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

[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.

[the_hit_list]

Obviously, but the people who have been listening in on the discussion should have a pretty good sense of who else has experience. You, Lieutenant Nog, and Detective Bannings. My brother has law enforcement experience, too, and Stacia seems to have the respect of most of the supernaturals.

[ Tim is paying attention to all of you. ]

[millenyal_pink]

If we're doing a council, I want in. I've been a diplomat and a negotiator between shifter species for the last few years, so I have a fair bit of experience.

[Plus, if this happens, Elle is going to show up anyway. Or listen in. Either way, she's going to be involved.]

[the_hit_list]

[ Tim blinks a few times at this. A negotiator between shapeshifting factions is new to him, but it seems to be fair experience and would balance the military aspect. But… ]

You know I’m not actively selecting the Council, right? I’m just suggesting people, but if you want my opinion, a negotiator probably has a good skillset for it.

If I were actually picking the council, I’d put myself on it.

[darvit]

There's more non-humans here besides the 'supernaturals' that may not take so kindly to a committee of mostly humans and the various— adjacent, species.

[ It's her. She's the non-human who would not take kindly to a council made up of mostly mud person and mud person adjacent folks. Look, she still doesn't know how to classify the shapeshifters and such. ]

I'm not volunteering, but I'm law enforcement back home and I know a thing or two about magic. I'm sure I'm not the only non-human, non-'supernatural' with similar experience.

[the_hit_list]

Some of the more diverse life forms haven’t indicated their interest, although if age is a qualification, Anode is arguably the oldest in the camp.

[ Tim won’t nominate demons for stereotyped reasons. Crowley’s fine to have in camp, but maybe not in a leadership position.

… also fairies are absolutely supernatural. ]

I wasn’t taking species into account. I’m sorry I missed your experience, but I don’t hear everything that gets said around camp.

[credit_not_blame]

If we're doing a council, all we really need is an odd number so we don't have to worry about votes coming down to a tie.

[Thank you for the acknowledgment, Tim. Your observational skills and ability to make sensible suggestions have been noted in your file.]

[the_hit_list]

Apparently, we’re going to need more than that.

[hallelujahjunction]

Put in the most polite terms, but I ain't taking orders from anyone based on their history in law enforcement.

[ferengineer]

I'd actually have to agree on this? No offense to you or your brother, Tim, but experience in law-enforcement can mean a lot of things, not all of them good.

[ragefeathers]

Stop calling me a 'supernatural.' I'm not fucking Bigfoot.

And I wouldn't trust a cop to pour water out of a boot with instructions written on the fucking heel.

[hallelujahjunction]

Right, they'd probably just throw the boot at some homeless person's head.

[Dan tries not to "us vs. them" anyone, but it's hard when he sees people as an extension of a system that's always worked against him. He takes a breath. He's letting the worst and most wounded parts of his psyche call all the shots here, and he needs to stop. Police are people too, deserving of the same dignity, but Dan's feeling fragile.]

Sorry, bad history with the fuzz.

[the_hit_list]

In my world, we’d use metahuman as the all-encompassing term, but given some of the stances on humanity in the group, I thought it might be more appropriate.

[ Tim is doing his best; Stacia gets along with more than just the werewolves so he doesn’t want to exclude anyone. ]

Hey. Respect has to be earned but we’re all working against stereotypes.

[hallelujahjunction]

[Out of view of the mirror, Dan's digging his fingernails into his own thighs.]

And what's your idea for enforcing the council's will if someone decides they're their own sovereign?

[the_hit_list]

I’m of the opinion that most people will see the benefits of working together, and not every decision can be signed off on by dozens of people.

If you want to be a sovereign entity, that’s on you to work out how you’re going to be the camp’s Lesotho. I don’t think anyone should be forced, but since we can’t leave, you might have to deal with people’s annoyance that you’re reaping the benefits without engaging.

[hallelujahjunction]

Social dynamics and intuition already cover the most important ground rules: don't die, don't let the folks next to you die, and don't do anything to jeopardize anyone's longterm survival. Anything more complicated than that will have time for folks to discuss it.

[He folds his arms.]

Who said I ain't engaging? I don't think anyone here who's met me would say I'm shirking doing my fair share and then some. [Dan's been extremely helpful both on the battlefield and the camp, rescuing and hunting and tailoring and gathering firewood and stitching people's wounds. He hasn't needed someone to tell him to do it; his moral compass just says that's the right thing to do.] If anything, you'd think that the things I done of my own volition would buy my way out of someone bossing me into it and threatening with a metaphorical fist if I don't.

[konman]

I agree we need something formal, but I don't think a direct democracy wouldn't work here, Tim. Especially since some of the people here are worried their interests won't be respected, due to stuff like species. Or are worried about abuse of power.

I mean, it's a pretty small group, already willing to cooperate, judging from how many people volunteered to help me with food stuff. And how many tried to help each other during the attack.

Plenty of time to group vote on major decisions during downtimes.

[the_hit_list]

I think you mean indirect democracy- you’re actually suggesting direct democracy on the majority of decisions.

[ Which Tim equates to herding cats at this point. Good luck to whoever gets elected to anything. ]

I’m not going to argue with the majority opinion, but I think it’s going to be awhile before we get a majority anything.

[konman]

Nope direct democracy. Full on herding cats.

I mean we need someone to lead during fights, obviously, but beyond that, there's a lot of stuff that can be debated and decided as a group.

I mean, it's a lot of people, sure, but we've had a lot of time to talk in this place.

[wheyoftheadept]

And the award for tonight's bad idea goes to - whoever you are, we haven't met yet.

[the_hit_list]

That doesn’t make me inclined to introduce myself.

[wheyoftheadept]

If you're gonna suggest we need someone t'be the boss of us, you're gonna have to expect some pushback.

[konman]

Look everyone's just suggesting what they think might help.

It's cool to disagree but being sarcastic about it is a bad look. Next time maybe try "I think this is a bad idea" instead of "ding ding ding bad idea award" or whatever.

The only way we get to wherever we need to go is mutual respect and understanding everyone's coming from different backgrounds. In some places and groups democratically elected councils work.

Even if I agree with you that I don't think it's a good idea here.

[wheyoftheadept]

I could sling the same thing at the people walking around singing la di da, why would anyone ever object to existence of a formal hierarchy, surely we all love this idea and thrive in highly structured environments.

We weren't the ones who started talking like having someone in charge was only right an' natural.

But yeah, you're right, I came in hot an' it was shitty. Gonna take some time and cool off. Got some suggestions for your proposal when I'm back - an' I do think that we should try to get some kinda all-hands meeting going sooner rather 'n later. This isn't the ideal venue for a serious talk about how we're gonna operate.