Starfield:Companion - Sarah Morgan/Story SG04

Quest:	COM_Companion_SarahMorgan
Scene:	COM_SarahMorgan_Story_SG04

Sarah Morgan:

"I have an important personal decision to make... but I need to discuss something with you first."

...	Player	Response
	If it will help you decide, I'm here to listen.	Whew. Thank you. So... where to start? Umm...
X	Sorry, I have other things I have to take care of first.	Oh! Well, I guess... I understand. Just... never mind.
🗣︎	Have I done something wrong?	No, no... not at all. This is something that's been weighing on my mind for a long time. I was hoping if I talked about it with you, I could get your opinion. That's all.

"Before I was with the Navigator Corps, I was career military - part of the United Colonies Navy."

"When the Colony War broke out, I was posted as the Chief Navigator on a warship, the "Dauntless.""

...	Player	Response
	Making Chief Navigator sounds like quite an accomplishment.	Well... the position didn't last long.
	You must have seen a lot of combat.	Plenty, and that's what's weighing on my mind.
	When we first met, I thought I detected some military in your blood.	Then you were right. I didn't want to go into detail before, because... well, just hear me out.
	That's pretty close to captain, right?	In my case, I was third in command... which has a lot to do with the story.

"There was a particularly bloody battle, we were fighting over a world in the Eta Cassiopeia System. Worst fighting I'd ever seen."

"We lost twelve ships that day. Twelve. Including my own."

...	Player	Response
	If this is too difficult for you, we don't have to continue.	No. This is important. I need to tell you this.
	Hundreds of lives must have been lost.	I'm well aware how many lives were lost. Now let me finish.
	I'm assuming the United Colonies won this battle.	With hundreds of lives lost on both sides, I'd argue there were no winners at all. Now let me finish.
🗣︎	Why the Cassiopeia system?	Economic reasons. Several of the worlds in the Cassiopeia System were mineral rich. Both sides wanted to drop refinery outposts on the surface to bolster their supply.

"The ship was barely intact. The captain and first mate died the previous day, which put me in command."

"A shrewd captain would have called for the crew to abandon ship, but I was so angry, I wanted to stay. I needed to fight."

...	Player	Response
⏫︎	[+Ship Command?] Trust me. From one captain to another, you made the right choice.	Well, thank you. I really appreciate that. Unfortunately... it doesn't make what I'm about to tell you any easier. [QE420]
▲	I would have done the same.	I believe you, but you haven't heard the worst of this. [QE405]
▲	I wouldn't have taken the risk.	Yes, I know. Okay!? Damn it, will you let me finish?! [QE410]
	I don't know what I would have done.	Well, I didn't have the luxury of indecision. I had to act. [QE415]
🗣︎	Despite the damage, your ship still had the ability to fight?	The Dauntless was a tough little ship. No shields and the hull was breached, but it still had power... and weapons. That's why I remained in the battle. Huge mistake.

"We fought for hours, but the damage was fatal. I gave the order to abandon ship and the crew piled into the escape shuttle."

"As the shuttle launched, I could see it was damaged... I... I heard screams before the radio cut."

"Last thing I saw, they were... spiraling helplessly towards the planet's surface. There was... there was nothing I could do."

...	Player	Response	Reaction
	I'm sorry you had to go through that.	You're sorry... for me?	If I hadn't been so stubborn, so eager to prove that I could handle command, my crew would have had more time to escape.
	My condolences to your crew.	Thank you, but condolences can't reverse what I've done.	I was caught up in the moment, an inexperienced captain making rash decisions that cost people their lives.
🗣︎	The Dauntless was too far gone to save your crew?	The ship barely had enough power for coms and life support. All I could do was... was watch them die.
🗣︎	Why weren't you on the shuttle with them?	It was my duty as acting captain to be the last person to leave the Dauntless. We had more than one escape shuttle available, so I elected to wait until they were... safe.

...	Player	Response
_LOOP04	[+Starborn?] The UC awarded you a medal for a reason.	Oh, so you heard about that. Well then, here's a news flash for you. I don't think I deserved it. I never had a chance to find the shuttle wreckage, and give my crew a proper burial.
	Nothing you've described sounds like your fault.	Try telling that to their loved ones.
	Your crew knew what they were getting into when they signed up.	Yes, they expected to serve on the best ships... with the best captains. The crew of the Dauntless had to settle for me.
	What did your superiors say about your actions?	My "superiors?"

"When the dust settled, the United Colonies gave me a medal. Can you believe that? A damn medal!"

"I never even had a chance to find the shuttle wreckage, and give my crew a proper burial."

_LOOP04

...	Player	Response
	You can't blame yourself for what amounts to bad luck.	Bad luck. That sounds familiar.
	You should be proud of earning a medal like that.	Maybe, I don't know. The entire experience feels so... hollow.
	At least you're still alive to honor their legacy.	That's true, but still, it doesn't erase the real issue here.
🗣︎	How did you get off of the Dauntless?	After I checked every section of the ship for wounded crew, I took the other escape shuttle. If I hadn't, I would have died. The Dauntless came apart minutes after I escaped.

• [Q+305?]

"Remember when you said no one but me would have pushed harder to keep the Navigator Corps going? Well, this time, pushing too hard cost lives."

• [Q+310?]

"You once told me "no matter how hard you fight, there are some battles you simply can't win." I wish I had heard your advice long ago."

• [Q+315?]

"You once told me that the military might not have been my calling. You don't know how right you were."

--

"Don't you get it? Everything I do, everything I touch... somehow... falls apart."

"That's why I'm worried about... us."

...	Player	Response	Reaction
▲	Don't worry, I'm here for you, every step of the way.	After everything you've heard, all my stories, you still have faith?	No one's ever cared about me this much. Not even Aja.
	You can't get rid of me that easily.	*Chuckles nervously* All this nonsense and you still have faith, eh?	You really care about me, don't you?
	There's little you could say that would change my opinion about you.	You still have faith in me. I... don't even know what to say.	I never realized how much you cared about me.
🗣︎	Worried about us?	Look, it's clear the two of us are becoming more than partners. We're becoming close friends. Even though I've pushed people away in the past, I feel different when I'm around you. I feel... safer. Comfortable. Not afraid to admit who I am. I'm terrified I'm going to screw that up.

...	Player	Response	Reaction
▲	I'll never stop having faith in you, Sarah.	I'm counting on that. I'm counting on that.	Look, I think I've said all I can handle for now.
	Nothing could get in the way of our friendship.	I feel exactly the same way.	Whew. I didn't think that would be so draining.
	We're partners... I'll always have your back, Sarah.	And I'll have yours.	All right, "partner," I suppose it's time we get back to work.
_FLIRT END	[Flirt] That's because I'm falling in love with you, Sarah.	You know, I've spent a lot of time thinking about us, about our relationship... how we've clearly become close.	I practiced what I was going to say when the moment was right, and now that it's here, my mind's gone blank. Sigh. Look, you deserve the best... someone who can give themselves to you entirely, but right now, I have too much baggage... too much on my mind.

"Thank you for being there, for listening to me when I needed it the most. I'll never forget this, I promise."

_FLIRT END

Delayed Reaction
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...
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I hope you'll forgive me for pushing you away, I just need time.