The Tyrant's Tyrant

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

That made her stop. Made her stop and smile in that delightfully evil way that only a child up to the most ultimate of mischiefs could smile. With her back still to Mr. Tyree, he couldn't see the look on her face, which was a very very very good thing.

And an instant later, that devil's grin vanished to be replaced by an expression of complete seriousness.

Slowly, the girl turned around to face her babysitter.

"I can."

She looked Mr. Tyree dead in the eye.

"The first thing Dama taught me was how to read minds."

[Vansen Tyree]

Had it been her mother, Vansen would have dismissed the statement instantly as a bluff. It was the kind of thing that she hurled his way to knock him off balance when he was holding a report that she really, really didn't want to deal with during their daily sabaac briefings, and wanted him to fold.

Unfortunately it wasn't his mother, and the unexpected new source of assault caught him completely off-guard. Instantly, his mind began racing through an emergency list of things he most definately should not think about; and of course, the attempt not to think about them pushed them to the forefront of his consciousness. All his dirty, naked secrets danced provocatively in front of his mind's eye.

One dancer in particular managed to give his scowling features a decidedly pink hue.

Vansen suddenly burst back into motion, bustling forwards as quickly as he could while still looking vaguely casual. "Come on," he muttered, as he overtook his young charge. "You must be hungry."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Watching him from over the tops of her eyes (she'd seen Dama give her Dad that look plenty of times whenever he'd done something she didn't particularly like), Teagan stared at Mr. Tyree like an interrogator. Her blue gaze was overshadowed by a knit brow, another expressional addition that she'd learned from her father. The mixture of both of her parents' disapproving looks painted the girl's young face in an unnerving light.

She stared up at Mr. Tyree, watching as he passed by her.

She'd made him nervous. It was one of those things a child could tell. Like a knifer shark that could detect blood in the water, Teagan could smell his unease.

She went in for the kill.

"And you must have done something bad for your face to change color like that."

[Vansen Tyree]

This was no ordinary child. In fact, this was no child at all.

In that realisation came his salvation. He had spent too much time concerning himself with how to appease and placate his infant charge that he had overlooked the fact that she was the spawn of s'Ilancy: a miniature clone of the relentlessly infuriating and often vicious bane of his middle-aged existance. She was not a child in need of his protection and supervision: she was an enemy, a prisoner of war; a defeated foe from years ago who had rallied one last-ditch round of reinforcements.

This wasn't babysitting: this was war. And if she was as much like her mother as she seemed, he knew from past experience exactly how to win.

He surrendered. His shoulders slumped, and air hissed from his lungs in a protracted sigh. "Alright, young lady." He over-laboured the frustration and resignation in his tone, making sure it's point was clearly conveyed. "You win."

He glanced at the chrono on his wrist; the neccessary mental calculations took a little longer than they would have done in his youth, but he deciphered the information he needed. "I have eleven minutes before I need to go to the bridge. Between the time we arrive at the mess hall and the time we have to leave, I will tell you everything you want to know. The sooner we get there, the more you get to ask."

"Deal?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The gleam of triumph glittered in her eyes, and Teagan looked up at Mr. Tyree with a victorious smirk.

"Deal."

All things considered, it was a very good deal that he'd offered, and the girl wasn't about to pass up such a golden opportunity to gather information. Wyl had once told her that the more information you had, the better the position you were in no matter what. And, Teagan being Teagan, had decided to take those sage words a step further. The more information she could get on, say, her mother, the more she could put up a resistance to those bothersome things like haircuts, chores, and baths. If she could somehow get her hands on anything that Dama didn't want anyone to know, she had a naggling suspicion that an old friend like Mr. Tyree would be the one to inadvertently give her that information.

Falling back into step with him, Teagan started off without pause, firing her first question before he could change his mind.

"How'd you and Dama meet?"

[Vansen Tyree]

Being the age that he was, Vansen's mind was far from perfect. He clung on to everything essential - like tactical reports and important strategic information - but names, birthdays, and trivial memories often fell by the wayside.

There were some things that he couldn't forget though, even if he wanted to. Among those was his first encounter with a much younger, even less tolerable version of Loklorien s'Ilancy.

"Have you met Carré Inirial from Rogue Squadron?" the Commodore asked, both because it was passably relevant, and because all the extra trivial padding that he could lay upon his story would fill the time without him having to give too much away.

"Back during the Clone Wars, I served as her father's XO. Our ship was what we'd call a Victory I Star Destroyer nowadays, but back then they were just Victor-class Cruisers. Our ship was pretty much brand new: we'd just come off the back of a string of victories against the Bulwark Fleet, and the Republic had us off patrolling the Outer Rim. Mace Windu was one of the top Jedi Generals leading the war, and he decided to inflict his apprentice - your mother - upon us, in the hopes that she'd learn something about space combat."

He trailed off, his voice laced with whist and a dash of residual bitterness that still lingered with the memories. He shook his head a little, and sighed. "Unfortunately your mother wasn't too keen on the 'learning' part, especially not from the likes of me... spent most of the first few weeks sat spewing out her insides from the back seat of my starfighter."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She'd never heard of the lady he spoke of, and so simply shook her head as he went on with his story. She almost asked what an EX-O was, since it was a word that she'd never heard before, but thought the better of interrupting him. She'd done that too many times to her Dad once, and almost didn't get to hear the story about Dama's eye. The girl didn't want to gamble with the possibility that Mr. Tyree might do the same, especially since he'd already agreed to answer any and all of her questions.

When he got to the part about Dama throwing up, it caused Teagan to nod her head in understanding.

"Dama hates flying, especially in small ships," she gave a little shrug, "... I don't know why though, it looks like fun to me."

[Vansen Tyree]

"I didn't cause your mother's aversion to flying," Vansen said, struggling to keep a rare smile off his face. "But I did make it a lot worse."

He let out a chuckle at that - a sound almost completely unheard for decades. "I was a lot younger back then, and your mother and I didn't get on at all. She did everything she could to get under my skin; and I did the same."

"I took her out flying in a snubfighter once," he continued, glancing at Tak with a mischevious grin in his good eye. "I may have -" His head ducked from side to side briefly as he searched for an appropriate euphamism. "- 'adjusted' the inertial compensators, and got a little carried away with some high-velocity manoeuvres."

He stared off whistfully into the distance. "Y-Wings were painted yellow back then. Your mother managed to make the inside of the gun turret the same colour."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Teagan made a face at that, scrunching up her nose at the thought of her mother throwing up in a space fighter.

"Well, I know I wouldn't throw up if I was in a small spaceship. My Dad says I have his stomach."

The girl gave a little shrug.

"I bet your stomach is made out of durasteel too," she mused.

[Vansen Tyree]

"I wouldn't go quite that far," Vansen countered with a small chuckle.

He fell silent for a moment, his mind whistfully reminiscing over the career that seemed like a lifetime ago. He'd long since moved beyond it now, and he was decades too old to go tearing through space in a snubfighter anymore, but back in those days flying had not just been a job; not even an addiction; it was a vital bodily function, and one that he had sadly learned to live without.

Suddenly he stopped, his eye growing wider with inspiration.

"Come on," he said, bursting back into motion again, his pace several notches faster than before. "I have an idea, but we'll need to get there fast."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

This sudden burst of energy was surprising, and Teagan , having stopped herself when he did, sprang back into motion. Her legs moved at a pace at least three times as fast as Mr. Tyree's, his longer stride propelling him forward with a lot more ease than her own.

Involuntary habits suddenly kicked in, and the girl quickly reached out to grab his hand, holding tightly to it in case he decided to walk faster and she couldn't keep up. At least this way if she fell behind, he'd have to drag her along. Of course, that was if she fell behind. The little Lupine was doggedly determined to keep up with her babysitter; it was just a good idea to have the extra insurance of holding his hand.

"What idea do you have? Where are we going?"

A thought sprang into her mind, and the girl's mouth opened wide in the first stages of speculative shock, her voice coming out in an excited whisper.

"Are you gonna let me fly a spaceship?!"

Oh man, Wyl would be so jealous if that was what Mr. Tyree was gonna let her do.

[Vansen Tyree]

Vansen strode onwards without a word, saying nothing all the way down the last few corridors to the comissary, an excited Teagan scampering along in tow. He said nothing as he marched between the clusters of tables towards those unofficially reserved for the Air Wing.

He said nothing as he came to a halt right beside the man he was looking for, and an unexpected bonus. It wasn't until after a handful of surprised exclamations of his rank had tumbled in his direction that he spoke at all.

"At ease, gentleman," he assured, ushering Tak forward to stand beside him.

"Teagan s'Ilancy," he introduced, "This is Jaden Luka and Jamo Jakatta. They're both X-Wing pilots with Rogue Squadron; and Captain Luka is my senior training officer."

He placed a hand firmly on each of Tak's soldiers. "Miss s'Ilancy here would very much like to volunteer for basic flight training, Captain. Do you think we might find a way to accomodate an extra new pilot?"

[Jaden Luka]

After a private glance of mild confusion was exchanged between Jamo and Jaden, followed by a chorus of shrugs, the Captain adjusted his features into an exaggerated frown.

"I'm not sure, sir," he said carefully, a hand rubbing at his chin. "The most recent batch of nuggets is already a good few weeks into basic, and we aren't scheduled to take on any new recruits any time soon."

He dragged out a protracted silence, grimacing at the thought. "I suppose we could arrange for a few private lessons to help her catch up with the rest of the group -"

He turned his attention directly to Teagan. "- but you'll have to put in a lot of effort and cockpit hours. It'll be hard work, and there won't be any time for screwing around."

He hesitated, glancing briefly at Joker. "Well, not as much time for screwing around as there would be normally, anyway."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Oh man. Oh maaan. Oh man oh man oh man.

With her heart suddenly thumping in her chest as she looked up at the two pilots, Teagan bit her lip to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Pain convinced her, and she looked from Mr. Luka back up over her shoulder to Mr. Tyree.

"Really??!!" she managed to squeak out.

"For real?!"

[Vansen Tyree]

Vansen battled hard against the urge to smile; he wasn't quite ready to surrender Teagan's first impressions of him just yet. Even so, he offered her shoulder a little squeeze.

"This isn't a game, Teagan," he warned gently. "I need you to behave."

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze falling back on the two Rogues. "You as well," he added, with a more serious edge in his tone. The warning was for their sakes as well as for his: he knew full-well the kind of hell they'd suffer at the hands of Loklorien if anything were to happen to her little girl.

"Now if you'll excuse me -"

Vansen glanced unnecessarily at the chrono on his wrist. "I'm due on the bridge."

His stance smartened slightly, and curt nods were tossed in the direction of Jaden and Jamo. "Captain. Lieutenant."

He turned to Teagan last. "Dinner is at 1900, Recruit s'Ilancy," he added, the words sounding peculiar in his all-business tone. "I expect you to be on time."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Looking up briefly at Mr. Tyree as he spoke, Teagan only held eye contact for long enough to nod hastily.

"I know, I know," her tone one of a child exasperated at the unnecessarily serious tone that adults always thought they needed to take.

She turned away to hide rolling her eyes at his sombre manner.

"I'll be on time, don't worry Mr. Tyree."

[Vansen Tyree]

"Well, then -"

While only ten minutes ago he would have taken just about any opportunity to escape his babysitting responsibilities, a small part of Vansen felt strangely dejected by Teagan seeming so utterly indifferent to his departure.

He thought about frowning, before realising that he already was; his unfriendly face had apparently activated of it's own volition, no doubt in preparation for his impending duties on the bridge. He hesitated for a moment longer, wondering what a responsible adult caring for a child would do in that situation. Fortunately, his clever ruse had changed the situation; all he needed to be right now was a Commodore, and fortunately that came oh so naturally.

"Carry on, Recruit," he said gruffly, with a quick nod of his head; and without another word strode - or the closest approximation that a man of his age could muster - back out into the ship's maze of corridors.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The girl waited until she could no longer hear Mr. Tyree's footsteps, and the moment he was out of her earshot, Teagan looked up too the two pilots with not only a cautionary expression, but a tone to match.

"My Dama can't know about this at all," she started, "... and neither can my Dad."

She wagged a finger at the both of them.

"Cause if either of them find out, I'll be grounded and you guys will prolly be given bathroom duty for the rest of your lives."

[Jamo Jakatta]

Jamo watched the Commodore walk away. He waited a beat, expecting to see the old man's ugly face reappear, stretched into a shit-eating grin. This was their special assignment? This was how the Commodore made use of two of his best pilots? It had to be some kind of practical joke.

“Uh..”

It wasn't often that someone left Joker speechless, but Tyree had managed it. He arched an eyebrow at the girl, a bemused smile tugging at his lips when she shook a finger at them. There were plenty of questions he could have fired at Jaden at that moment, but from a practical standpoint, only one seemed worth asking.

“Do we even have any.. Ewok-sized flight-suits?”

[Jaden Luka]

Jaden grinned. With so much paperwork and grounded time filling up his days lately, there was only so much that could be described as being even passably entertaining. Unfortunately for Jamo, hazing his fellow pilots was one of those skant few things.

He clapped a hand hard against Joker's back. "Yub-yub, L.T," he replied with a chuckle. "I'm sure we'll find something that'll fit."

His smile fading into something a little more reassuring, he turned his attention to Tak. "And don't worry, kid. I get the impression that the Commodore doesn't want her knowing either. And if there's something the Commodore wants to keep secret, not even the finest Bothan codebreakers have a chance in hell of finding out."

He stretched, trying to keep his movements casual; but frankly the prospect of getting back into a cockpit - no matter what the mission - filled him with fidgets. And the fact that he'd managed to drag Joker into it as well; that was just plain delicious.

"All right then," he announced, sliding back in his chair and climbing to his feet. "Lets get ourselves down to Requisitions, and then find us a simulator."