Assimilation (Unna to Demaya)

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

After making the call to bring Demaya out of the Bacta tank early to get The Vengence off of Olivan, Unna held up Demaya as commands were issued to get the ship and the aboard crew offworld. From Demaya's side, Unna had a front seat view of how she lead her crew. Unna actually found Demaya's diplomacy in dealing with the crew inspiring. Before, Demaya had seemed like a hard ass from Unna's point of view, but from Demaya's side, Unna viewed something very different. Unna saw a great leader. After the events took place, Unna would stay by Demaya's side and hold her up for as long as she was needed.

Once having an opportunity to rest and reflect, Unna did something a bit out of character for the reserved and seemingly cold Iktotchi. She approached Demaya as they were about to land on Fray for a one on one chat. Unna would have done so sooner, but it took her the entire trip to get up the nerve to leave her comfort zone, especially since the rest of the party was not aboard the ship with her.

"Demaya," Unna spoke up as she approached, seeming oddly friendly for her poor reputation, "I was hoping we could have a conversation. Privately, if possible."

[Akirapryde]

Demaya, stood on the bridge looked out the large windows of the ship. Stars whipped by causing them to appear as lines woven in a blue mist. She leaned heavily on a nearby railing as she gazed out in to the image of hyperspace that surrounded the ship.

She heard Unna approach and ask to speak. Demaya turned at the surprising change in mannerism of Unna. The change actually threw her off, "yes of course." She said as she scanned the bridge. Most of the crew were tending to the repairs with the ship. "Come," she said and led Unna towards a navigation wing of the bridge. "I had some questions for you also," she said and motioned to the ships log PDA.

Once they were on the navigation wing of the bridge Demaya held up a hand, "before we say anything else I want you to know I have read the reports of what happened to you. They will not get away with that on my ship. I promise you that."

She gave Unna a reassuring nod, "I wanted you to know that. So you first. What do you have on your mind."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"Thank you," Unna replied, as she followed Demaya to the navigation wing. When they arrived, Unna listened to Demaya's assurances that Unna'a assailants would not go unpunished. "Thank you," Unna said once again.

"It seems as if I owe you so much gratitude now, for how you got us off of Olivan, for your assurances, and for your time right now." Unna smiled briefly, but genuinely with appreciation, before returning to her typical expression of Stoicism and moving on to the deeper subject matter she had come to discuss. "The attack weighs heavily upon me. I realize that I am not well liked and I thought I was okay with that. I am aware that I seem unfriendly, because I don't make an effort to form attachments, which there is reason for. However, I did not realize that could ultimately lead to others actually plotting my death. I do not mean to seem like a bitch, as they say. I have tried hard to stay quiet and stay out of the way, other than times when I am doing what I must do."

"From a young age, loss has been a theme in my life. All I have left are Auro and Ashla. I watched as my mother and Godparents were engulfed in flames. I failed to heal my father and watched him parish as well. I saw one of my mentors making a last stand to save me and my cohorts, only shortly after to see all but three had died in our ship when it crashed. Among the dead was the woman who fought so hard for me, to keep me from the shell I reside in today."

Unna paused and came to the realization that this is the first time she spoke of her losses since she and the others were found by the 501st. She looked down at her feet for a few moments, before looking back at Demaya with her lightless gaze. "There hasn't even been time to put much thought into all that has happened, but I find that keeping busy keeps me from looking back and helps me to keep my eyes focused on what is in front of me."

"What I want to know is how I can better assimilate here. I come to you, because I have watched how you inspire your crew and I truly believe that you would know best."

[Akirapryde]

Twice Demaya wanted to interrupt but choose not to. Instead she listened carefully. Everything that Unna said, resonated with her. She could relate to what Unna was saying. Demaya remembered when she first arrived to the Vengeance. Like Unna, Demaya too had lost her parents. Like Unna, it was hard for her to open up to others. And like Unna, Demaya only had one person she could truly open too. She too carried too much emotional baggage when she came aboard. Instead of being considered cold, indifferent, and well, a bitch, Demaya was a bit different. A teenage version of Demaya was that know it all, bossy teenager that seemed to rub everyone the wrong way no matter what she said or did.

Demaya drew in a deep breath before she opened her mouth, "Unna, I am sure that everyone on board has asked that very question at one point with their time here. Even I found myself in your place." She laughed, "I was seen as bossy. A know it all that didn't know it all." Demaya moved back and leaned up against the railing. "Back when I was just a first year Padawan, Master Chun allowed me to sit in on a mission briefing. I watched them lay out their battle plans, and thought I found flaw in it. Master Chun had always encouraged me to speak up, so I spoke up. But I didn't do it the right way. I acted like the spoiled teenager I was."

She laughed again, "Master Chun was so mad at me. He ripped me up one side and down the other for three straight hours. He told me that if I was to ever be seen as their equal or even one day lead the, that I had to learn what kind of lives they live. So he ordered me to hang up my robs and lightsaber. For nearly two years, I trained along side them. Ate with them, worked along side them. I even slept in their quarters. It was hard for me to walk in the shows of someone else."

Demaya turned back to face space passing by, "Unna, its one thing to be on this ship. Its something else to be part of this ship and its family. To know each and every member of the ship's crew, the lives aboard. Not just their personal file. But to really know them." She rested her hand on the large window, "I can feel V's heart beat when I touch her. Even now, I can feel the pain I caused her. Normally there is hum, a vibration that has a rhythm. That rhythm isn't in sync anymore. I know my baby is in pain."

She pulled her hand back from the window and turned to Unna, "you can exist here or you can learn to live here." She said softly, "does that make and sense?"

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"It does make sense," Unna replied, after listening to all Demaya had to say. "I wouldn't have imagined that you were once having trouble assimilating by observing who you are today. Did others on the ship ever plot your demise for being bossy? How did they take it once you had risen through the ranks to become the commander? I can't imagine that being an easy journey for you. It must have been especially difficult to sit among those who saw you in a negative light and make conversations during meal times."

[Akirapryde]

Demaya stood there and listened to the questions and nodded once Unna was done. "Yeah, it was actually really hard for me to go from being a Jedi to a soldier. You can't relay on the force. You have to struggle just like they do," she said motioning over to the soldiers on the bridge. "And before you think that this is something that only happens in the Tenth Division, think again."

She moved and positioned herself via great pains so that she could more easily shift her weight. It was clear that her healing wasn't all the way completed. "In every unit I have come in contact with, I have see it. Either you earn their respect or you don't."

"Mind you, plotting to kill you or what they did to me is rare." On that Demaya stopped and changed her course. "Oh, I thought you would have looked up the history of the Tenth by now. It was Vega Centari, and what a nightmare that was. If you thought Olivan was particularly brutal or hard. That had nothing on Vega Centari. Six months of jungle warfare that could give you nightmares. I know, I still get them from time to time."

"We never really won Vega, fought till the Senate could acquire a settlement that they could live with. The unit was leaving and I had gotten separated due to a last minute skirmish. My Master was told I fell in battle. The unit was forced to depart, and I was left behind on a hostile world."

"A week later My Master returned for me. And fast forward to my first command. I was in charge of Bravo Company. The very same people who left me behind. I don't look at that week like it almost killed me. Which it did. I look at that week like it made me stronger, and a better leader. I actually thanked them for what they did."

She smiled as she continued, "If not for that experience, I wouldn't be here today. Just like you standing here before me right now. The real lesson Unna is what will you do with the experience too have learned."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

Unna listened with empathy for what Demaya went through on Vega Centauri and with admiration for how she handled it and rose in ranks. As Demaya told her story, Unna came up with more questions, but found the experiences of others could offer valuable lessons toward finding her own answers, so she decided to ask more. With so many questions, Unna decided to focus on the one that seemed most relevant and relatable at the time. "I thank you for your openness. I honestly thought I was alone in all of this. It has been hard to be accepted being the way that I am. I have watched my friends assimilate more easily, but I feel all of the wisdom in the galaxy wouldn't help me figure out their technique."

Unna's eyes widened slightly and the corners of her lips crept ever so slightly toward the shape of a smile. It wouldn't take much ability in sense motive at all to realize she was holding something back, along with the fact that she seemed oddly amused for her personality. Unna was astonished at herself for even speaking of what she was about to say, yet found herself saying it anyway. She lowered her voice and spoke one of her more embarrassing secrets, "Long ago, I even tried to read a book about it, but it just turned out to be a self-help gimmick! I mean I didn't think it would contain all of the secrets in the Universe on friendship, but I figured I would find at least something useful! It seems it is something that I can not learn academically."

Unna's expression returned to normal, although the changes were only subtle to begin with. "I've never told anyone that before..." The question still lingered on Unna's mind. "How did you go about commanding the very people who left you for dead? I can't imagine that was simple by any means."

[Akirapryde]

Demaya gave a slight smile at the admission. "Look, the nest advice I can give is first try to open up some. Don't be afraid to smile. You have a lovely smile and a wonderful personality. I have seen it come out when you let your guard down."

She nodded as she held up her hand, "I know, guilty as charged on that also. But I have learned to let it slip a bit. You have to, if you don't want to come across as flaky or as a phony."

"These guys and gals will eat you up and spit you out if they don't feel that they can trust you. That is the source of their feelings with you and to a lesser degree, Auro. I don't think the vast majority of them truly feel that they can trust you two."

She moved forward a bit, "no self help book" she said very softly with a smile, "will ever be able to help you to over come years of self inflicted isolation. Only you can do that."

She nodded pulling back a bit, "once you learn to start to open up, don't be afraid to be wrong. You have to realize that you don't know everything. Time and experience is a great teacher. Before I came to this unit, I had studied all the great books of warfare. I could tell you each battle the Republic fought. The losses, and deciding factors for victory or defeat."

"But I didn't learn from those books that each battle is different and has to be fought differently." She shrugged her shoulders, "it was a learning curve for me. But you asked me how I handed those who left me for dead. It wasn't easy and trust me, it wasn't easy for them either. But Master Chun, who knew the truth, didn't care. It was the reason why he choose their company for me to command."

She drew in a deep breath, "rather you like them or not, you will have a mission to do. Success of that mission and also life or death depends on that bond you create between yourself and them. Within hours of being put in command of Bravo Company, we were on mission already. Hell I didn't even have time to come to terms with the situation myself."

"I remember the look on their faces when I stepped on to the shuttle. Most of them thought they had seen a ghost. Gone was my Republic armor and blaster rifle. I wore my Jedi Robes and Lightsaber. When the shuttle departed, I stood their at the rear of the cargo hatch with the only thought in my mind was that they wouldn't smell the vomit from when I threw up just an hour before. I told them what happened on Vega was behind us. What was going to happen on Risa Prime was ahead of us."

Her smile grew, "that and I placed an explosive device next to the internal fuel tank and warned them that if I wasn't on the shuttle when it attempted to enter hyperspace again, it would blow up." She laughed a bit, "I was sure that they understood the humor of the joke."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"I got it!" Unna smiled more brightly than she had in a while. "Be open, be trustworthy..." then Unna actually paused to laugh before she continued, "and plant a bomb, then tell them you're prepared to blow it all to oblivion!"

"Do they trust Ashla?"

[Akirapryde]

Demaya looked troubled at the question, "I know what you are asking and what we have talked about. But it just occurred to me, that trust is the wrong word. Relate, would be a better. Word. I have heard rumors of Ashla going to the enlisted parties on K Deck. I don't know if the rumors are true or not, but they appear to give her a sense of credibility with different secs of the unit. But Duncan would be the one to look at."

She glanced back at the crew working on the bridge, "Duncan had trained with the Antarian Rangers, which means he has a measure of understanding of what the common soldier goes through. Auro and Duncan for as much as I can tell share a sense of being able to relate to the soldiers of the unit. It will be a shame when you guys move up."

"I heard that Auro will be taking over Master Chun's command. But I am sure this conversation will help you as you guys move up," she said trying to be genuinely censer.