"Hardy. Stubborn, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Even without the invasion they ended up in hell, and with no option to run they just somehow managed to make it their home -- a home they'll fight and die for." Wash has no personal loyalty, no personal love for Barrayar, not like Miles or any other Barrayaran he's spoken to here, but he does admire their tenacity, has found himself throwing his lot in with their cause more than anything else. "Just barely reconnecting to the greater Nexus. If it weren't for this war, I'm sure they'd have made a lot more progress in clawing their way back to the galactic stage."

A pause in the work, just to check briefly on the cart when he hears that slight creak. Seems fine for more. Never hurts to be sure, though, and he turns back to Kaidan as he drives the pitchfork back into the pile to heft yet more up onto the cart.

"Pawns on a board, but the generals are just parts on a different board, too, aren't they?" Such is war. Maybe more true of Zahal than Piotr, hell if Piotr is just some simple pawn, but he's still a smaller part of the greater war, and Zahal. Zahal is under the haut.