Build Me An Army

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Teria walked into the kitchen with the intent of getting a glass of water, only to find Niamh lying on the island.

"Niamh, put down the can of Easy Cheese. Life isn't that bad."

"Life doesn't have to be bad to enjoy this stuff. It's delicious."

"Horribly for you, is what it is."

She shook her head and went to get her glass of water. As she sipped from it, she turned her head towards the woman that she was supposed to be spending her time protecting and watched her as she put the can down and sat up. The woman had that look about her. Teria knew from experience that she was about to get thrown into some wile ride or other. Whatever it was this time, she had no choice but to go along with it.

"You know, our people are underutilized."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Niamh said as she hopped off the island, "that we don't make up a high enough percentage in the Republic's military forces despite our warrior culture."

"Doesn't that just mean that there's more of us here to keep Eshan safe?"

"Technically true, but nowhere is really safe with the One Sith on the rampage."

Teria drank down her glass of water and walked over to look Niamh in the eye. Yes, there was definitely something there. The wheels were turning in Niamh's head, which meant it was about to get really crazy.

"You're scheming again," she said. "I don't like it."

"You never do!" Niamh replied. "Come on, let's wake some people up. I've got an idea."

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

They walked through the halls of the main base of EIC's operations on Eshan. Teria had grabbed a fruit before they left Niamh's quarters, gnawing on it as they walked. It was still early so there weren't many people about, and Niamh didn't stop to talk to anyone. They made their way to a door that, when Teria saw it, illicited a groan.

"Really? You're going to wake him up?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"He's a jackass, that's why..."

Niamh laughed and Teria sighed. She really didn't like that the woman got so much enjoyment out of tormenting her. Of course Niamh pressed the buzzer and held it down. Teria shook he head and leaned against the wall across the hall, knowing full well what was coming. She finished the fruit and cleaned her hands off just in time for the door to open and a very angry Tycho charged out with arms ready to mow Niamh over. Teria pushed off the wall and tackled the man to the ground. He grumbled beneath her.

"The heck do you all want?" he asked as he stared up at Teria.

"Don't look at me. It's her hairbrained ideas that always end up this way," she said before nodding to Niamh.

"We need to do some recruiting."

Tycho groaned and pushed at her shoulders so Teria stood up and helped him to his feet. Really the guy needed to learn how to control his angry morning self. By now you'd think he'd be used to it with all of the times Niamh had seen fit to wake him up.

"What kind of recruiting?" he asked.

"The kind that's for a private army," Niamh said. "It's time for Eshan to go to war again."

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Teria stepped in beside Niamh, making sure that Tycho couldn't cozy up to her. He had a tendency to do that and she knew that it annoyed Niamh when he did. In fact, she figured that he probably knew it annoyed her, but he did it anyway. That's probably why he did it, to get back at her for when she woke him up at odd hours. Teria had lost track of all the times her charge had done that to people. It seemed a regular occurrence sometimes. At least once a week.

"You know a lot of us go join the Republic special forces," Teria pointed out to Niamh.

"I'm aware."

"So how do you expect to get everyone to join us?"

Niamh jerked a thumb at Tycho.

"Him for one. The other reason is that I have a lot of weight here. We employ most of the people that don't leave, and I've been regarded as one of the best Firedancers alive for a while now."

Teria rolled her eyes. Seriously, Niamh sometimes had the biggest ego. This time, though, she had to admit to herself that her charge wasn't lying. Niamh had only ever lost one fight and that was a fight with a Sith Master that had decided to barbecue her rather than fight her. It had been unfair from the start. Teria still had scorch marks from that fight, which she promptly involuntarily rubbed before she looked back over at Tycho. Niamh was right that she had pull, but how was Tycho going to help?

"How is he going to help us?" she asked. "He's just an old geezer who lives in the factory."

"I am not!" Tycho said. "I have a very important job here, missy. Don't belittle it."

"Sure you do."

"He does," Niamh chimed in. "Tell her."

Teria looked from Niamh to Tycho with a confused look on her face. What was this that these two were talking about?

"I'm the keeper of Janira Fenni's DNA. I've been keeping it safe since she died."

Teria's eyes went wide. So that's what he was doing here. They had a sample of the former Echani leaders DNA inside of the facility and Tycho's job was to keep it safe and viable. That must have been important for some reason and she bit her fingernail as she thought about it. After a moment she stopped walking, eyes wide, as she looked at the two of them.

"You're going to clone her."