch had been flicked. The Kaleesh's pace slowed as he fell in behind her, but it did more than that; each footfall seemed to lighten until they were completely silent, his claws raised to keep them from clicking on the pavement. Fulcrum hunched his shoulders, keeping his head down as he adopted a lean, predatory pose. If she turned to glance behind her, she would see him-- but if Tru kept walking ahead naturally, it would seem as if he wasn't there at all.

Eventually, the moment passed, and Fulcrum rose to his full height as he resumed his place alongside the human. "... It's a Kaleesh thing," he said, with no further elaboration.

"So, that's one question from you. Here's one from me. What do you when you're not smelting carbonite? What's a day in the life of Tru Accardi like?"

 

[Tru Accardi]

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Location: Stim Caf house, Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 12:47 AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work
Tag: Fulcrum

---

She kept walking forward as Fulcrum dropped behind her, at first, she tilted her head to look at him but as he crouched down, she went back to looking forward. She tried to listen, but he was incredibly silent as he moved. It was a very impressive thing, and it explained a lot to her about how he would be able to tail someone nearly unnoticeable. That along with a cloaking device could make someone almost completely invisible to the senses most likely.

"That was pretty cool." She said, giving Fulcrum a smile as he came back to her side, and they neared the stim caf house. Then he posed his question to her, it was a very simple but not one she really had an answer for. She didn't have much of a life outside of work, she occasionally went to the library and checked out something that interested her. Pretty much anything she could do that was either cheap or free. She had nothing really exciting to tell she had lived on the streets doing odd jobs up until she got a job at the carbonite factory.

"My life is pretty boring, I rarely have a day off work as many hours as I can save as many credits as I can. Someday I want to go out there." Tru looked up at the night sky towards the stars. A pipe dream she knew but still she could hope maybe one day. "I mean last week when I had a mandatory forced day off, I memorized the incoming and outgoing flights at the spaceport. A cargo hauler from Kushibah came in, aint never heard of that place. So I went to the Library to find what I could on it, though there wasn't much on the place other than hand weaved baskets coming from there. That's my life I guess pretty boring." They came to a stop just outside the caf house and it was now her turn to ask a question.

"What's your homeworld like?"

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

Fulcrum was glad to hear that Tru thought it was cool; most people tended to think that it was creepy, and maybe it was. As she answered his question, gaze lifting to the night sky, so did his own. Even with the light pollution of Empress Teta, the sky above was filled to the brim with countless twinkling stars. When was the last time he had stopped to just look at them? For Fulcrum, space travel had gotten routine; for Tru, it clearly still held some mystery. He admired and envied her for that.

"Not boring. Just simple. Always good to meet a fellow library patron." Libraries were an indispensable resource in his line of work; not only were they quiet places to sit and think, they also held the answers to his limitless questions. On more than one occasion, Fulcrum had found the solution to his problems in a dingy, untouched corner of a public records section in the local library.

He stopped just before going inside of the caf house. Her question made him pause. It had been so long since he had seen Kalee... In truth, it almost felt like a dream now.

"... Well, I only ever saw a sliver of it," he admitted, somewhat sheepish. "Parents were fishing folk. We stuck close to the beaches. Fine white sand, bright enough to reflect the sun... and the water was crystal clear. You could see all the way to the bottom of the lagoon. Jungle all around. Never went too far in, parents were always worried about wild animals..."

His parents-- his Kaleesh parents-- were nothing but dim memories now. He could remember how the smell of salt used to get stuck in his mother's thick, dark hair, and how she used to breathe so heavily-- bringing in the catch winded her. Of his father, he could remember even less.

He shook his head, as if to wave off further thoughts, and gestured her inside the caf house.

"Alright, my turn again. Here's an important question. How do you like your caf?"

 

[Tru Accardi]

​

Location: Stim Caf house, Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 12:47 AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work
Tag: Fulcrum

---

As he spoke of his home, even the small sliver of it he could remember, Tru closed her eyes and tried to picture it in her mind. White sand at the edge of a wild jungle and crystal-clear water with fish swimming around. She could almost feel the breeze on her face and the sound of waves lapping onto the white shores. She could hear the chirping and squawking of both jungle and sea birds having transported herself in her mind. It wasn't like there weren't places like that on Empress Teta, half the planet was a city, but the other half had beaches and wild areas. Though Tru had never been to any of them, had never been outside the city except when being transported to the factory in she worked in, in orbit above the Planet.

She had caught glimpses of them on the lucky occasion she had gotten to sit near the port window on her work transport. To her those places were almost magical, wild untamed, a place of adventure much like space itself. Seas of stars and planets out there to explore and learn about. The place Fulcrum had described seemed peaceful and serene, a place she might want to visit.

The daydream was broken momentarily as he asked her how she liked her caf. "Black, two sugars and dab of cream. How do take yours?" She knew the caf shop did more exotic things double shot espresso with chocolate cream and a whipped caramel top because one of her co-workers wouldn't shut up about it. However, Tru though wanting to be adventurous didn't want her heart to explode or to be awake all night. So, she went with her simple usual.

As they stood there at the counter making their orders, she grabbed a stir straw from the counter and put it to her lips. A habit she had since she was a kid, something she found relaxing and soothing as she began lightly chewing on the straw the stem hanging out from her mouth. As she gnawed at the straw, she got a bit braver as she looked up at Fulcrum. She had already asked him about his Caf but she decided to break the rules of there question for a question just this once. "Would you…. Uh ever consider taking on an assistant or apprentice?" His job, his travels sounded amazing, not that she thought she would be good at it. Not that he would even take her on. Still maybe there was a chance this Stranger would take a chance with her? "I know we just met, and that is bit forward to ask and it was technically my second question. You can ask two of me in return."

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

Underneath his helmet, the Kaleesh blinked in momentary surprise. "No shit?" he finally asked. "Guess that's another thing you and I have in common." Most people who encountered him tended to assume that Fulcrum was a dark roast, black caf kind of person-- and while it was true that he was a creature who thrived on caffeine, it was also true that he had a little bit of a sweet tooth. Thank the gods for his Kaleesh metabolism.

The caf house was self-serve, and Fulcrum got them started by sliding a few unmarked creds into the dispenser. As he poured and assembled his caf, the Kaleesh's movements were smooth, practiced and routine. How many cups of caf had he poured just like this one? Could a life be measured in cups of caf? It certainly felt like his own could be. He glanced to his side, momentarily watching Tru as she chewed on her stirring stick. Good to know he wasn't the only one with habits.

"Would you…. Uh ever consider taking on an assistant or apprentice?"

The question caught him by surprise, and he was unable to stop the instinctual, curious and very Kaleesh tilt of his head. That... was not a question he had expected her to ask. Or anyone to ask, really. Fulcrum mulled over it for a moment before gesturing over to the nearest booth.

As they sat down, Fulcrum reached into one of the pouches along his belt. He removed a slender, articulated straw made of metal. For a traditional Mandalorian, such a thing was a lifesaver; it allowed Fulcrum to snake the straw underneath the lip of his helmet without removing it. The sudden intake of caf between his lips sharpened his mind, bringing a certain amount of clarity and purpose to him as he thought about his answer.

"I'd consider it," he answered honestly with a nod. "Never done it before, but the work would definitely be easier with a second pair of hands. But I wouldn't be able to pay you much. Hours are all over the place and jobs are scarce. Plus, threats to life and limb, all that..."

He took another sip from his caf, then sat the cup down on the table between them. "So. My two questions. Number one: do you have any experience in the field? I'm talking law enforcement, forensics, psychology, that kinda thing," Fulcrum explained.

"And number two. Might sound forward, but I'll lay it out for you. Why are you so willing to throw away what you've got and run off with a stranger?"

 

[Tru Accardi]

​

Location: Stim Caf house, Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Time: 1:05AM (Empress Teta Time)
Theme: Work
Tag: Fulcrum

---

"Two peas." She remarked to his comment about them having things in common. She took the caf as he took a seat, taking a seat across from him in the booth. She held the cup of warm caf between the palms of her hands staring down at the black liquid with a cream swirl. Catching the reflection of her tired eyes in dark abyss. "My pay is already crap; I live in the back of a Machine shop that goes at all hours cause that's all I can afford in a place like this." It wasn't a complaint she could live with what she had and be grateful, but she had dreams, things she wanted to do and places she wanted to see. A Job like Fulcrum would be a new adventure a step towards her greater dreams and away to get away from this city and out there in the stars where she wanted to be.

"I grew up not knowing who my parents were, an orphan that lived through the maw occupation of Empress Teta. Then I was sent out into the world on my eighteenth birthday with a hundred credits, the cloths on my back, and nothing else." She didn't know why she was telling Fulcrum this really; he didn't need to know. She was a stranger who had bumped into her and owed her nothing, not even the caf that was currently warming her hands. Still, she continued on hoping maybe he would give her a chance. "I watched the rich and nobles scoff and laugh at me for being a street rat and instead of becoming a criminal I choose to better myself at all costs. I got a job and worked hard for every credit I have, but I'm stuck in the Humdrum of life, and I want something more."

She laughed and took a sip of her caf as he asked her about her experience. She barely had what you could call Basic education. Though she could probably recite the whole words of Infinite Perception from memory. "I have no education or credentials in any of those things. I do, however, know the proper etiquette for investigating a crime scene, read a book on it once. Also, I know the anatomy of Hutt……and other strange facts, long story but it ended in me winning the cantina quiz night at Delilah's Pub." She laughed to herself remembering how the other patrons got pissed at her cause she had answered every question correctly. Then she also got banned from ever participating in quiz night again so the other patrons would have a fair advantage. "Always been good at remembering things really well. About my only real gift and not all that useful for most things." She was starting to think she was pretty useless she couldn't sneak, hold a gun, talk to people very well, or even hold her liquor like the detectives in the books who drank copious amounts of alcohol.

"I just want someone to give me a chance. I want to be something more than a carbonite smelter. I want to see more than Empress Teta. Who better to ask than a stranger, someone who won't judge you or care that you are an orphan with no life experience?" It was probably the most honest Tru had been with anyone ever in her life. It was because he was a stranger, he could say no and tomorrow she would wake up and go back to her humdrum life and most likely never see him again. The sting of rejection would fade not having to see the face of the one who laid it out everyday.

 

[Fulcrum]

Tagging: Tru Accardi

An orphan.

Fulcrum seemed to be meeting a lot of those these days. Although his adoption had been nearly immediate, and he'd had the luxury of knowing his parents-- even if he couldn't remember much about them-- he felt an immediate kinship with Tru. He, too, had wandered out into the galaxy with nothing more than what he'd been wearing.

He'd had the luxury of wearing beskar. She didn't even have that. The fact that she had made it this far on her own suggested that Tru possessed an inner strength that rivaled, maybe even eclipsed, his own. The Kaleesh's broad ears could pick up the desperation in every syllable of her voice. Despite hearing so many hard-luck stories in his line of work, it never got any easier to bear.

His six-chambered heart ached for her.

Underneath his helmet, the Kaleesh lightly smiled at her joke. She wasn't the only one who picked up on strange details and unusual trivia. In fact, it was a quality that had proven useful to him, time and time again.

Her final, impassioned plea-- to be given a chance, to be something more than what she was-- cut right to the core of the Mandalorian. He was thankful for the helmet; it hid the way that his golden eyes began to water as he thought of the chance he'd been given twenty years ago. Trapped beneath the weight of a crumbling, bombed-out beach shack, a child of Kalee had cried out for help. A child of Mandalore had answered, descending from the sky on a jetpack. His buir. His saving grace.

How could he turn her away? It was unthinkable, for the same reason he ran towards the sound of danger, or stopped to check on a crying child, or climbed a tree to rescue a lost loth-cat. People needed to help people. He needed to help her.

"... Okay," he said, careful to moderate his voice and keep it steady. Fulcrum didn't want his new assistant to think he was a basket case. "You've convinced me. I'll take you on, Tru."

He reached out, cautiously at first-- these kinds of displays of affection and consolation weren't his strong suit. Carefully, he placed a strong, four-fingered hand over hers, squeezing it. "... I'll teach you everything that you need to know," he promised, nodding solemnly. "But I think you've got the makings of a good detective already. Curiosity, a good memory and a drive to do the right thing are gonna get you far in this business. Everything else, you can pick up along the way."