Capitalism Is Fun (Tegaea)

[Anya Venari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
The Queen was waiting for them in the throne room with just an aide and a single Angelii in residence. That Angelii in turn departed and secured the doors, leaving just the four of them.
"This is Traena, my PA. We can discuss any matters in front of her. She has taken a solemn oath of service to me." The Queen looked at them sternly. "Which doesn't mean what you think it does, Siobhan!"
"Before you begin, I have two things to announce to you. The first...well..." she blushed. "I'm pregnant! It's going well, the doctors say, a little girl." She touched her stomach fondly. "Still a long way to go, but it's good. My family was rapidly running out of members," she said with a sigh.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Anya Venari"]

Siobhan looked a bit surprised and dumbfounded, once again proving that she had not gotten where she was for her brains and that she was not the sharpest lightsabre in Firemane. Well, strictly speaking there was only one other lightsabre-wielder in Firemane and she was no genius either, but she was not 'vice president'!

Getting positions she had never earned was a bit of a tradition when it came to Siobhan. Fortunately, in her present one she did not really get to decide anything as far as administration and company policy were concerned. The title merely sounded important enough to keep her from moping about not being 'appreciated'. She already whined enough about people not remembering her as Exarch, which was ironic considering how mopey she had been when Tegaea told her she'd been elected and how incompetent she had been as a ruler, whose sole accomplishment had been crushing the Bando Gora...at a very high cost.

So it took her a bit to put two and two together - and have four come out, instead of five. As for the royal family running out of members, Siobhan had sort of helped in that department by beheading Nalia, though to be fair that had been necessary to win the game of thrones, and then completely failing at her job to keep Silaqui safe during the coup. "You're pregnant? Well, uh, congrats! I'm sure you'll have a lovely daughter, just like her mother." That was what you were supposed to say, right? Shiny and happy!

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Anya smiled slightly at Siobhan’s confusion. Perhaps her friend had forgotten that it was actually possible for women to get pregnant, though to be fair the general Eldorai attitude to males didn’t help in this regard.

“I’m sure she will be, Siobhan, thank you.”
“And my congratulations too, Anya. I’m very pleased for both of you,” Tegaea said.
“Thank you, my friends. Now, what brings you here? You said you had something to discuss with me.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Anya Venari"]

Siobhan was pretty dense but she knew where babies came from. Admittedly that did not change the fact that she was probably quite dim. For her part she...really did not want children and was happy that her fade to black scenes did not require dice rolling, but she was happy for Anya. Regardless, on to the presentation. Anya had actually said that she had two things to announce before she wanted to hear what they had to say, but maybe she wanted to make things dramatic...and keep Siobhan guessing. After all, the Queen was a merciless troll.

"Yes, we wanted to discuss an idea we had to build a orbital station for Kaeshana, in geo-sync above Santaissa. Both for protection and as a basis to build shipyards around it. It would be useful in the case of defence and for berthing warships around it now that the Eldorai are getting an independent naval capacity. We wanted to call it the Tirathana."

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Anya frowned. “Oh, Siobhan, your flattery is noted. You must think my name is just right to describe a large and dangerous blob,” she said, touching her stomach again. Then she laughed, trolling over for now. “Sounds great! What do you need from me? Except money of course. Do you have plans already?”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Anya Venari"]

"You know you're still my favourite space elf!" Siobhan quipped. Did they have plans? Well, this writer is presuming something had been worked out in the interim between the meeting and getting an appointment with the palace so Siobhan passed a datapad over. Fortunately this writer is not the one who will actually design the station.

"Preliminary details for the station have been worked out. As for what we require, money and official sanction since it'll be above your capital. Don't want anyone to get funny ideas about what humans are building in orbit. I imagine the Eldorai would like their share of people amongst the crew and officers manning the station. We have the engineers needed to get to work once it's approved."

In order to make sure that no one got any funny ideas about those dastardly human monkeighs building a battle station with a super laser of doom to threaten Santaissa and force an unequal treaty upon its Queen. Eldorai naval crews were still quite inexperienced, many of their engagements having been recent and against corsairs, but slowly but surely self-strengthening was having an effect, though Firemane advisers had important positions, especially in their nascent fleet.

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Anya seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she just smiled again in her trollish way. “You mean you’re not seeking to overthrow the eternal order and impose your foreign concepts of justice, equality and progress on us?” she asked with mock indignation.
Her aide sniggered a little. Clearly she was of the same mind as her Mistress towards the old guard.

“Very well. Lay out how much money you will need and I will do what I can to provide it. Will it be visible from the ground? The last thing I want is people complaining about it blotting out the sky as a constant festering boil of foreign oppression. Or because my ministers seem to assume everyone thinks that and is just trying to influence me. I blame you, Siobhan, you made it sound like being Queen would be all reclining on couches and eating grapes,” she said, pouting.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Anya Venari"]

"Sometimes I eat berries and have fun in whirlpools. And actually my diabolical plan was more like along the lines of overthrowing all your progressive ideals and proclaiming myself a goddess, for mine is the power, the kingdom and the glory." she said with a completely straight face, before gazing over slightly to Tegaea. "You'd be one as well, of course." It perhaps said quite a bit that even arrogant force god Siobhan was still subservient to the redhead whose superpower was using her brain and being good at bossing people around. Strength came in many forms, some more effective than simply beating people with a hammer.

The irony was that Siobhan was a foreigner and yet in a number of things more steeped in the old ways of the Eldorai than Anya, who had been born a princess. But then converts tended to be like that. The only thing she lacked was a fancy title...

"No worries, design is still preliminary, but the sky should be clear and it'll be set up at an appropriate distance in orbit. We'll give you an accounting of the funds we require."

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
“That sounds about right, actually,” Anya said, rolling her eyes. “Well, fortunately that’s not a problem for us because you need to be an Eldorai to be a goddess. Discrimination I know,” she said with a smile.

“Okay, thanks for that. I have a second surprise for you both. I cannot make you a goddess, but I can make you both peers. I would count it a great honour to name you both Countesses of Santaissa. It’s an honorary title as far as that it doesn’t grant any land, but it’s something I can give to you for all your help and it’s something that can be given to outsiders too!”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Anya Venari"]

"You elves are all racist," Siobhan sulked...sulkily. True, she was not an Eldorai, but she had defeated the daughter of their Goddess, in combat. If she could compel the demigoddess to yield to her, then right of conquest demanded she claim the planet and join the pantheon! Yes, the mind of Siobhan Kerrigan was an interesting thing.

However, at the mention of the second surprise she visibly brightened and grinned, looking a bit like a fool probably but she did not care. It was interesting that in the old days Siobhan had often tried to resist promotions, yet now titles as a form of recognition were quite important to her. A psychologist might speculate about the reasons. Despite her considerable ego Siobhan was still quite an insecure person with a strong craving for validation and it showed sometimes.

"That's great. We gladly accept, right, Tegs? Thanks...a lot. It means a great deal. Countess Kerrigan and Countess Alcori has a nice ring to it."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Tegaea…was a good deal less interested in power and worship (except privately) than her wife, so she just sighed. That is until the revelation.

Oddly she seemed a little reluctant. She even looked like she would make an excuse, but she saw it meant a lot to her wife and so she forced a smile. “Of course we accept. Thank you, Anya. Countess, huh? That’s something to add to the CV.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Siobhan looked a little uncertain when she picked up on Tegaea's hesitation. Her look pretty much said 'Did I do something wrong, love?' For a moment she wondered whether she had been too hasty and felt guilty, seeing that it appeared like Tegaea wanted to make an excuse to decline. Uncertainty crossed her features, but then she smiled as Tegaea accepted. She did not quite understand her reluctance, which was very ironic. Doubtless Siobhan would try to talk about it.

"And you've earned it. More than anyone else," she took her wife's hand and gave it a squeeze. "For all the great work you did."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Whatever doubts had made her almost speak up were forgotten, or at least hidden. Tegaea nodded.
“I think it’s well deserved. Thanks again, Anya. So, Lady Countess, shall we proceed back to our humble abode?” she asked, offering her arm.

Anya laughed. “Well now you’re both peers I may call on your services or your help.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"Assuredly, oh, High Queen!" Siobhan said in a mock aristo accent, gladly taking Tegaea's arm and so they walked out.

However, once they had left the royal presence and were headed towards the garage where their speeder was parked, presumably out of earshot, she spoke. "Tegs, about before...is something wrong? I'm sorry...I should've waited and asked you first. I was just...happy," she said awkwardly.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
“It’s not important,” Tegaea said softly. Then, knowing her wife would keep prodding, she shrugged. “I’m just not a big one for royalty and titles. Anya’s fine, but I would never be queen of anywhere. I was Lady Protector, but that was a position I earned, not one I was born to. But I guess it’s not important, it’s not like we’re going to be passing on the title anyway,” she said. She just wasn’t the motherly type.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Once upon a time Siobhan had been a cynical Republican with a preference for Republican Dictatorships, who somehow had a thing for princesses. These days...she did not care that much. Rightly or wrongly she was very disillusioned with the Protectorate and so the system she identified herself with was the Eldorai Matriarchy. Of course, there were strong psychological reasons for her wanting the title. She held the aristos who looked down upon her for being a prole in contempt, yet still had a desire to compensate and show the gutter trash girl had made it.


But there was also another reason. As has been said in the past Siobhan had often tried to turn promotions down. Admittedly there had been reasons for that, but she felt that she had let Tegaea down and could have helped her more. Then there was the fact that it was her fault that Tegaea got tortured to the brink of death and was no longer Lady Protector. Her wife had forgiven her but Siobhan, beneath the facade she put up, could not forgive herself. Tegaea deserved all the honours in the world far as she was concerned. Of course, Siobhan might just be projecting her own desires, born out of insecurity.


"You weren't born to this either...you earned it instead of being born with a golden spoon in your mouth and in silk sheets. You fought your way up from the gutter. I haven't forgotten where we came from. Titles can't express all what you accomplished or do justice to it, but you deserve an award after everything. Don't mind the whole not passing it on thing...I'm not one for kids. Grrbyrr is demanding enough!" she said, trying to end her somewhat awkward explanation on a lighter note. One might add that Siobhan would probably be a poor choice for a mother since she had the emotional maturity of a teenager.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Tegaea clearly still had some reservations, but she concealed them behind a chuckle. “Count Grrbyrr might be worth seeing though!” The thought of little Grrbyrr with a crown on was so absurd, especially when one realised he’d start off by trying to eat it.

“Come on, let’s get back to base. We have to discuss getting that armour and weapon for Eyrecae.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Siobhan sensed her wife was still not convinced, but she kept her quiet and did not pursue things further. She had...some ideas about how to make the night enjoyable for her and show her that she was her queen, crown or no crown. "It would be fething hilarious," Siobhan laughed. While she would dress like one and enjoy the decadence, she would probably never have the manners of an aristocratic lady.

"I'd get him a little crownlet...guess he'd try to eat it though, Would still be funny! Alright, let's go."

So they boarded their speeder, Siobhan opening the door for Tegaea and letting her board first before likewise getting in and taking the controls, and were swiftly back in the air and then at Firemane Headquarters. After all, as fun as having a fancy title was there was still...some actual work involved.