"I heard once that a person's perceptions are their truth. It would make sense that they would cling to what they thought was true. Even the greatest men have been known to hold to ideals that were lees than beneficial to those around them, out of some kind of misguided idealism." Nova however, didn't understand the woman's smile. But a quick brush across her thoughts fixed that. Who was this Mal person? Well, maybe she'd find out through the course of the conversation. Inara's thought on her though, made her laugh inwardly a little. Did anyone really understand her at all? "Thank you. To be quite truthful, I doubt I would have chosen a different path though."
Noting the brightening of the woman's smile, her own revealed itself for a moment in answer. Nova had never seen Old Earth. She'd never really wanted to either. not if the reports of what it had become were true. But then, it wasn't as if she'd get the chance to anyway. Not with the way the Protoss and the Zerg had been tearing humans apart. "I can take you sometime. It's usually empty. But sometimes, there are individuals there who may make it an unpleasant visit."
She caught the look, and she didn't like it. She didn't like being looked at like some helpless child. She wasn't. She was strong, unbreakable. But she schooled her features into a mask of neutrality. "Maybe. In my line of work, one didn't tend to meet very many people who were pure and innocent. But even then, you'd think I'd have come across just one in all my time." At the touch of those fingers, her gaze caught the woman's for a moment, before she looked away with a slight shrug. "It's not something I spend too much time thinking about. Those experiences made me strong. Made me who I am. I wouldn't change that. And something tells me, the situation we find ourselves in now, calls for me to be strong."
She didn't reply to that, simply stared down at her hands for a long while. That was true. She barely knew the meanings of the words 'kindness' and 'goodness.' They were completely alien to her. Concepts from another a world. A world that she wasn't, and could never be a part of. Had she been scarred by her experiences? Maybe. But it didn't matter. At least, she didn't think it did.
Looking up again, she tilted her head, before breaking into a gentle smile, and shaking her head. She caught those thoughts, and while one part of her wondered why as well, another part was...what? Grateful? Amused? She wasn't sure. But she surely didn't need council, or comfort. Did she? "No. You spoke your mind. And that is a rare thing these days. Thank you for doing so."
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Noting the brightening of the woman's smile, her own revealed itself for a moment in answer. Nova had never seen Old Earth. She'd never really wanted to either. not if the reports of what it had become were true. But then, it wasn't as if she'd get the chance to anyway. Not with the way the Protoss and the Zerg had been tearing humans apart. "I can take you sometime. It's usually empty. But sometimes, there are individuals there who may make it an unpleasant visit."
She caught the look, and she didn't like it. She didn't like being looked at like some helpless child. She wasn't. She was strong, unbreakable. But she schooled her features into a mask of neutrality. "Maybe. In my line of work, one didn't tend to meet very many people who were pure and innocent. But even then, you'd think I'd have come across just one in all my time." At the touch of those fingers, her gaze caught the woman's for a moment, before she looked away with a slight shrug. "It's not something I spend too much time thinking about. Those experiences made me strong. Made me who I am. I wouldn't change that. And something tells me, the situation we find ourselves in now, calls for me to be strong."
She didn't reply to that, simply stared down at her hands for a long while. That was true. She barely knew the meanings of the words 'kindness' and 'goodness.' They were completely alien to her. Concepts from another a world. A world that she wasn't, and could never be a part of. Had she been scarred by her experiences? Maybe. But it didn't matter. At least, she didn't think it did.
Looking up again, she tilted her head, before breaking into a gentle smile, and shaking her head. She caught those thoughts, and while one part of her wondered why as well, another part was...what? Grateful? Amused? She wasn't sure. But she surely didn't need council, or comfort. Did she? "No. You spoke your mind. And that is a rare thing these days. Thank you for doing so."