Beyond - Legends Captain and Pilot (Mara Jade DDC14) - cont'd in new thread

Title: Captain and Pilot (a Mara Jade diary)
Author: Tarsier
Timeframe: ~12 ABY AU
Characters: Primary: Mara, Dankin; Secondary: Karrde, Luke, Callista, Lando
Summary: Under Karrde's guidance, Mara starts her own two-person company.
Notes: For the Dear Diary Challenge 2014. This diary was not completed for DDC14, however it was restarted as Captain and Pilot - Part 2 for DDC16.

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Entry 1

I’m doing this because I have to. I was told to keep a journal as I begin this new venture. What exactly is supposed to go in this journal is less clear. Karrde said, “Feel free to record your personal thoughts and emotions, I won’t read it.”

And I asked, “If you aren’t going to read it, how will you know I did it?”

His response: “Because I know you, Mara. I know you’ll do as I’ve asked.”

Stang you, Talon Karrde.


Mara, you know you have to write more than that. At least explain what this new venture is. -D

 

I will follow this one.This is just how Mara would start a journal too.

 

Short and very Mara

 

Seconding that this "sounds" so much like her in such a short space. Of course she'll do the journal, reluctantly and with snark. I can't quite imagine Talon being suicidal enough to snoop. Hmm.

 

I can see Talon snooping if it is a business journal. I think he would be scared to read Mara's personal thoughts from a private Diary, though. Nice start.

 

Ooh, great start! But who is "-D"? I assume you meant Talon, but...

 

I am so use of seeing emotion-icons that I assumed it was a instead of an initial, but I may be wrong.

 

Oh. Yes, I suppose that could be. I guess I'm just old, and I detest the use of emoticons in the body of a fic.

 

I love this idea! Do you have a PM List?

 

Nyota's Heart Thanks! I've often thought one of the biggest obstacles to DDC is that a lot of characters wouldn't have reason to start a diary. I hope I've found a decent way to finesse Mara into journal writing

earlybird-obi-wan Thank you!

Kahara Thanks! And you're right, Karrde certainly wouldn't lie to her about reading her journal.

Ewok_Slayer and taramidala I seem to have hidden the ball more than I intended here. "D" is the initial of Mara's partner (not Karrde but the pilot in "Captain and Pilot"). I just always feel awkward about introducing him, he's a minor canon character and I never know if readers will have heard of him. I think the next entry will clear things up. Thanks for your comments!

Jade_Pilot I'd be happy to start a PM list. The next entry should be up tomorrow. Thanks for commenting!

 

Entry 2

You’re reading this? Karrde said—never mind. Fine. The new venture.

A week ago Talon Karrde called me into his office. He said he had a new assignment for me. I’ll admit I’d been getting a little restless, and I have no doubt that he’d picked up on it. At first the assignment sounded pretty good. Karrde was setting me up with my own business. The idea of being on my own for a while was very appealing. I was almost excited, until…

Two words: Lando Calrissian.

I wasn’t getting entirely my own company, I’d be partnering with Lando. Apparently Karrde thought Lando could share some of his business knowledge with me.

My reaction may have been a bit over-the-top, but Karrde doesn’t know Lando like I do. He has no idea how insufferable the man can be.

I told Karrde, exercising what I considered a remarkable amount of calm, I learn best on my own; I am, in most things, self-taught. He said I couldn’t learn about working with others all by myself. Well, if that was what this was about, there were many people in this world other than Lando. I didn’t need anyone else’s knowledge or expertise; I would figure it out with a little time. Dankin’s name was pulled straight from the atmosphere, I suppose because I’d just seen him outside Karrde’s office. My point had been that I could run a successful company with literally anyone other than Lando.

But randomly chosen as it was, the name I picked apparently was the right one. Somehow, suddenly, we had a deal. I knew better than to question it—I had what I wanted.

So that's the new venture: a new company, supported by Karrde but run by me, with one other employee—Karrde's pilot and right-hand man, Dankin.


Karrde said he wouldn’t read. I never said I wouldn’t. Don't worry, if you start spilling your soul on the page, I promise to look away.
-someone other than Lando (and proud of it)

 

Oh, Dankin! Yes yes yes, I know him. Thanks for the clarification!

I'm loving this idea. What a great way to fill in her "off-screen time" during her trading years.

 

Taramidala said: I'm loving this idea. What a great way to fill in her "off-screen time" during her trading years. Yes! Very much a wonderful way to fill in the years/time she was captain of the 'Fire.

 

Great start to a Mara diary!

I loved Karrde was sure she would do it and there she was doing so!

I think Danakin's comments are going to be fun... if Mara doesn't kill him.

 

Very nice update. I'm glad you cleared that up. I didn't want Karrde getting killed when he wasn't even snooping.

 

Oh so it's NOT Talon reading her blog. Very interesting. Thanks for the PM!

 

It is kind of a wonder how Lando survived...

Mara's distaste for "group projects" seems realistic for her experiences. From what they show in the books, she had one of the least sociable jobs in existence -- at least when it came to interacting with anyone over a long period of time. People you are investigating and/or killing today don't count so much for cooperative learning.

Dankin was interesting in Worth Fighting For, so I'm glad he's in the cast here.

 

taramidala Nyota's Heart I'm very glad to hear you like the idea! I was actually afraid the concept may seem tired. Thanks for your comments!

mavjade Thank you! Yes, Karrde knows Mara well.

Ewok_Slayer Thanks! I didn't want Karrde getting killed when he wasn't even snooping. Yes, that would have been unfortunate Sorry for the confusion!

Jade_Pilot No, it's not Karrde - sorry for the confusion! Thanks for commenting!

Kahara People you are investigating and/or killing today don't count so much for cooperative learning. Yes, exactly. I wanted to set this pretty early to capture the harsher, rough-around-the-edges Mara. I'm glad you found Dankin interesting before and I hope you like him here. Thank you for commenting!

Random Comments Thanks for the likes!

 

I like her company. Dankin is an interesting character.

 

earlybird-obi-wan Thank you!

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Entry 3

I’ve found a more private spot to store this thing. Should reduce the extraneous commentary.

Every time we have course change, Dankin and I have the least aggressive standoff in history. Each time as I approach the cockpit I see Dankin in the doorway, looking wistfully at the pilot’s seat.

I know Dankin is a good pilot. You don’t get to be pilot on Karrde’s flagship without being competent. But Jade’s Fire is my ship. And I pilot my own ship. So every time I brush past Dankin and sit in the pilot’s seat. Without a word he takes his seat as copilot.

I’ve heard rumors throughout the company that Dankin is absolutely intolerable as copilot. I never quite believed these rumors because Dankin is about the least confrontational person I know. Certainly I didn’t think it would be a problem here, I can’t even imagine Dankin questioning me or my flying. And he doesn’t, exactly.

Rather, he obediently sits in the copilot seat, glances at his control panel, and then stares intently at my controls. Watching every move I make. He periodically narrows his eyes or inhales deeply and I just know he wants to say something. But he never says a word. Instead, he makes minuscule changes with his own controls, as though to compensate for what I’m doing. Usually without ever taking his eyes off my controls, even as he adjusts his own.

I don’t think he does it just to be infuriating, but I now understand the rumors perfectly. I’ve been tempted to tell him to knock it off or send him out of the cockpit, but every time I start to he looks up at me with the look of an injured pitten. Somehow he can read my tone before I open my mouth.

The worst part is the ship’s never flown smoother and fuel efficiency is up 4%. It’s possible those constant micro-adjustments actually help.

 

Love her rambling about co-pilot Dankin

 

Tarsier and This is absolutely the tone Mara would have about 1. I pilot my own ship and 2. Dankin would be working my nerve, if it weren't for the fact his tweaks could be helping.

 

I'm like Dankin. When I used to let my husband drive I would be in the passenger seat and constantly slamming on the imaginary brake on my side of the floorboard. He is the worst driver in the world. Hyper-aggressive and a speed demon. He drove us off an embankment once and we were actually airborne. Another time he pissed off a semi truck driver who forced us off the road. Another time he flipped the vehicle (luckily he was alone for that one). Now, if I am in the vehicle I am driving. I won't let him drive me around anymore.

Mara, just let Dankin fly.

 

Love it!

 

Oh no, not the puppydog eyes. I imagine it would be very frustrating to have someone backseat driving while you pilot. Dankin is pretty obviously trying not to be annoying about it, but he really wants to fly. Poor guy. Poor Mara, who also just wants to fly her ship.