This One Just Became a Leadership Conversation

[prettycoolguy]

This is Spartan One-One-Seven broadcasting on an unknown communications array.

[ A few members of the team have seen the Master Chief around, but he hasn't made major contact before now. For most of the group, it's the first time they've seen this scarred face. And for one of them, it's far from the first. ]

I understand that this is a different world than the one I come from, and we have no way to return until we accomplish an... objective.

[ An objective that they all have only vaguely heard about from a weird hallucination. He doesn't have to say that part. They already know. ]

This being the case, I'm offering my skills.

I have significant experience leading teams on a variety of ops. I can work longterm on terrain like this. You can count on me in a fight.

But first of all, I do need to know who's in charge of this outfit.

[ Bless his entire heart. ]

Comments

[millenyal_pink]

[Oh no, this guy's in for a fun time.]

I'm pretty sure I'm obligated to nominate Stacia.

...But if you're offering, I wouldn't be adverse to a guy like you hanging around.

[She specifically does not specify the capacity in which he would be serving.]

[prettycoolguy]

Who is that?

[ The rest of the group answers the question pretty immediately. ]

Ah.

[ This is clearly not what he expected, but he's trying to be polite about it. ]

[credit_not_blame]

It's me, I'm in charge.

[People keep asking who's in charge and no one's claimed it, so she might as well go for it.]

My name is Stacia, it's nice to have you on board, Spartan One-One-Seven. Is that what you'd prefer to be called?

[likeits1999]

Wait, are you in charge?

[just_ace]

It's definitely Stacia.

[prettycoolguy]

I'm used to Master Chief.

[ He already knows the rank is meaningless here, but the familiarity matters. ]

You're Stacia?

[ Please, stranger, throw him a lifeline, he's dying. He didn't expect this to be such a hotly contested question. ]

[wheyoftheadept]

Oi, I didn't vote for ya.

[hourglasshalfempty]

I don't know you, madam. Neither do I intend consider myself under your command.

[bringinghopewithme]

I voted for her.

[tr1xx]

I'm gettin' flashbacks to Clarksdale right now. Nice to know that even if we're not all from the rig, the newbies can argue with the best of us.

[ She's between laughing and groaning. ]

[ragefeathers]

Yeah, Stacia is in charge.

[okayimin]

[ hey buddy. ]

You volunteering to be in charge?

[prettycoolguy]

[ The Chief tips his head a little to one side. Why does every question he asks in this place have the weirdest answer? ]

I assumed it wasn't on the table.

[steelandtemper]

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!

[prettycoolguy]

Lost.

[ He has never been happier to see her. A couple lines in his face relax, but only Cortana has the familiarity with him to notice easily. ]

Where are you?

[okayimin]

You know this duster?

[hasapoint]

[No visual, and Need's voice is strange.]

The rabble's in charge. Or Stacia is, as the only person with an interest in claiming the position. Not a bad candidate as they go, I'll say, even if there was actual competition.

[prettycoolguy]

I see.

This is more... [ he considers, ] irregular than anticipated.

[hallelujahjunction]

[Dan shows up on the mirror, tailoring some clothing and talking around some needles tucked between his lips as he greets the new guy.]

Pleasure, Spartan One-One-Seven. I'm Dan. And so far we don't got no one in charge, and some of us ain't exactly keen on electing a leader.

[By "some of us", he means him, and while he's usually a pretty accommodating person willing to follow the will of the group, on this he sounds somewhat on-edge. Beneath that friendly, gentle surface: high-octane batshit libertarian crazy.]

[prettycoolguy]

Hello, Dan.

So I am gathering.

[ In spades. He seems to be holding together, but he also seems a bit distracted and off his footing. This is a lot for Chief. ]

[ferengineer]

As you can probably tell, there's not much in the way of formal anything right now. Not that I can really blame anyone for that. Everyone's still trying to get their bearings and figure out what to do from here.

I'm Nog, by the way. Lieutenant junior grade, Starfleet.

[cspd]

...well, I suppose you're starting to get an idea of how things go here.

[ Sigh. ]

Lloyd Bannings, Crossbell State Police Department, detective and field leader of the Special Support Section. [ Technically, formerly, since that whole nasty imperial occupation business, but ranks and positions here are more just a convenient summary of potentially relevant experience and also Crossbell's new Erebonian government is not legitimate and will not be recognized, natch. ]

[liesdontfindyou]

In hindsight, I feel like I should have given you a heads up about... this. It's not just no UNSC structure here it's, well, no structure at all.

[ Which she isn't inherently opposed to, actually, she's never actually been one for real authority even when she's gone along with it for the bigger cause, but guess who isn't getting into any of her anti-authority feelings with a Spartan? This Freelancer. ]

Though I don't think I'd have called quite this reaction, even then.

[the_hit_list]

In all seriousness, we should probably establish a council of those with leadership or other relevant experience and have the council vote on who’s wielding the gavel.

You should be on it.

[ferengineer]

It's not a half bad idea, although we'd probably need a better selection process than you just saying people should be on it.

[konman]

Okay, here's the way I see it.

Just speaking from experience fighting some very deadly stuff and, you know, avoiding the apocalypse many, many times.

We need an experienced leader calling the shots during a crisis, during situations we need to fight or escape like the faire, since you need tactics and there's no time for debate during a crisis. We can obviously vote that person into power.

And we probably need an organizer handling organizing camp stuff like gathering food - if it isn't the same person as the other leader.

But beyond that, there's no reason we can't make other decisions like "where do we go next" with a direct vote during times we're safe and able to discuss, debate, and vote on it. Having it be an open discussion and vote lets everyone's voices be heard, in case they're worried about their interests not being represented.

I don't know that we need to overcomplicate it beyond that. It's a small group here and everyone's willing to thrown in and help each other already.

[millenyal_pink]

So, strategists and people to handle logistics. I like that hell of a lot better than a ruling body.

[Elle is not thrilled by the amount of pro-law enforcement attitudes she's been hearing. It makes her uncomfortable for a plethora of reasons. Plus, she likes operating outside of hierarchal power structures when she can. Having organizers sounds like a good compromise. She is also deliberately reframing from 'single leader' to 'some people who have experience that we trust' because, well, yikes.]

We could about a group of people that keep track of voluntary resources, like food and supplies. That way no one person is in control of it and we can still have communal resources.

As far as crisis management, I figure that, once again, a handful of people with experience can be the ones who're deferred to if necessary. No military structure and no law enforcement. Just some people who we can trust with tactical organization. If someone doesn't want to follow a suggestion, no one is forcing them to.

[headcheerbleeder]

This is ridiculous.

[Caroline shows up on the network, looking quite annoyed and smug at the same time, as if she's both disappointed in everyone and certain that she's there to rescue them from themselves.]

Everyone get off your stupid magical cellphones and join me at the Heartstone. Stacia and I made cushions. We're going to hash this out like the adult vampires, werewolves, fairies, aliens, humans and anything else that we are.

[hellbentley]

...I'd appreciate if someone sets up one of their mirrors and enlarges it.

The stone's a mite too holy for it agree with me.

I'm going to have to teleconference in.