First Order: Daughters of the Empire

[Valessia Brentioch]

"Grand Moff," Fiolette rose, "I have been in my position for longer than you've well," she took a moment, "long enough. I've served the First Order, for years." She adjusted her clothing, "now that I've most certainly have wasted my time. I have a task force to run, good day Grand Moff." Fiolette wasn't here to beg, to convince, she came to say her piece and she had done so. She felt Reima would have been disappointed in her daughter but then Reima wasn't here. The Bakuran was gone, just like Fio had been so quickly removed from the family tree, she turned her back to the Grand Moff and walked out of the office just as quickly as she had arrived, with as much swagger as before as well.

[member="Natasi Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Weeks later, Natasi was sitting in her office at 2313 Hours local time, aboard the Concordia. Most of the diplomatic personnel had gone off duty, but as per usual, Natasi found herself wide awake. Her business for the day had concluded, and she was not remotely ready for sleep. Her scheduled call with [member="Darell Irani"] had been canceled, leaving Natasi feeling dejected and irritable, so she had, for the first time in recorded history, nothing to do.

Nothing.

Nothing to do. Not ready for sleep. Nothing she felt like reading in bed. And Dr. Penneford had suggested that she cut back on the gin and tonics, so she no longer even had that little pleasure to rely upon to ease her to sleep. She sat at her desk, legs crossed, one shoe dangling from her toe. Finally, after a few moments, she hit the intercom key. "Sioux? Bring me something from the 'What If' pile." The What If pile was a collection of semi-official projects that the Grand Moff never had time to address, but which she would if she had time. They ranged from addressing constituent concerns to choosing charities to sponsor and chair to approving budgetary deviations -- or disapproving, as the case may be.

Sioux entered a moment later with a folder and handed it to Natasi, then exited. Natasi examined the folder for a moment before noting the seal of the Hall of Records on Galidraan. She picked up a silver letter opener and slit the seal; it could only be one thing. She had sent an inquiry to the records office on Galidraan following yet another claim of relation by an Admiral in the fleet. Normally she wouldn't bother, but this one knew her mother's name -- knew the details of Reima's personality and life. She didn't believe Fiolette Yvarro, but Natasi had enough to request a search.

Half an hour later, Natasi hit the intercom to Sioux. "Get my Admiral Yvarro, please."

[member="Valessia Brentioch"]

 

[Valessia Brentioch]

Victoria, Dosuun
Yvarro Family Residence, Outside FINB Victoria

Admiral Yvarro's home sat behind the large dome that illuminated the skyline of Victoria, the dome marked the heart of the First Imperial Navy. Her training, here young officers trained at the Imperial War College, beside them their marine counterparts, as well as the starfighters. Also housed here were the engineers, the medics and scientists, logistics everything that made the Navy, the Navy. Behind the dome not only sat Admiralty Hill, but Audenmeer or the Bold Sea. The Fortuna river emptied out here, as well as the Provisio River that led into Kalast City and out toward the more rural areas. The Admiral herself who's house anchored Admiralty Hill like the beacon that it is, was not home. As usual, she was out away on duty aboard her flagship the FIV Tarkin. At home, was her daughter, Lucinyia or Lucy for short. The girl had just turned eighteen and had passed her entrance exam with flying colors and could have had her pick of any job she wished, and instead chose Administration.

So that she might be able to think about what it was she wanted to do. Fio berated her for it, of course. Lucy by now was used to such things, just as she was used to taking care of her younger sisters Ryssa and Ariel. That night, the night that cousin Natasi rang, Lucy was busy - busy seeing her sister's to bed and looking over any schoolwork they might have to have. They were more than wealthy enough to afford servants, but her mother insisted that they could do for themselves and would not be of the spoiled aristocrats who couldn't bare the thought at tying their own ties. The house was neat and orderly, for there was hardly anyone at home to live in it. She had the holo tele on, and was enjoying a program from a subscription network - a network that was generally aired in Silver Space, but for a price could be aired here. The show was about a young girl who discovered she had superpowers and was learning what it meant to be a superhero, Lucy didn't much care for it but her sisters loved it to pieces. It was running on repeat in the background, while the eighteen-year-old answered the call.

"Natasi Fortan?" Lucy asked as she read the name as it appeared on the tele, "hello? Yvarro Residence, Lucy speaking, who is this?"

[member="Natasi Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

"Ah, no," said Sioux brusquely. "This is Sioux Chambers on behalf of the Grand Moff's office. Putting you through now, ma'am." Sioux, not remembering Fiolette Yvarro's visit to the office, had no way to distinguish the girl on the other end of the line from the Admiral. She hit the transfer. "Natasi, I have the Admiral for you. Putting her through."

Inside her office, Natasi had been reviewing the file. The story that Yvarro told seemed to have checked out. Her father Frejrik had had an older sister who had been stricken from the rolls before Natasi was born. The official records counted several marriages and divorces, the first of which occurred right before her name was eradicated from the family tree. It didn't take a lot to figure out what had caused that to happen. On Galidraan, people of their class married for life, and divorce was a filthy, dirty word.

"Admiral, it's Natasi Fortan. I hope I'm not calling too late."

[member="Valessia Brentioch"]

 

[Valessia Brentioch]

Lucy by this point in her life had gotten used to the fact that sometimes, her mother's voice and her own. Sometimes sounded alike over the phone, which can be useful for getting what you want. Not so much for when the Grand Moff is calling your house expecting to get your mother, and instead gets you. Chewing on her lower lip she looked over at the tele and grabbed the controller for it. Turning the volume down lower, she set the controller down and answered properly. "No, I'm sorry Grand Moff Fortan," she paused a moment, "this is her daughter Lucinyia Yvarro, mother's gone. She's deployed on tour for a few more weeks. I can give you her holo aboard the Tarkin, if you'd like." Lucy cringed a little - Natasi was the Grand Moff. If she wanted to find the Admiral, she pretty much could - there wouldn't be a lot of barriers to prevent her from doing so.

The house was quieter now, and Lucy rose and worked to clean the house a little, picking up small items and putting them away before settling on the sofa. Their home was quite large, too large in Lucy's opinion. But then she supposed it was necessary so that it could fit her, her sisters and her mother's ego. She politely waited for the Grand Moff's reply, she wasn't too worried about the time of night. After all, it could be an emergency that a Grand Moff should have need for one of her Admirals.

[member="Natasi Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

"Oh," was Natasi's reply. She didn't know that she had other cousins -- beyond Pierce and Imogen. There was nothing about a Lucinyia in her file -- at least, nothing that she had read yet. She paused and tapped her fingers lightly on her leather desk blotter. "I am sorry, I'm not sure how my office didn't figure that out. Don't worry, we can track down the Admiral. We have the frequency for the Tarkin, at any rate." She paused for a moment, her mind racing as she squeezed her temples with her left hand, middle finger and thumb just barely stretching. What does one say to a long-lost cousin? What does one say to anyone who has been deemed by all the social rules by which one lived to be persona non grata?

The Grand Moff tapped her fingers against the blotter with her free hand, or rather, continued to do so.

"Ms. Yvarro, has your mother mentioned me -- in a way other than in my professional capacity?" Natasi picked up her pen and prepared to jot notes. She didn't want to spill the beans to Lucinyia if Admiral Yvarro hadn't done so herself, so she kept her hand close to the vest.

[member="Valessia Brentioch"]

 

[Valessia Brentioch]

Lucy listened and nodded, yes, of course, the Grand Moff could track the Admiral down if she needed. The eighteen-year-old looked at the tele and decided it would be best to turn it off, so she rose crossed the living room and shut it off. Curling back up in the sofa she adjusted the holo and got comfortable. She shrugged a little - most people were surprised to learn that her mom had kids, let alone four of them. Ms. Yvarro? Hoo-boy - no one really called her that, well now they did because of all the appointments she had to do to just get into the military. "It's fine, Grand Moff Fortan, really - most people are surprised to find the Admiral has children, let alone four of them, or even me." Lucy cleared her throat and thought it was a little strange that the Grand Moff would ask her that kinda question. "Not really, I mean she said she was proud when you became Grand Moff. I think I saw a tear, but then I might've been seeing things."

"And I mean, really, you were a natural fit for the job anyway." Lucy used her feet to grab at one of the sofa pillows before moving to grab it with her hands and holding it close to her body.

[member="Natasi Fortan"]