Private Whispers and Schemes in the Machine (Tranquility)

[Charles Castex]

U N I O N​

Location: Schesa , HQ for ISB

Tags: Tranquility

Dress: Long Black Version of his uniform, with a matching robe going around it… White flowers decorating it.

Gear: -Personal Surgical Tools

-Razor Finger Nails Equipped

-Sith Holocron hanging around his neck

-Lightsaber hidden discreetly at his side…

If it wasn’t one thing then it was another, but at least this time it was something much more pleasant... well somewhat… because he knew that Tranquility was not calling him to this meeting just to have a friendly chat. She had made it very clear in the short message he got that this was to be about what had happened on Ilum and that he could consider it a ‘disciplinary hearing’ on her part. So unlike his Master whom he had met with to continue his training, the AI was meeting with him to ‘punish him’ in some form or another even if it was just a slap on the wrist. To be honest the biggest punishment had already been inflicted in that this effectively canceled the last of his time he could spend with Mir while on the planet. He would have to return to the Fourth Fleet afterward and get it ready for its next mission. Sighing softly the male shook his head as despite this he couldn’t remain angry… that was just one of those thing about his relationship with the AI… he could never remain angry with her.

Unlike his normal habits, Charles decided this time to simply walk to the HQ for ISB. He knew the way and anytime he was stopped by the guards he simply showed his clearance pass that had been arranged and he kept moving. Keeping to the shadows, and using the back entrances that they had for those who were trying to keep undercover. Such as Tranquilities various agents… and Charles only knew about this because in a way his job did require a certain amount of subtly. Wearing two faces at once as he liked to think of it and it was Tranquility who helped him improve at doing this every single day. There was a lot that she helped him improve at every single day, and to be honest he was sure that his time in the Union would be a lot harder without the AI there to hold his hand or refocus his mind whenever he needed her to do so.

One thing confused him though was the fact that the AI chose to have this meeting in such an out of the way location. Surely she had an office set up that projected her hologram and made everything look official? Also the delivery of the message was rather encrypted and vague… maybe Tranquility was trying to help him save face? Well he would find out whenever he got there exactly what she wanted from him… so as he appeared in front of the door the male waved his hand over the thing to enter and what he found himself in… was the equivalent of a droid storage compartment… well with a place for organics like himself to sit. That was when he realized why she used a place like this, it was small and efficient for her needs, but as he looked around he wasn’t able to find any noticeable cameras. That didn’t mean that there were not any, but it was simply that this place could make a person uncomfortable if they felt cramped and at ease because they wouldn’t feel like they were being watched. As for Charles given his height it was the latter, ”Captain Charles reporting as ordered Director Tranquility… I hope that I am not late for your summons.”

Whenever she gave him leave he would sit down where he was allowed to do so… though he had to admit that he felt rather cramped, but the chance to spend some time with the AI was worth it. Hopefully they could pick up their conversation were they had last left off, but he doubted that… and so he remained quit to see what she was going to say.

 

[Tranquility]

Tranquility watched Charles make his way to her building and through it. She didn't have an office like the other heads of the ZU. She didn't need one, she was the building, her computing was all over the galaxy and this was just the hq of her intelligence agency, well at least the front hq. She tried to insist on not having a building but lost that argument. She observed him as he made his way and pondered what to do to him. He wasn't directly under her so she had to be careful but he had damaged her droid unit in his anger. It was not acceptable. She knew that he cared for Mir but he had to keep his feelings in check.

When she finally saw he arrived in her closet, she let one of the mainframes open to another room. Her voice echoing from the walls. "Please proceed into the room, its more appropriate for meetings." She took control of one of the droids, An human replica droid that matched her usual holo projection. Tranquility smirked as the walls in this side room lit up. Revealing that they were actually giant screens. On them were countless camera footage of Mir's current location. The girl herself, the facility the outside. It was all there. "You see I am always watching her. This is just a tiny portion of the data that goes through the ISB at any given moment. I am perfectly capable of keeping a little girl under my eyes. So the question is what gave you a right to harm my unit in the middle of an active operation?"

If it was someone else, she would of already punished him. However this, reporting here instead of getting to spend time with Mir was its own punishment. She would come up with something. Charles was a pet project of hers. She knew that there was something affecting the man. Hopefully she could help cure him. That was the goal anyways, and knew that Mir was part of that cure. She gave a stern stare at Charles, letting him squirm a little.

Charles Castex

 

[Charles Castex]

U N I O N​

Location: Schesa , HQ for ISB

Tags: Tranquility

Dress: Long Black Version of his uniform, with a matching robe going around it… White flowers decorating it.

Gear: -Personal Surgical Tools

-Razor Finger Nails Equipped

-Sith Holocron hanging around his neck

-Lightsabers hidden discreetly at his side…


”Yes my lady Tranquility…” Charles used the title ‘my lady’… normally reserved for Mir, he hoped that it would show that he understood the gravity of the situation and his actions. Normally he would have found a spot to sit down, but instead he choose to remain at parade rest once far enough into a room that he didn’t recognize. The Sith’s eyes only slightly turned to look in the direction of the droid that the AI picked out for the meeting… a well-placed tactical move on her part to choose one that looked like her holographic form. He had no clue if it had been on purpose or not, but it did manage to throw him off balance, if only that it made him more malleable to anything that she said… that was until she revealed to him just how much she had been watching his dear Mir… more than a mere droid… more than he had dreamed,

”Mir… my sweet dear… you poor girl… like a rat caught in a maze and you don’t even have a clue...” As he said this Charles seemed to tune out Tranquility, a similar effect like on Ilum, but much more benign. The male slipped off his mask and tucked it into his cloak as he walked to the nearest screen and reached up to run his fingers over the image of the girl’s cheek. Muttering to himself out loud things he would probably never have said in front of anyone else, ”Just what is to be your fate? No… you won’t have to worry… it won’t be like mine… you can just remain happy.” Then as he turned around, the AI would see something traveling down Charles cheek that she had never seen, even at Ilum as wounded as he had been. A single tear rolled over that pale skin, sliding down to his chin, were it was caught by a single curious finger, sighing softly he looked at the AI and commented plainly, ”I thought my ducts had run dry of those years ago Tranquility. Thank you for showing me that someone else in galaxy cares for this child as much as I do.”

He realized that he had been dodging his way around the real reason for his summon. It was not a social call, he was here to be reprimanded by Tranquility. He began to wonder if showing him pictures of Mir and reminding him of his separation from her was part of that punishment. The Sith found it hard to drop his voice that low and cold tone he normally used, given the body the AI had chosen, and his fondness to for her… so he tried to speak plainly, ”Nothing did Director. Absolutely nothing and all I can do is explain my action is by saying that at the time I was in a panicked state of worry. Combined with the rage I used to channel my abilities while reaching Mir as quickly as possible it all carried over into a moment where I acted inappropriately. Normally I do have a tighter control on myself, but I didn’t know she was so closely watch, or maybe it is better to say that I over worried.” Scratching the back of his head, Charles walked over and sat down cross legged in front of the screens, but turned to face the droid body that the AI was using,

”It was just so sudden to have her appear on that harsh icy planet like that, and to feel helpless… until I could reach her side I felt helpless. I guess I just needed someone to blame, and for that I am sorry I chose you. Tranquility you have done everything to help me, and yet… I turned my anger on the one of the few people who cares… what if one day something happens and…” Oh she knew the end of that sentence, but it was doubtful that Charles would do something like that. Still she had the gears turning in his head which over all was probably the best way to keep this from happening again. As he sat there Tranquility would notice Charles was carrying an object she didn’t normally see him with, a holocron with a black covering, over a red crystal… glowing softly in the light of the room. Normally he wouldn’t have it with him, but given he had gone to see his Master recently. Charles felt that keeping it around was appropriate until he returned to the fleet.

 

[Tranquility]

Tranquility attempted to pat Charles on the back. "I don't mean to offend you Charles but I can tell that something happened to you when you were younger. I don't know what or how but somehow you broke. I focus so much energy on you because I think your worth fixing. A valuable asset and a powerful ally. I Hope you don't take this badly. I just want you to understand that doing what you did to me is not acceptable. There are appropriate targets for your rage, your superiors and own men are not them. You need to work on handling your rage. I understand that it is powerful to you. That it is part of the force that you practice. But keep it unchecked and you will end up on the wrong side of things. You will lose it at some moment where it will cause your end. I know it is easy for me an A.I to say this. I don't have human emotions in the same way you do. While I can feel I can turn it off or ignore them with the flick of a program change. Mir is important, the most promising subject of an important research. I work to keep all things important to the Union safe, even if that involves keeping it safe from the union. " Tranquility looked at the man hoping this went well. It was a gamble saying this to Charles but she valued him and wanted to forge him into a powerful and useful member of the Union. He was an important member of the Navy. He also helped her learn what was going on in the world. The access he gave her to the galaxy was valuable letting her host on his ship and everything.

Charles Castex