Command and Control

[Valiens Nantaris]

Some people are born to greatness, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.

An old cliche, but one that held broadly true. As Tegaea walked along the halls of the Omega Pyre building she considered herself. She was certainly not in the first category, and she liked to think she was in the second. She had risen up, step by step, been fortunate it was true, but had eventually managed to succeed.
As she knocked on the door to @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]'s room, she wondered where her lover fitted into things. Like her, Siobhan had not been born to command, except perhaps as far as she had been born with the gift of the Force. She had certainly achieved command and greatness in her own way, but was Tegaea about to thrust responsibility onto Siobhan that she couldn't handle? That worried her, as did the notion that Siobhan could be seen as sleeping her way to the top.
No, Siobhan had made her own destiny, and Tegaea had just been there to recognise it. She believed that. She had to believe that.

Putting this aside Tegaea knocked on the door to Siobhan's office, hoping the other woman was in.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

"Come in." Siobhan was indeed in her office when Tegs arrived, as strange as the idea of the tough mercenary sitting behind a desk and working through reports was.

Moreover, she also was not oggling beauties on certain holonet sites or pursuing extracurricular activites with her secretary, rather she was trying to work through paperwork, frowning. Handwritten notes, with handwriting of the sort only Siobhan could possibly decipher, were stacked on the desk.

She rubbed her forehead a bit, then raised her chin when she heard the knock. A tug from the Force opened the door with telekinesis, she had sensed it was Tegs when she stood before it.

A wide smile graced her features she saw her boss and lover. "Hey, I wanted to come by soon. Is this...ok, I guess it's business and not business," she said, sensing that Tegs seemed serious, though she did not know about what. "Has something come up?"

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea closed the door behind her and took a seat across from Siobhan. She looked serious, even grave. Her first words were not that reassuring either, most likely.
"Siobhan, you know that over the years I've done my best to do things right by you. I've come to respect you professionally and...well...cherish you personally. However, with the rapid expansion of Omega Pyre into part of the Protectorate, I am moving up to the rank of Exarch. I would count it a great honour if you would assume the rank of Colonel and handle the daily running of Omega Pyre. I will be in overall operational command, but I would like you to head up the main part of the operation. What are your thoughts on this?"

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Tegs' words were indeed not reassuring, Siobhan's expression turned serious when she saw how grave Tegs looked. Before her boss opened her mouth she thought some disaster had occured.

Then came the offer, surprise and disbelief crossed her features. If the words had not been spoken with utmost seriousness, she might have wondered whether it was Corellian Fool's Day, but Tegaes clearly seemed to mean what she said. When the words sunk in Siobhan could not deny that she felt...very flattered. However, as much as she hated sounding and thinking like a wet hen, the fact remained that she...was not Tegs.

It was perhaps for the best that she wasn't holding a glass when Tegs spoke up. "Tegs...I'm, well, honoured...but I'm field work, you know that. Already got a big enough headache from the paperwork I get." She tried and failed at levity, the smile did not reach her lips, apparently Tegs was serious.

She sank back into her chair, looking ill at ease. "Give me a fortress to storm, a trench, whatever, get their troops in place and I'll attack and attack hard and take it," she said. "But I'm not you. I don't do planning well. I can cut through red tape and make our people get their arse in gear if weapons are needed, but logistics just hurts my head. Ex-Jedi, remember? We didn't get strategy courses. Gotta be enough people on the market you can choose from."

Probably one of the reasons why the clone troopers had been so eager to kill them. Aside from being brainwashed to be absolutely obedient.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Now Tegaea smiled reassuringly. "There are lots of people who I could choose from, but I chose you, Siobhan. You're the only person I would want running this; you're the best battering ram in the galaxy. However, I am aware that logistics isn't necessarily your thing, so I have got you some help there."

She went to the door and opened it. Maelion Liates was there, her injuries repaired so she looked human again. She came to stand behind Tegaea as the Exarch sat down. "I suggest that Maelion works with you as your aide. We shall see how you go, but I think between you two you will be a fine team."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Tegs might have hoped her words to be reassuring, but unfortunately they did not produce that effect on Siobhan. "Yeah, I'm a battering ram. I'm the one you send to lead a charge. That's where I belong. I'm not the one to read through profit margins or come up with a good plan."

The words came out more vehement than she had intended, especially when talking to Tegs. Then Maelion entered and stood behind Tegs, but Siobhan was undeterred in her opinion. She loved Tegs, respected more than anyone else alive, but was Tegs just giving her the job because they were together?

Far more importantly, Siobhan was...very afraid of royally screwing up. "I don't get why you want me for the job. If I can't figure out the important stuff without someone looking over my shoulder and handing me the solutions."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea returned the look that @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] gave her. Her first impulse was one of annoyance and even anger. She was giving Siobhan this opportunity that few would ever get! Why could she not see that this was a chance for her to stand up and show her quality? Did she want to remain a battering ram forever?
Her fist clenched and she contemplated berating her lover.

Fortunately, she conquered the impulse. The next emotion that entered her mind was confusion. All her life she had been driven by a need to get higher and higher, get away from her family, her childhood, her time in the military, her days as a roaming mercenary. She didn't really understand why Siobhan's refusal hurt so much, except perhaps because it was something she would never do. She had taken the Exarch job despite having no experience governing. She had hired the best advisors she could find and was learning her way into the job, often taking fourteen or sixteen hour days to do it. Of course it wasn't easy, she'd made more mistakes than successes, but she was getting there slowly.
She looked at the ceiling and she contemplated insisting on Siobhan taking the job.

Again she conquered the impulse. Siobhan was as stubborn as a bantha, and it would not end well. There needed to be some sort of solution. If she was honest with herself, and she tried to be, Siobhan was not the most qualified person for the job. But loyalty to Tegaea was everything. She didn't care if people thought Siobhan got the job because they were sleeping together; it was broadly true! But, there needed to be a solution. She looked to Maelion. That was a potential solution to the problem, but with its own problems. Even the most advanced droids lacked the 'human' touch for coming up with actual strategies and plans. They tended to be...well...mechanical and predictable in their moves. She would have to pair Maelion with someone so they could work together, and it wasn't going to be Siobhan. She would choose someone else to be the General in charge,
Tegaea took a deep breath and kept the bitterness and anger from her voice.

"I see. Well, then I will find someone else who will take the position. Maelion will be promoted to the rank of Colonel, and will assist the new General who I shall also find to take the position. I will also offer you the position of Colonel, but inferior in seniority to Maelion, if you should choose to accept."
Putting her hands behind her back she waited for Siobhan's response, wondering what the other woman felt through the Force. Anger? Disappointment?

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan was no empath and lacked telepathy, so she could not pick up on what precisely Tegs was thinking. But she saw her lover clench her fist and the surge of raw emotion coming from the generally rather restrained Tegaea was clearly palpable.

Siobhan could not quite place it and was confused, though she managed to keep her eyes on Tegs, resisting the urge to bend her chin. For a moment she considered rescinding her denial, but then held her ground. As had

If Siobhan were honest with herself, she had been flattered and honoured by Tegs' offer. She had spent so long trying to escape from her past, the shame of her dark secrets, her life as a street rat on Nar Shaddaa, as a small-time thug who by a stroke of good luck had managed to make something of herself because she had been born force-sensitive, then after ditching the Jedi had finally found some place to belong in form of Omega.

But, even so Siobhan was a lot more confident than she had once been, she was afraid of failing and thus disappointing Tegs. She did not really care about the opinion of anyone else. Things had been going so well and she was still working out how she would fit into the changes Omega was undergoing. She did not want to rock the boat.

Why can't she bloody understand that? I'm just doing the right thing. She felt a stab of annoyance at Tegs and how she had pushed her into this role and tried to thrust such responsibility on her, something she had not asked for.

Maybe one day. Well, Siobhan would probably not get another chance and she would stick by her guns. She had never expected to be more than a fighter. It was what she excelled at and what she loved. In a way also what she felt at. A blaze of glory was how she expected her life to end.

So she would be serving under the HRD...Well...

"I understand, ma'am," she sounded relieved, but the effect was lessened by the uncomfortable formality. Siobhan was virtually never formal, it showed she was feeling uncomfortable. She wanted to approach Tegs and explain herself, but this was not the moment and she couldn't think of an explanation that wouldn't sound wethennish to her.

"I accept."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

"Good. I'll leave you two to get acquainted. I will see you both in my office tomorrow for a debriefing." Her tone suggested this wouldn't be the nice sort of debriefing, and that the only whips involved would be verbal ones.

Tegaea turned and left. She knew she was behaving unfairly, and that she'd have to apologise, talk things out, but for now it wasn't the right time. Not when Maelion was there too.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan seethed, but said nothing. Tegs knew that she couldn't do the job and had offered it to her, and so she was acting like Siobhan had something to apologise for. But, fine, if she wanted it to be like that. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She had nothing to feel sorry about.

Siobhan was not about to get wethennish when she had done the right thing. She glared at the departing form of Tegs, then turned her attention to Maelion, her new boss.

"So...I guess we're gonna work together now," she said lamely, unsure how to continue.

 

[Maelion Liates]

Maelion had watched the entire scene with utterly no expression. Her own views about organic irrationality clearly made this confrontation no surprise.
"We shall be. You are under my command now, and I expect you to perform your duties efficiently and in full. I have received all the necessary information on my new role. We will begin by you compiling the reports from your subordinates in regards to operational strength, equipment, morale and leadership. You will have this for me in four hours. I will prepare a report of the other sections of Omega Pyre for the Exarch."
Maelion's leadership style was not inspirational, but it was effective. She could work almost non-stop for 23 hours a day, and when the mysterious new general arrived they would have someone to direct Siobhan the battering ram and Maelion the calculator.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan shot the machine a glare. The robot was better than her, but she had been here longer, she didn't need to be lectured on her job. "I do my job pretty well," she said sharply, though obviously that would have no effect on the HRD.

Then she left the room without a further word to work on her reports, while Tegs was off doing whatever she did. Frankly Siobhan didn't care and even if Tegs had wanted it, she didn't plan on visiting her this night anyway!

Since it's rather late where this writer is living, we shall assume that Siobhan worked on her reports in the interim, with as much dedication as she could muster in the mood she was in.

 

[Maelion Liates]

This writer is perfectly fine with that. They do not expect other writers to come up with this stuff, that shall be left to Siobhan the character!

Maelion looked impassively at Siobhan, but made no reply. The silence was damning, or might seem that way.

When the time came, Maelion was sitting in her office with several harrassed aides. She was typing, but clearly was doing several other things at once. She communicated with her aides by text message on their screens, and the unfortunates looked quite tired and irritated.

"Colonel. You have finished your report," she stated, not asked. It was obvious that Siobhan would not be here otherwise.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

I'm here, aren't I? Siobhan thought to herself. "You know the answer to that," Siobhan said coldly, ignoring the terribly harrassed aides as she put the datapad that contained the report on the desk. No doubt Maelion would absorg all the information it contained at breakneck speed.

 

[Maelion Liates]

Maelion's sapphire eyes started at Siobhan. "Your impertinence is noted. Had you taken this position you would not be following my orders, but giving them, thus you only have yourself to blame," Maelion stated. Ouch. Apply cream to that burn.

She scanned the report that Siobhan had made and a few moments later put it down. "You are dismissed. You will meet with the Exarch tomorrow. I will send you a list of tasks to perform before then."

The HRD looked back down at her work and continued as though Siobhan wasn't there.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

"And as no doubt you'd point out, I'd suck at the job and be a bloody rubberstamp for what my 'splendid' aide has to say," Siobhan snapped at the machine, not caring anymore. Blasted, useless promotion where she'd just be a sockpuppet anyway. She was just annoyed right now, especially at Tegs.

Oh, great Exarch. Congrats on moving up. I just saved your arse a couple times. Well, she would not be calling her. Screw her. She was not some whiny, insecure wet hen who had to run after someone else, desperate for their approval and hanging on their every word. Without a further word or glance at the machine, she turned and walked out of the room.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Maelion watched her go. The truth was self-evident.

As for Tegaea, she got through the day irritably. She had meetings to attend to. People complained about things constantly. There were things to do, new things to learn, staff to motivate/bully into line. It was, in short, annoying and difficult.

She didn't call Siobhan. She would see her the next day, and if she called after work it would make her appear desperate to make up just so they could have sex. So she waited and went to bed alone, frustrated and annoyed.

The next morning though she seemed in a better mood and went to her office, waiting for Siobhan and Maelion to arrive. She knew Maelion would arrive exactly on time. Whether Siobhan was early or late would indicate something about her mental state.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan did not call Tegs either, obviously. She was in an angry mood, Tegs was the last person she wanted to see right now. Well, Tegs and her pet robot, Maelion. Nor did she call Hevana or Allaina, as tempting as that might be. Instead she just brooded, frustrated, before going to bed.

Finally morning came and she headed to Tegs' office, coming in some minutes after Maelion. Of course, the pet robot would be there on time, right at Tegs' side. She took a breath before she knocked the door and entered. She wanted to make things work...but her irritation won out upon seeing the two of them. Siobhan looked grim, the smile that was normally on her face when she saw Tegs wasn't there. Moreover, Siobhan did not let things go easily.

"You wanted to see me, Exarch," she said stiffly, the frustration just bubbling beneath the surface. Her jaw tightened. Siobhan normally never addressed her by rank, except in formal situations and then it was usually 'boss' and not a concrete political or military designation.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea's smiled faltered a little. Still, she kept up a professional appearance. "Yes, please be seated, Colonel. Everything went well yesterday?"

"We have analysed and compiled a detailed report of Omega Pyre's assets and strengths," Maelion stated primly, handing over a datapad. "We are ready for any operations which are deemed necessary."

The mood was grim in the room. Siobhan didn't even seem to be in the mood for parodying Maelion...always a bad sign.

"Good. Do you have anything to add, Colonel @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]?" Tegaea asked flatly.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan glowered at @[member="Tegaea Alcori"]. As was well-known, Siobhan had quite a temper and she had had enough. Even tentative, insecure Padawan Siobhan Kerrigan had slapped Adril for being a selfish crybaby.

So when faced with Tegs' flat tone, she got up. "Yes, I have," she said very coldly, completely ignoring the droid. "I don't know what your problem, but I'm done with it. You offered me the job...and a job you know I couldn't do, one I know I couldn't do and for which I don't have the training. So I'd be what, just be a rubberstamp for her." Your pet robot.

"So I turned it down, as I should...and you get mad and treat me like this because I used my brain? I don't know what you were thinking, but I want a bloody explanation!"