(2022-04-26) Keeping The Flag Flapping

Details

Author:	Athena
Summary:	Captain Jo stops by CC HQ to talk to Oranna about some coming changes with squad members.
Rating:	T for Teen

In the Ironforge HQ, after Ralaea makes her request, and before Auralind talks about stepping back from squad.

Jo makes her way down the familiar staircase with a happy sigh. She blinks down the last few stairs.

Oranna is working at her little desk, looking as though she's sorting paperwork into four piles, and looks up at the sound of Jo coming in. "Oh! Jo, hullo." Oranna smiles warmly, and there's a deep rumble of a purr near Oranna's chair from the shadows.

“Hi, Oranna.” Jo seems a little more cheerful than usual. “What're the piles for?”

“Oh, sortin' things inta things I can handle myself, things I should probably ask tha' lass Alaisa about, things I'd think I need ta talk ta Calduin about, and then these are…” She gestures to the fourth and shrugs. “Kindlin'?”

“Bad applications, that sort of thing?” Jo wrinkles her nose at them and smiles.

“Oh, no, more jus' th' mail things I figure no one needs. Unless yer particularly interested in th' opinions o' folks sayin' tha' we should be doin' this or tha', an' why are our colors blue instead o' red or purple or rainbow.” Oranna shakes her head at the pile. Some people.

“Oh, yeah.” Jo giggles. “I do like rainbows, but it's not quite on color theme for 'Cobalt'.”

“I did try ta write a few back but, honestly, learned my lesson there. All I got back was, an' why this design an' no' a dove or a gazelle or wha' have ye."She sighs and moves the desk aside. "So, I'm glad ye could make it. Thing's goin' well?”

Jo nods. "It's been good to have some leave time. Time to think. How've things been over on Azeroth side? Is it a problem, what you called me here to talk about?"

“No, no' precisely a problem, jus' somethin' ye'd need ta be aware o'. Tha' lass, Rae? She's filed ta be moved off squad, wantin' some time ta sort things out. Nothin' dire, an' she's not leavin' Company, jus'…” Oranna looks to the right for a moment. Oranna sighs and turns back to Jo. "Jus' needs some time."

Jo's good cheer evaporates somewhat, and she presses her lips together. "She has… a lot going on. Anything she say we ought to be worried out, or need to look out for her on account of?"

Oranna seems to give it a moment's thought, frowning enough for her worry line to pop into existence, but she shakes her head. "No, I think it's jus' things catchin' up ta her. She said she'd been fightin' non-stop fer th' past several years, an', no' sure tha's who she wants ta be, ye know? Someone who ne'er stops fightin'. She seemed more nervous tha' people would think badly o' her fer wantin' ta pause while things were still…” Oranna trails off, and there's a look of sad, almost guilt on her face. “ I knew how tha' felt.”

Jo nods, and settles back in her chair with a sigh. "If you're in the thick of it, it'll always seems like things are 'still', you know? Doesn't mean it's up to each and every one of us to keep at it without a break. I worry a bit about her, because she's the sort who takes a lot on herself and doesn't ask for help, even when she really needs it. Ben and I tracked her down stranded and starving in Tanaris once, did you know?”

Oranna nods, forcing a bit of a smile. "Aye, s'what I told her. Tha' it's wha' a Company is for. No' one o' of us on our own. I think she's still…comin' ta get used ta tha' thought. Didna seem ta believe me. Wha' happened in Tanaris?” Oranna frowns hard. “Goblins?”

“Well, that was part of it, I think. She ran afoul of some quilboars, and then some people helped her but she was wary of them, so she ran away, and then some goblins cheated her out of pretty much all her money… “ Jo shakes her head, smiling a bit at the memory. "Nothing a portal to Stormwind and money couldn't cure."

Oranna mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like something something mage towers stairs humans have their long legs. "Oh, aye. She seemed the sort. One woman army, because then no one else gets hurt but her."

“If having a break will help her shake that, then I'm all for it. We're not so short-handed these days, so we should be fine to locate a replacement, for the time being.”

“Aye, I agree. An'…if things do come out th' other way, that she's no' wantin' back, I think I have somethin' she migh' be able ta do. Bargrimm an' I ha' been tryin' ta work out th' logistics of how people need transportation, an' when folks canna maintain one on their own. Somethin' like a Cobalt stable, where we could lend them out, or keep them for folks who canna on their own. Need someone good with horses who'd want th' management of it, an' she has th' experience an' th' interest.”

Jo's face brightens. "Oh, that's a good idea. You ought to keep some mechanostriders in stock as well."

Oranna nods, a bright smile blooming on her face. "Aye, tha's a good idea s'well. Make it easier fer folks who would take a job, if they had th' way there an' back, but otherwise migh' not, and th' Company can afford it. We'd still be bringin' in more from folks usin' th' means, than we'd be spendin' ta keep it up. Bargrimm checked th' math o' it.” Oranna blushes a little, and brushes a hand along her skirt.

“Having you take over this side was such a good idea.” Jo smiles at her. “Every time we talk I realize that more.”

Oranna blushes a deep pink, and ducks her head. "Oh. Thank ye. I…honestly, I do enjoy it. It's been good, feelin' like I'm helpin' people, when they come in needin' somethin', an' I know wha' ta do ta get it fer them."

Jo taps a finger on the side of the chair, and says, "I also might be a little more sympathetic than usual for people wanting to take some time off, because well…"

Oranna looks up, still pink, and raises her brows up, looking over at Jo's face, and blinking a little at what she sees there. "Oh, ah. Are…tha' is…yer no'…er."

Jo looks over at Oranna and says in a firm voice. "I've decided I'm going to step back from the squads for a while myself, yes."

Oranna looks more than a little mildly shocked, but she nods. "Jus' th' front line, still? No'… yer no' steppin' down as Captain, are ye? Because, Jo, I dinna think Elo's ready ta pick it back up, an' I dinna who else we ha'…" Oranna blows out a breath. Oranna 's stopped talking, but it's clear on her face the Anxiety Hamster has begun running in its wheel in her brain.

“Oh, I'm gonna stay Captain.” Jo hastens to add. “I'm not leaving Cobalt, that's for sure. I don't even know what I'd do if I left Cobalt.”

Oranna swallows and nod nods. "Right. Okay. Righ'. Tha's…tha's no' bad, then. An'…an' ye, o' all people, deserve a good long break if ye need it. Are ye jus'…tha' is, are ye wantin' ta come back this side? Workin' different?"

“It's just… I think part of it is all the conflicting things… I tried so hard to get people to respect me as a Captain, but then I don't want to steamroll over the squad leader, but everyone is so tall and they walk so fast…”

Oranna makes a loud sound of agreement at the height and speed, mumbling something about how her thighs have still never forgiven her for keeping up with humans and stairs.

Jo manages to stem the waterfall of words enough to listen to Oranna. “I… I'm not sure. And Hex is still missing, but alive I'm sure of it. So I think I might stay over in Outlands.”

Oranna frowns in thought. "Aye. An'…I think it's good. We do still ha' Elo here, if we e'er did get separated again. An' then we'd be sure ta ha' someone both sides tha' could keep th' flag flappin' so ta speak."

“That's a good thought.” Jo nods. “Any news on the baby yet, on that note?”

Oranna looks at the stairs, and there's a bit of panic that subsides. "No, nothin' yet. Although they're all sayin', any day now. Some…some o' them may be sayin' tha' a bit more, ah, loudly an' with a bit o' 'it better be', but. Aye. I've no' seen ta th' baby proofin' yet though. Bargrimm's made a few fer th' stairs and a thing ta place around th' paperwork. Like wha' ye'd ha' fer rabbits an' chickens. Figure tha's close enough ta human baby's temperment.”

Jo giggles. “I have heard people say they're kind of like pets, till they get trained up a bit. I mean, no offense to babies, but they've got to learn, right?”

Oranna shrugs helplessly, looking at Jo like Oranna's got no answers here. "Righ'? I mean, obviously things settle. I've raised a leopard from a wee babe, an' she needed those first few months ta figure things out, but she got there." There's a deep rumbly purr from Oranna's chair. Oranna chuckles, and moves her hand out into the air, where a shadow bumps against it briefly.

“A baby's got to be easier than a leopard, right? Far less… “ Jo glances over Oranna's shoulder “…teeth and claws.”

Oranna nods vigorously. "Aye. And they can talk proper. Leopard's it's all, wha's tha' growl or mewl mean? Until ye know their language, it's jus' sounds tha' ye try ta figure out through trial an' error. A….a lot o' error."

Jo makes a mm sound. "I think it takes babies a while to learn words. I mean, gnomes pick it up pretty fast, but who can say with humans?"

Oranna frowns thoughtfully. "I….tha's a good point. I wonder though. They do e'erthin' faster. I wonder how long they take, with it all sped up like?"

“Huh. So maybe they do come out talking. Maybe it's gnomes who are slower.” Jo ponders this for a while.

Oranna seems to be seriously considering this, and then shakes her head. "Well. A' least he's likely ta be a good talker. He's got Elo talkin' ta him, an' Niris o' course, besides."

“I bet he'll be an actor. Or an orator. A politician?” Jo makes a skeptical face. “Maybe a mercenary leader, that's better.”

Oranna puts a hand up to her cheek and grins, laughing a little. "Although, I dunno. He's named fer Dane, isn't he? Wha' if he jus' comes out with a grunt, an' goes straight fer th' anvil."

Jo giggles and claps her hands. "I don't think names have that much power, but how adorable would that be!" Jo shakes her head, and continues having little fits of giggles over the mental image. "You know, I might come by more often. I miss you and Niris and Elo. And Ivri, wherever she's off to."

Oranna smiles warmly, a fond light in her eyes. "Aye, it would be a good thing, truth be told, if there were another o' Dane's like in the world. Good lad. I do miss him. He's been doin' well, other side?" There's a note of sadness in her voice.

“I think so, yeah. He missed Ivri, when she wasn't around.” Jo frowns. “I think she's around more, now that the portal open, but it's hard to say. Shadows and all that. He's seemed pretty sturdy. Bothered by the orcs, of course, but steady.”

Oranna nods at Jo, her eyes going a little bright. "Aye. I understand tha'. It's jus' me here, these days, a' home, an' it's…it's a little empty, without Bargrimm there. Spend more time here, truth be told." She looks down at her feet. “But, I'm glad he's well. An' still content a' th' front. He's a good one ta have out there.”

“Is.. is Bargrimm going to come back down here to join you, sometime? I know you said he had things up in Hinterlands…”

Oranna shrugs and smiles a little. "He will, eventually. An' he writes every day, without fail." Oranna smiles warmly, her face turning a little pink. "Jus' strange, after spendin' so much time together, bein' alone again. Feels different now. But. I've got th' work here, an' it's only been a few weeks. Probably still jus' gettin' used ta thinkin' in terms of livin' faster again.”

Jo shrugs. "It can be hard to be alone, after sharing every day with someone… even without grief, I mean. I get that. It does get easier though. Remembering how to enjoy the quiet."

Oranna looks at Jo, her eyes going a little sad, and she nods. "Aye. Jus' so. An'…well, I'd understand if ye wanted some quiet, but. Well. Standin' invitation any time ye want ta drop by. Jus' a quick skip an' hop across endless space through th' world." Oranna winks at Jo, with one eye, perfectly.

Jo grins and winks back her. "I do like skipping through the space across worlds."

Oranna laughs.

“I guess I'd better get back to work, though. It looks like I have two spaces to fill now…”

Oranna nods with a chagrined sort of smile, but she stands and walks to Jo for a little hug. Little because relatively brief, not because smols. "I'm sure ye'll pick jus' th' righ' ones. Ye know yer way about people, Jo."

Jo returns the hug with a small squeeze. "I'll do my best, like always. I hope it's enough."

Oranna smiles warmly, her face showing her confidence in Jo is sincere. "It always will be, Jo. Always will be."