@[member="Tegaea Alcori"], @[member="Anya Venari"], @[member="Delila Castillon"], @[member="Jorus Merrill"], @[member="HK-36"], @[member="Noah Corek"]
"I think better when I'm not sober," Siobhan insisted to the Eldorai, quickly downing a glass of whiskey after an aide was so helpful to bring it to her. Her throat suddenly felt so much better, though she still felt she could use more than a glass. She did not have a drinking problem at all.
She looked at the datapad Anya had given her and frowned. It contained simple platitudes about thanking a bunch of faceless politicians whose opinion she honestly did not give a crap about - she seemed to ignore the fact that her wife was a politician - promising to do a good job and nobly serve the people. There was some line about guaranteeing full employment and...something about inalienable rights, whatever that was. It sounded like the speech writer had a problem with aliens. Or perhaps with humans. Anyway there was nothing of a personal note inside it. But she could not quite figure out what to say concisely without sounding foolish. She knew what she wanted to try to do, but putting it in words another matter. Moreover, frankly she loathed public speaking.
"The new Exarch of Eriadu, Siobhan Kerrigan," an officer with a booming voice announced, obviously at a prearranged signal. At least there were no trumpets. Siobhan bloody hated trumpets.
She passed countless guests - politicians, military commanders, nobles, apparently quite a few ladies from Kaeshana was in attendance. She caught a glance of Queen Silaqui, standing regal and haughty in her elegant dress, and Siobhan could not resist winking at her. It had been some time since she had been able to connect with her!
She caught sight of Delila...as far as Siobhan was concerned her successor at the Pyre. At this stage she could not know about the talk between them would go, she smiled when she Jorus had returned from...well, she was not entirely sure where he had been, but was happy nonetheless, though it made her wonder what he would think. HK was entertaining guests...then finally she saw Tegaea and stopped for a moment dead as she beheld her, standing tall and proud, every inch the glorious Queen. The sheer confidence she exuded made Siobhan feel childish with her doubts.
Finally she reached the podium and stopped in, gazing upon the crowd, uncertainty written over her face. She felt a strong craving for another drink. Or a bloody cigarette. Perhaps both. Why could not a horde of Bando Gora crash the party? Or perhaps Sith assassins. Eyes travelled across the crowd and she stretched out with her senses, but nothing happened!
"T-thank you everyone," she began in a slow, hesitant voice, hands clenched though out of sight. "By vote of the Council and order of the Protector, I, Siobhan Kerrigan, am Exarch of Eriadu. I, uh, thank the Council for their...trust and promise," then she stopped, no words leaving her lips, "this is a load of crap," she muttered to herself and just let the datapad drop down.
"This is not a job I sought or would have ever expected to get, I've been a soldier all my life....but I...know the threats we face. Bando Gora cultists, Sith, whatever beasts come out of the unknown regions. Just a couple days ago one of our planets was vaporised. We cannot rest on our laurels or trust in galactic peace. People who blindly trust get swept aside...and we've been complacent and expected an easy life for far too long," she paused before continuing, taking a deep breath.
"Cira is gone...that's hit us hard, leaves a hole, but she'd want us to go forward. So we will find the Bando Gora homeworld...crush them and raze it to the ground. Like we will beat anyone who tries to force their way of life on us, Sith or otherwise. Just like we'll find those responsible for what happened at Rhommamool. People...call us warmongers, I say we don't want war, but we're ready. The Protectorate's not perfect, nothing is, but it brought order from chaos. So from this moment on...I am assuming direct control," she naturally ended with a dramatic line. It always worked for Aurelia! But she steadfastly refused to use light metaphors. Those had always sounded lame to her.