The Pursuit of Happiness and the Common Good

[Dravis Rosilla]

CHASIN CITY, COMMENOR​

​

Than had slipped into command seamlessly.

One might assume the ex-Republic Senior Lieutenant would be over his head, transitioning from command of a single escort frigate to an entire battlegroup. Quite the opposite was the case, as Than took to it like a fish to water. It was a homecoming for Lieutenant Balthor.

No, Admiral Balthor.

The menial deskwork he had been given to finalize his position was the only downside, far outweighed by everything else in the days passed since his first meeting with Queen Arenais and General Santiago. He quickly realized he and the general agreed on a great many things about Commenor's forces, and the lack thereof. He was informed of his position, and got to see the vessel he would be in direct command of. It was a Commenori Reciever, gargantuan in proportion, something he had never dared to dream he would ever command.

Now, he had that, and an entire battlegroup. It was a lot of responsibility for one man who had only a week prior been directionless. Responsibility Than was more than ready for.

It had been after meeting the officers under him that he received a message from the Palace. The Queen, no less, asking for a meeting. The Admiral wasn't surprised, and sent a cordial response.

Arriving at the gates, Than awaited for someone to show him in.

- [member="Lady Kay"] -​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Olivia was the one to meet [member="Than Balthor"] at the gates, escorted by a couple of uniformed guards. She didn't expect there to be any trouble, yet as the Queen's secretary, she couldn't be too cautious. His face was one that she had recognized from his file that Santiago had passed along. With her key ring jingling as she moved, she approached the man, nodding to the guards to let him in. "Admiral Balthor. I am Olivia Herra, the Lady Kay's secretary and Head of the House. If you would follow me, please." She turned on her heel in a manner that one would wonder if she had ever served in the military or navy. Olivia's past was something that she never spoke about. As far as people were aware, she was born into this role of running the Palace and it's staff.

While they walked, Olivia kept quiet for the most part. At times she'd point out some of the architecture or where certain hallways led to, such as the kitchens and meeting rooms until they made it to her office. She opened the door and stepped inside. Two other doors were in the room, besides the usual desk, chairs and fireplace. It was to one of those doors that she approached, knocked three times and then opened the door. "My Lady, Admiral Balthor to see you as requested."

Kay looked over to them, having freshly brewed a pot of tea at her side table. "Thank you Olivia."

The older woman nodded and closed the door behind her as she left them to their privacy.

After pouring herself a cup of tea, she held the kettle in the air over another cup. "Thank you for coming, Admiral. Would you like some tea?" Kay was always sure to be a proper host.

 

[Dravis Rosilla]

Than smiled when Olivia showed up, flanked by guards. He approved of the security. It showed the Queen made a conscious effort to ensure her own safety. Than nodded to her, following her with deliberate steps into the building. They did leave him with his vibroblade this time around, which Than appreciated. He felt safer with it at his side.

The new Admiral was led through the palace, to Kay's office. He listened intently as Kay's assistant spoke of the various rooms and functions, if only to be polite. He doubted he would need extensive knowledge of the blueprints of the palace any time soon.

After the minutes of sightseeing, they made it to Kay. Than stepped inside, nodding to Olivia one last time as she left him and the Queen in the relative privacy of her office.

He began as protocol allowed him to; a greeting.

"Your Majesty." He performed a slight bow at the waist, smiling mildly. "Yes, I suppose I could endulge."

He approached Kay's desk, accepting whatever drink was given to him. Than was always sure to be a proper guest.

- [member="Lady Kay"] -​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded and continued pouring the tea. She then cradled one cup in each hand and passed one of them over to [member="Than Balthor"] as she walked over from the side table. "Have a seat, please."

She sipped her tea and then sat down on her own chair at her desk. "I just wanted to check in and see what your impressions are. How are you adjusting to your new role?" She hadn't talked to [member="Cato Marek"] or Santiago yet, the former being away from the system for the moment. And given that Than hadn't been deployed to patrol the borders or anything, she wanted to have a nice chat with him that wasn't over the holonet or some comm channel.

 

[Dravis Rosilla]

Than grasped the cup with grace, his shallow smile giving away none of his internal thought processes, which wasn't much of a loss, considering Than had been relaxing these past few days, and didn't have many thoughts to give. Despite the tedium of learning about his new command, it felt like a vacation.

"I appreciate the concern, my Queen." He truly did. No flowery sarcasm or sardonic teasing in sight, something some naval officers seemed to thrive on. He'd gotten his fair share in his day. "As a System Admiral, I am only allowed the information my clearance allows, but I will say with what I have seen, I am pleasantly surprised."

Than sat down opposite his new supreme ruler, eyes ever attentive. "Your military assets are considerably more solid than I had hypothesized." He set his cup down carefully, warm eyes looking at the Queen over the steaming liquid. "I've toured the orbital shipyards, particularly the vessels produced by Gyndine. I am thoroughly impressed, and I do not say that often."

"I still have my doubts, of course. Particularly about a lack of manpower."

Perhaps he was still a little new to the navy to be issuing complaints to the Queen herself, but Than found written statements to be completely ineffectual. "General Santiago mentioned during my orientation that he was... less then optimistic about the amount of ground forces the Systems Alliance has on active duty. I was also told my bridge would consist of only thirteen officers until more could be found." Than's creasing forehead and worried smile were warm, and brought to mind the image of an old, yet authoritative grandfather.

"Thoughts?"

- [member="Lady Kay"] -​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smiled as [member="Than Balthor"] had expressed that he was pleasantly surprised with what he had seen of her forces thus far. There hadn't been much praise given to her on that end. But then again, she didn't deal with them all that much. The last military endeavor was before the fall of the Republic, when everyone was evacuated to the safety of the tunnels when the Mandalorians were attacking the nearby worlds in the system. Their efforts were successful, but perhaps tgat was just due to them not being under attack.

Her smile faded however as he pointed out their flaws. Constructive criticism was welcomed however, so she did her best to not make it personal. "My thoughts are that you are correct. Our numbers are small. It is one reason why we cannot afford to travel the Galaxy to fight in the wars of other governments. The Commenori need to stay home to protect it. With each new world that flies our banner, we gain more soldiers to fight. I could always ask the Empire for more clones..." Though she wondered at what cost that would be. They don't ask her for credits. Only favours.

She sipped her tea. "We could also commission for more droids to be built. That could help somewhat too."

 

[Dravis Rosilla]

Than took the cup back into his grip, warming his hands with it. His face became neutral as he watched the Queen, sitting at attention. Her points certainly made sense, in both a tactical and political climate. They had the backing to be a intergalactic powerhouse, but lacked men. Perhaps that was why they were hiring officers in the first place. At the concept of going to the Empire for clones, however, Balthor couldn't help but interject.

"Asking the Galactic Empire for aid may not be the wisest move at this time," he stated, matter-of-factly. "In their current predicament, they wouldn't be inclined to help a neutral faction such as Commenor. They might grant your request, but ask for our military assistance in return." Than shook his head, some humor returning to him.

"I've heard talk. The people are calling it 'the Great Galactic War'. A flashy title, I will give them that." The admiral tilted his head in Kay's direction. "But I assume it's something you wouldn't want to plunge the Systems Alliance into."

"Droids would be... more favorable, yet non-optimal." Than crinkled his nose. "I do not enjoy working with them, but I would make due, should you command it." He didn't have good experiences with droids in the Galactic Republic. They had their place on the bridge, no doubt, but as assistants and statisticians, not commanders and operators.

He wouldn't let his personal biases get in the way of doing his job, however factual they may be.

"Speaking of officers, I held a meeting with some of mine yesterday. I believe their names were... Isoph and Fran. Even though they had never met you, they seemed quite enamored with you." Another warm smile. "Of course, they are also young. Idealist." He chuckled. "Room for improvement, but they will improve."

"They remind me of my time in the Republic. We were all young idealists back then." Than punctuated his joke with a sharp laugh.

​

- [member="Lady Kay"] -​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded a little. [member="Than Balthor"] was probably right. The Empire would want military assistance, just like most others had asked. But she had refused them for their numbers were too small and picking a side would jepordize their numerous trade routes.

She smirked as he mentioned the Great Galactic War and then rolled her eyes. "Flashy title, all propoganda by the military industrial complex. Who is it great for? Only them. Surely not the Galaxy. Death and needless destruction are never a great thing or even a good thing. So no. I wouldn't want us to be dragged into it. We are a safe haven for those wanting to escape it."

Kay sipped her tea, taking note of his thoughts on droids. She understood that some felt that way. Most of the droids that she had been around were great leaders like Ultimatum. But not all droids were like that. Some didn't have much intelligence at all.

Kay smirked at his joke and for him poking a bit of fun at her. She was rather used to that with some of her staff. Honestly she'd rather deal with someone like Than than someone like Santiago. At least than liked to carry a conversation. "Things were simpler back then. Much simpler..." She had far less responsibilities and certainly didn't rule over anyone. To have such simplicity again was a pipe dream at best. So she made due with what she had. She owed it to everyone that served her and came to her for protection. It was her pennance for her secrets.

 

[Dravis Rosilla]

"Perhaps some competent officers will flee into our navy," Than said, letting his good humor show. "That would truly be great."

Than knew of Kay's time as Senator in the Galactic Republic, although of what planet, he couldn't hope to remember. He remembered her resignation, but could not find the reason. The whole ordeal was somewhat mysterious. Perhaps she had seen the failure of the Republic's ways before anyone else, and decided it would be best to jump ship before it dragged her into it's depths.

Whatever the reason, Than was glad for it. The Commenor Systems Alliance, and this second chance Than had, wouldn't have been possible without her.

"Everything was more clear with the Republic. The enemy was apparent, at every turn. Whatever perils I put my crew through, I was confident we were doing it for the sake of the galaxy."

"But now... You know the saying. Some nonsense about politics and bedfellows." Than thought about taking a sip of his drink, ultimately deciding against it. "Lines have been smudged. It's a new experience."

- [member="Lady Kay"] -​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay laughed a little at [member="Than Balthor"] 's remark on soldiers fleeing to them. Wouldn't that be nice? It was an absurd notion and she got the joke, yet she understood the truth in it as well. They were lacking manpower in both the military and navy. She didn't want to issue a draft as there didn't need to be one, but she needed to do something. There had to be some kind of incentive to get men and woman to join.

It'll take a bit of time, but she was sure that she'd think of something.

Kay sipped her tea, knowing full well of what Than had meant. "Yes, the lines are blurred. So much so that it's hard to tell who is right and who is wrong. Overall it was sort of easy to pick out the better side, yet both were guilty of evils much like the enemies that they fought. So it's better just to take it on a conflict by conflict basis, or not at all." Mostly it was the latter. They just didn't have the numbers to spare.

 

[Dravis Rosilla]

"Speaking of evils..." Than busied himself with his new uniform, making sure his admiral badge was straight, and readjusting the vibroblade at his side for the sake of comfort. He'd been surprised they let him keep it at all. It was a comfort afforded to him, his own reminder of the Republic he kept with him. It was more than a weapon to Admiral Balthor. It was a symbol, a companion he'd kept with him after all his years.

It also carried old grudges.

"I couldn't help but notice that Commenor accepts practitioners of the Sith religion in their ranks." Warm eyes stared into the distance, hidden memories playing in his head. "I understand this is not the norm, but it is still troubling to me."

"I battled the One Sith Empire for years, testing my mettle against theirs. You must understand that I feel... troubled, accepting them as brothers and sisters in arms." Than, for the first time in their meeting, decided to deviate from purely military queries.

"Perhaps you know something I do not, but I find it difficult to trust former mortal enemies."

- [member="Lady Kay"] -​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow as [member="Than Balthor"] paused to fidget with his uniform. From his first few words, she knew where he was going in the conversation. This wasn't the first time that someone has brought the topic up.

He wasn't being accusitory with his questions and statements. Instead he seemed both conscerned and curious about it. No doubt it wasn't something that he was going to blackmail her into stepping away from this position. Than seemed to want to merely understand her reasonings.

"You're not the first to bring this up and I'm glad that you trust me enough to be open. But the Sith in my employ have proven themselves to be loyal to me. They follow my orders, follow our laws and in a sense behave themselves. So long as they adhere to that, then they can stay." She tilted her head to the side a bit. "Not all Sith are evil beings. They may...act on anger, but they are no more aggressive than some of the Jedi. There are plenty of non-Force Sensitives that have done much worse than them. You see, Admiral, I don't think that it's fair to paint people with the same brush. If we deal with them individually, then there's a far better outcome that can be reached. I've found that some people react well to the personal attention. And it's a good way to save lives."

 

[Dravis Rosilla]

Trust.

It was a delicate word, so often forged and broken between kings and kingdoms. It was a promise, but also a liability. Trust in ones own abilities, trust in one's superiors, trust in one's inferiors, they all seemed to break and remake themselves constantly. Than was aware of the fragility of trust.

Thus, to spite himself, he put all of his faith in trust.

He had always felt that if one couldn't trust their own commanding officer to make the right decisions, they might as well not fight. Even if they were not perfect, Than had to trust they had a bigger picture. While Admiral Balthor would have been content with never posing the question in the first place, he needed a peek into the bigger picture.

He didn't trust Kay yet, but at least he was trying.

"Perhaps. No matter what brush I use, however, I find the paint itself is all too similar." He sighed, resigned. He didn't want to argue with the Queen. That would build up no rapport between them. "I will try to be open-minded."

"Thank you for your answer. It was enlightening."

Did Than trust Kay?

No. Not yet, at least.

- [member="Lady Kay"] -

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded. She understood [member="Than Balthor"] 's position on it more than he realized. Regardless of her secret, she had been painted with certain brushes and certain paints. She was afterall, a politician first and foremost.

"If there are any issues, if you see anything that gives you a cause for concern, then please contact me."

She sipped her tea, wondering just how much she should reveal. He knew of a part of her past, yet not all. She knew just as little about him. That could change in time, but not just yet. "I know full well of what it's like to have people see you for what you are instead of who you are. Most people don't like politicians. They always deem every one of them as selfish, conniving, backstabbing cutthroats. There is hardly a time when we are ever favoured in a good light. It's something that I've had to live with over many years. Becoming a Queen, creating the Systems Alliance, all of that did nothing to change it. Good deeds by a few do little to remove the tarnish of what they are. It is only the bad ones that hold the reputations of others of their kind in their grasp." She paused for a moment, reflecting on the variety of people in her employ. "I'm a misfit, an underdog, and always will be. I tend to attract others to me that fall in that category too and raise them into something even better to give them purpose and direction. In a sense it gives me a purpose and direction as well. And at least then, my voice will be heard."

Just as in the Senate for the Republic, her voice is hardly ever heard by the powerful governments in the Galaxy. And to think that a few had wanted her to run as Supreme Chancellor? That was surely laughable. At least here she has support and people that actually listen.