07-13-2024, 02:58 AM
== Six Weeks into Admin Leave ==
== El Patron, San Antonio, Texas, North America ==
Tyra had never considered herself to be a prideful person. Confident, yes but pride was a tricky thing. It was a slippery slope, an over confidence that inevitably led downhill. And yet, Tyra felt like it was her pride that was hurt the most by the hearing.
Sensibly, she had known what she was walking into and had accepted that they were taking the best route for everyone. But knowing and feeling weren't synonyms so while she rationally understood, there was a part of her that felt crushed when the admiralty had handed down administrative leave as her punishment with no definitive ending.
How could she of all people have fallen quite so far? Or that's what her pride asked.
She'd been told through unofficial channels that her leave would most likely last 16 weeks because apparently, that was the punishment befitting someone that used unauthorized means to succeed on an authorized mission.
In the wake of her situation beginning to become public knowledge, she'd gotten a burst of communications from individuals near and far. Some were obviously looking for juicy details on how a war hero and virtual golden child had fallen from her pedestal. Others were genuinely checking in, hoping to draw her out of whatever spiral might come from her leave.
It was a message in the latter category that had drawn her to El Patron. There wasn't a world where she'd turn down Logan or Steve for lunch and certainly a not a world where she'd turn them both down, though she suspected there was an ulterior motive behind the invitation.
That was all but confirmed when she'd arrived to find not two but three men seated at the table. Upon arrival, she'd been enveloped in a warm, tight hug from Logan as if his hulking form would protect her from the world at large while Steve settled for a more subtle hug but she'd still taken note of the third figure.
She'd recognized him immediately, even as he introduced himself politely as Nathan Harden. His hair was silver now and he'd put on a little weight with age but he was still recognizable from when he'd marched around SF Academy some 20 years earlier with cadets scattering out of fear of his mere shadow.
Oh, she knew why he was present almost immediately but he had the good decency to stay quiet on the matter as they ordered food and drinks, conversation flowing over what each party had been up to. Of course, they danced around Tyra's situation but there were enthused questions about Evie's recent endeavors.
They ate and drank, laughter punctuating the conversation as stories were told and fingers pointed over the blame for such stories. Even with the real purpose for lunch seemingly looming still, Tyra couldn't deny the way her heart seemed to unclench in the presence of Logan and Steve.
Even when their food was long gone and coffee was ordered, she couldn't find it in her heart to go to red alert, even knowing what was coming. After all, she had to believe the two men had her best interest at heart and maybe, she needed to trust that to someone else for the moment while she licked her wounds.
"Do you remember me?" Nate finally asked, his eyebrow twitching slightly as he watched he rover his coffee.
"Of course. How could I forget that man that singlehandedly made cadets quake in their boots at the mere mention of a leaning rest? Not to mention, you've done very well for yourself in retirement," she commented, her tone non-chalant as she watched him back. "Trident is nothing to snub your nose at."
He looked delighted for a moment that she knew of Trident but she wasn't certain there was anyone within the upper echelons of the security field that wasn't aware of Trident. Harden had taken a storied career in security and speared it into a company, known for both its training capabilities but also it's capable contractors. They were quite renowned for their protection capabilities, whether that be convoy or personnel.
"Trident has been a labor of love for some years and I am always looking to improve and grow. We're currently working on expanding our private search and rescue arm, the third prong of the Trident so to speak."
Her arched eyebrow must have given away her skepticism because he quickly raised his hands. "Hear me out, please. I don't know the exact details of your situation but I have it on very good authority that you might be looking for a new home for your skill set. I'm not asking you to spearhead a SAR team, unless that's what you want, but I think it would be a terrible waste for someone of your experience to just slip into the shadows because of politics. Hell, I think you could teach a better class than some of my best instructors without leaving your couch. "
She didn't feel it but her expression must have softened slightly as he seemed slightly encouraged by her demeanor. "Let me, at least, explain my idea before you shoot me down, okay?"
Her head nodded ever so slightly and she saw him relax and reach for his coffee before he began speaking.
== TBC ==
== El Patron, San Antonio, Texas, North America ==
Tyra had never considered herself to be a prideful person. Confident, yes but pride was a tricky thing. It was a slippery slope, an over confidence that inevitably led downhill. And yet, Tyra felt like it was her pride that was hurt the most by the hearing.
Sensibly, she had known what she was walking into and had accepted that they were taking the best route for everyone. But knowing and feeling weren't synonyms so while she rationally understood, there was a part of her that felt crushed when the admiralty had handed down administrative leave as her punishment with no definitive ending.
How could she of all people have fallen quite so far? Or that's what her pride asked.
She'd been told through unofficial channels that her leave would most likely last 16 weeks because apparently, that was the punishment befitting someone that used unauthorized means to succeed on an authorized mission.
In the wake of her situation beginning to become public knowledge, she'd gotten a burst of communications from individuals near and far. Some were obviously looking for juicy details on how a war hero and virtual golden child had fallen from her pedestal. Others were genuinely checking in, hoping to draw her out of whatever spiral might come from her leave.
It was a message in the latter category that had drawn her to El Patron. There wasn't a world where she'd turn down Logan or Steve for lunch and certainly a not a world where she'd turn them both down, though she suspected there was an ulterior motive behind the invitation.
That was all but confirmed when she'd arrived to find not two but three men seated at the table. Upon arrival, she'd been enveloped in a warm, tight hug from Logan as if his hulking form would protect her from the world at large while Steve settled for a more subtle hug but she'd still taken note of the third figure.
She'd recognized him immediately, even as he introduced himself politely as Nathan Harden. His hair was silver now and he'd put on a little weight with age but he was still recognizable from when he'd marched around SF Academy some 20 years earlier with cadets scattering out of fear of his mere shadow.
Oh, she knew why he was present almost immediately but he had the good decency to stay quiet on the matter as they ordered food and drinks, conversation flowing over what each party had been up to. Of course, they danced around Tyra's situation but there were enthused questions about Evie's recent endeavors.
They ate and drank, laughter punctuating the conversation as stories were told and fingers pointed over the blame for such stories. Even with the real purpose for lunch seemingly looming still, Tyra couldn't deny the way her heart seemed to unclench in the presence of Logan and Steve.
Even when their food was long gone and coffee was ordered, she couldn't find it in her heart to go to red alert, even knowing what was coming. After all, she had to believe the two men had her best interest at heart and maybe, she needed to trust that to someone else for the moment while she licked her wounds.
"Do you remember me?" Nate finally asked, his eyebrow twitching slightly as he watched he rover his coffee.
"Of course. How could I forget that man that singlehandedly made cadets quake in their boots at the mere mention of a leaning rest? Not to mention, you've done very well for yourself in retirement," she commented, her tone non-chalant as she watched him back. "Trident is nothing to snub your nose at."
He looked delighted for a moment that she knew of Trident but she wasn't certain there was anyone within the upper echelons of the security field that wasn't aware of Trident. Harden had taken a storied career in security and speared it into a company, known for both its training capabilities but also it's capable contractors. They were quite renowned for their protection capabilities, whether that be convoy or personnel.
"Trident has been a labor of love for some years and I am always looking to improve and grow. We're currently working on expanding our private search and rescue arm, the third prong of the Trident so to speak."
Her arched eyebrow must have given away her skepticism because he quickly raised his hands. "Hear me out, please. I don't know the exact details of your situation but I have it on very good authority that you might be looking for a new home for your skill set. I'm not asking you to spearhead a SAR team, unless that's what you want, but I think it would be a terrible waste for someone of your experience to just slip into the shadows because of politics. Hell, I think you could teach a better class than some of my best instructors without leaving your couch. "
She didn't feel it but her expression must have softened slightly as he seemed slightly encouraged by her demeanor. "Let me, at least, explain my idea before you shoot me down, okay?"
Her head nodded ever so slightly and she saw him relax and reach for his coffee before he began speaking.
== TBC ==