[That...quiets him down a little because part of why he was getting so antagonistic was the idea that some of them were buying into this with the valiant warrior mentality.]

All I wanted was to try to get people looking at this like it's a losing fight.

That doesn't mean you hide in a hole or give up. Or if you do hide in a hole it's at least to pop out and ambush who you're fighting and stab them in the neck.

[He licks his lips, trying to figure out how to put himself out there with something other than engineering. He knows Trance wants him to try to get along with everyone. He offers what he can: that he's not entirely a coward, that he knows how to fight the kind of fight he thinks this is.]

I've, uh, crawled through plenty of sewers in my time, with plenty of knives. My world was...occupied. By the absolute worst pieces of -

[The hate almost bursts out of him and he clamps it down because now's not the time. Then he works his jaw a little and lets out a little huff of air.]

Destiny don't mean squat. That's all I was, uh. Trying to say.