Jason gives a roll of his eyes, shaking his head to himself as Va'ynna recounts Nari's words, practically able to hear her voice. That smug vagueness she seemed to wear like a hardsuit. "So she did a bit of this-..." he lifts one hand, opening and closing it to pantomime talking, "...without actually saying a damn thing. Yeah, that sounds about right." he sighs, his own experience with Nari having not been so different. His frown
#Miner'sRespite – January 22, 2026
deepens, expression softening as Va'ynna struggles with it all and he shifts in place, bringing his hands back to the edge of the counter he's leaned up against. "Hey..." he says, trying to get her attention, "...we're gonna figure this all out, okay?"
Va'ynna nods faintly to Jason's statement, a brief humorless chuckle coming out of her at the gesture. "Sometimes I get... th-the feeling that... there i-is... something.... inside all.... the nothing she says," Va'ynna says, "but I think I'm just... deluding myself." She wipes under her eyes once again, before putting down the paper towel on the counter and taking a step closer, with the intention to hug, but gets
second thoughts about it and fidgets a bit. "How can... we figure it out?" Her voice is still heavy and there doesn't seem to be an end to her sobbing.
Jason seems to catch the indecision and doesn't hesitate to bring an arm out and pull the asari into a little side hug next to him and give her a playful jostle in an attempt at lifting her spirits, smile returning to the corner of his mouth. Her question draws out a thoughtful breath. Truth is he doesn't have a damn clue. "You might be right. Maybe there is something behind all of Nari's cloak and dagger bullshit.
Unfortunately it doesn't do us any good if she won't let us in on it. So for now? Well, it's starting to feel like all roads are leading to Janysa." he muses, gaze turning to the asari beside him. Colorful phrasing. A more apt way of putting it is that Janysa is the only road that hasn't deadended yet, but still. "Hopefully we'll be able to see what she has to say about all of this soon."
Va'ynna leans into the hug, and is quiet for a moment to try to gather herself, the jostle not doing much right away even if there is the briefest of smiles from her. "I-I... yeah, she... she probably have a direct line to her, like... Lar-... Enila's mother," she says, her words still slow and trembling, "and... I-I..., before I asked... T'Iavay to remove it." She does feel some tiny hope in that she might hold an
Jason gives a few small nods, silently hoping she's right. "Imagine I should be hearing from her soon..." he says, though it's an educated guess at best based on what little information he has regarding her excursion to Nos Astra. "If I don't, I'll shoot her another message." he adds, realizing that it might be about that time. His last message probably didn't inspire much urgency for her to get back to him, but he's been patient
Va'ynna takes a deep breath. "What if... Nari is like that... with her sisters too... when they ask about... her... work?" she says, making the mistake of tearing at the hope she's clinging to. "Like, I... I tried to... ask her about Sala..., about what she wants." She takes a deep breath. "'I cannot tell you.'" There was an attempt at imitating Nari's voice, but it might have been lost in her shaky voice.
Jason raises an eyebrow at Va'ynna's imitation, smirk growing. Despite the amusement, there's relevant information in her words. A refusal to tell her information carries a bit more implication that she has information to tell, rather than the far more vague allusions Nari gave him that could've been taken any which way. "Then we find another angle." he says with a shrug, mustering up whatever confidence he can to sell that it
won't become an obstacle. "Even if Janysa doesn't know anything more than us-..." he passes Va'ynna a knowing glance, as if to say he isn't convinced of that, "...these people have caused problems for the Respite. That alone might be enough to get her to lean a little harder onto Nari and she might have more luck than we did, right?"
Va'ynna takes another deep breath, and she seems to be calming down a little bit. "Let's... hope," she murmurs. "Enila... said she unplugged a... computer that was... sending a lot of... data... that might be Nari's..., but... I don't think she knew for sure." She picks up the paper towel with her free hand, and wipes under her eyes. "If it is, then... Nari should know... about those problems too."
Jason gives a few nods. "Yeah, Enila mentioned that to me. I tried to get her to let Renala take a crack at it, but-..." he shrugs, "...she didn't seem too thrilled about the idea. Not without Janysa's approval. Which I get, I guess. But what I don't get is why Nari wouldn't share whatever information she has with us. It could only help, you know?" A sigh slips out, an inadvertant display of his own frustrations. But he's quick
to sweep them away, giving Va'ynna a gentle squeeze. "But we'll figure it out." he assures with another nod. "For now just-... try not to worry about it." he continues, well aware that's one of those 'easier said than done' tasks.
Va'ynna sighs, and looks about to speak when Jason reassures her and she hums in affirmation. "If... only I could," she murmurs. "I... I-I worry Victoria or Uvena might... get hurt when... when.... If Sala comes for me." She is allowed the faint hope that Sala's interest in her ended with the failed kidnapping. She puts the paper towel back down, and reaches her other hand in a silent question to pull her entirely
Jason's frown returns as he listens, but it's quickly wiped away. "Sala would have to be pretty damn stupid to take another shot. After things went sideways the first time, she has to know that there's too much heat on her." he says, doing his best to alleviate her concerns. But there's truth to it, too. Surely Sala is aware that Redrock is going to be prepared to react if she makes another move. If she had any intentions of
trying again? That's sure to give her pause. "Besides, Vicky and Uvena both know how to handle themselves and they know to call for backup at the first sign of trouble." He seems to realize her shift in posture, his arm slipping further around her to pull her into the hug. "So you just let us worry about all that, alright?" he continues, his tone lightening.
Va'ynna rests her head on his shoulder, her sobbing getting slightly worse as she listens to his words. She wants to believe that, but even if she had faith that Redrock wouldn't be far behind were Sala to succeed, it would not be a painless ordeal as Sala's advantage of time and place would have them scrambling. All of those are concerns she has brought up in the past, so she doesn't reiterate. "I... I'll try," she
says, her voice barely above a murmur. "I just... just wish... that Nari... had... had any answers for me."
Jason lets out a sigh. "You and me both. But-... you know, Nari might be a cryptic, insufferable, uncooperative asshole? But at least some good came from all of her bullshit and lies." he says, loosening the hug so he can look down at Va'ynna. He passes her a small, lopsided smile. "You got to meet me!" Some genuine laughter slips out and he relents, his smile tempering, "But-... uhh-... really, V. I'm glad I met you." he says,
sincerity behind his words. The last thing he would want is for her to feel like a burden. That any of this is her fault. "And we're gonna get to the bottom of this. With or without her help. Okay? I just need you to trust me."
Va'ynna looks a bit disappointed when he pulls back the hug, an amused snort coming out at his light-hearted statement, and she looks up at him. "Yeah..., meeting all of you.... That's... why I wasn't on the Red Siren's first flight across... the Traverse after... finding out I... could... go back." She sighs, taking a deep breath, and she seems to be getting a little better. "Thank you," she says. "I... I... do
Jason studies the asari, brows briefly pinching together. "Of course I did." he says, and there's an unspoken promise there. That there was no scenario in which that plays out any other way. No chance that he would've given up or stopped looking until she was home safe. "I've got your back, V." he continues, "Always." He shifts in place, bringing an arm across Va'ynna's shoulder and giving her another playful jostle. "Jasper is
picking me up at last call. Why don't you give Uvena a call and let her know I'll get you home tonight?" he offers, "You can join us for the rest of the game." There's a brief pause before he realizes she might have other plans. "If-... uhh-... you've got time, of course."
Va'ynna smiles briefly and takes a deep breath, and her crying is slowly but surely subsiding. She then ponders the offer for a moment even if her first instinct is to say no due to how tired she is. However, the talk with Nari and this conversation has gotten her more anxious, so being taken home by the Redrock shuttle would make her feel safer tonight, even if she'll be paying for that tomorrow morning. "That is...
very late, but... I think I'd like that." There is a small brief smile showing up, and she takes a deep breath. "Just... give me a few minutes."