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 Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:26 pm
Still, the pale crossbreed smiled softly to himself, practicing pairing the expression with experienced pleasure, now he was heading to the familiarity of the tacticians’ area. While he was here, everything was part of his routine even if it was something he’d never actually done before. When he’d first joined up it had taken a lot of bullying his mind into accepting this idea, but it had been worthwhile. Had he not done so, he highly doubted he would have lasted long in the profession at all, let alone been promoted to Master Tactician.
Still smiling a little, the tall stallion came to a halt at the point that he considered the line between the tacticians’ area and everywhere else. Having done so, the blue-maned cross looked about himself, sighed contentedly and walked onward. Another wonderful day ahead; he did love his job.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:03 pm
Flicking her ears forward and shunting aside her hesitation and nervous feelings, the slender mare fell into step behind the skinny stallion. She cleared her throat rather loudly, not wanting to startle him and make him think she was trying to sneak up on him or something, and paused where she stood. "Castor-hellene," she started, hoping the suffix was correct, "my name is Jocasta, I have a few questions for you, just a couple about tactician matters. Is that alright? I could come back later.." Pfft, of course she could, he was probably busy anyway, but... he didn't look busy. Plus, Meleager should have told him she'd wanted an audience with him, so maybe he wouldn't mind? Well, no sense in doubting or questioning, she'd asked him and now all she could do was wait for an answer, and hope for the best. There was no harm done if he said no.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:52 am
Castor swivelled an ear around as he heard approaching hoofbeats, fully turning his head as the mare began to speak. Once she had finished, he offered her a smile and a nod of his head. “I am not at all busy, Jocasta-hellene, and I would be glad to answer any questions you might have.”
He’d noticed her around the place now he thought on it; that pelt she wore on her back was really rather distinctive and... Jocasta. Had Meleager mentioned a Jocasta to him? He believed so, actually, in fact yes he recalled now. The dappled stallion had been really rather impressed by her apparently, and as ever Castor was inclined to look favorably upon anyone Meleager was impressed by. Not that he wouldn’t have helped her in any case, of course, it was just that she became more interesting for it, and he found himself inclined to go beyond what duty required to see that the mare felt secure and confident in her duties.
“Would you like to speak here,” the crossbreed went on after a moment, “or shall we find somewhere else?” He didn’t mind too much himself; he felt comfortable anywhere in the tactician’s little corner of the herdlands but clearly not everybody was the same. Perhaps Jocasta preferred to lie down to speak, or perhaps she liked to have a few trees right close by to give a feeling of privacy. If she did have such a preferences, it was far better to go along with it; he knew very well that if he didn’t get to go along with his own quirky preferences he couldn’t think as clearly as usual and that would be no good at all.
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:54 pm
Her anticipation dissipated as she listened to his words, and she offered a smile and a respectful dip of her muzzle. "Honestly," she began, offering him a casual shrug with her wings, "it doesn't matter where we speak, it's all the same to me, unless you'd rather talk elsewhere?" Really, she didn't know why others had to have certain conditions to be able to speak comfortably, such a thing always seemed odd to her. As long as she had her head she'd be perfectly fine, no matter the circumstances.
"Thank you for your time, first of all," she began, stepping a few paces closer so she wasn't so far, but not too close for discomfort. "I know how precious such a thing can be, and I'd be very grateful for any answers you can offer me." That ought to be enough of that, she decided; best not to overstep the fine line between thanking someone too much and not enough.
"First, I'd just like to mention I was promoted to tactician not too long ago, a great honor, I'd like to say, and I just wanted to get a few things cleared up -- the questions I have for you, there's just a couple of them -- so that I understand my new role perfectly, and don't make any mistakes." Mistakes would be absolutely dreadful, and it scared her to think she could have made some already when she'd only been in the post for a few days. She'd rather learn through questions than guessing and making mistakes. "Now," she started, leaning to one side as she went through her mental checklist, "I was in the middle of one of my strategy games when I realized something I didn't know. I do know that some of the nequus in the herds we battle are allowed to join our ranks, such as Iris-hellene. Is that always allowed, or was she a special exception? Also, on that note, do our armies take prisoners? I myself have never been in an actual battle, and I haven't heard anything to tell me one way or the other, so that's something I'd like cleared up immediately." She needed to know such things for her special games, of course.
She paused, wondering if that was too much at once, or if he wouldn't mind just one more question with those two. "Also," she said, offering a slight grin, "are we tacticians allowed to spar as well, or is that reserved only for soldiers?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:04 pm
Castor stood in silence for a few moments, frowning thoughtfully and swishing his tails as he ran all of the mare’s words though his head again. It was, he decided in the end, probably better to start at the beginning and work his way though in order. “I am perfectly happy to speak here,” the crossbreed said with a nod, taking that question off his mental list. “You are quite welcome,” he went on with a nod, “my time is devoted to being the Master Tactician, and one of the duties of that position is ensuring that all of the tacticians of this herd feel comfortable with their duties so let me assure you that you are not putting me out in the least, and that no question is too trivial to ask of me.”
Right, the blue stallion swatted at a fly with one tail and shifted his stance slightly as he made another mental check of question answered/comment responded to. He probably didn’t need to bring up her words on worrying about making mistakes; there wasn’t a lot he could say to it for one and for another anything he might think of would be trivial, and she did not seem to wish to take up more of his time than necessary even if it was part of his job to help her do hers.
“In any case,” the tall stallion said with a nod, “your questions. The first one is, I believe, mostly up to Meleager-hallah to decide on a case by case basis but it’s hardly a common occurrence. Iris-hellene was, I believe, still rather young when the war with the Ichsa herd ended, and therefore was not a warrior in the struggle. I think it unlikely that one who had actively fought against us would be accepted as one of us.” Another one check off, good, and the others still in his mind waiting to be answered. It was good to know that he was good at his job, well he knew he was but it was always nice to have reinforcement.
“Taking of prisoners is something generally avoided,” the blue stallion said after a few moments of silence, which he had used to arrange the right words in his mind. “It lacks honor, and is usually unnecessary. When it cannot be avoided, however, capture of enemies who might hold vital information is left to the Delta force. Once a foe is defeated, we do not hold prisoners; survivors are driver off, or killed if either they will not leave or it is deemed wiser to do so.” Who did that deeming, he wondered? Probably the Commandate and Meleager but it was possible that it was his task or that he at least got a say. He would have to ask at some point.
“Tacticians are most certainly allowed to spar and train for combat,” Castor said once again after a short pause, “it is advantageous for anyone who is capable of learning to be competent in a fight just in case the herd desperatly needs extra warriors. Soldiers, to the best of my knowledge, get preferential use of the specialized sparring arenas but as there are several of those that is seldom an issue; there is usually space enough in them from what I have seen. If there is not space at a givne time, however, anyone is free to spar with friends anywhere in the herdlands so long as they do not disturb those engaged in important tasks, such as ourselves of course,” the blue stallion concluded with another smile, once again pleased with himself for using the expression.
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:39 pm
She stood patiently and listened to his words, taking the time to absorb all of the information he could offer. She nodded her head in the correct places, offering the occasional "mhm" to let him know she was listening and understood perfectly. She made a mental note to remember all of their conversation, or at least the important parts. "Thank you, Castor-hellene," she said with a grateful smile, flicking one muscular tail at a fly that insisted on buzzing around her hindleg. She internally checked off all the questions she'd asked and the answers he'd given, and found just one or two more things.
"One more question that I hope you can answer," she started as she leaned to the opposite side. It was brought on by her last game just as much as it was by curiosity. "In times of war, when the Hellenes' forces are sent to battle, at what point is the Omega Force brought in? Are there specific conditions of battle that need to be met, or is that on a case by case basis as well?" Now that she gave it a little more thought, the answer would be vital to any plans she might hope to make for the herd. Mistakes could be made if she didn't know something, and making mistakes during something so critical would be unforgivable, in her mind at any rate.
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:49 am
Castor twitched his tails again, his eyes sliding away from Jocasta’s as he devoted his mind to her question rather than social niceties. “The omega force,” he said eventually, “are sent into battle under a number of circumstances that all boil down in the end to a point where we cannot or do not wish to show mercy. One case could be, perhaps, when our other forces are in danger of being overwhelmed; then the omega warriors would be sent to bolster the line or to give aid to a group surrounded by foes. Another case would be that of an enemy that refuses to surrender or to flee; if a fight to the death is what they want, our death force is best equipped to give it to them. Alternatively, our herdleader might simply decide that a foe does not deserve the chance to escape with their lives, if perhaps they had done us some great wrong. The last example that springs to mind immediately is that of magic users. Though we have yet to knowingly face one, our omega warriors would be most likely to survive long enough to kill one possessed of dangerous powers...”
Blinking, the skinny crossbreed turned his eyes back to the brown and white mare and twitched her another smile. “I suppose in the end it is another case by case situation with the death force, but as I have describe there are a few specific cases that would warrant their use more than others.” An enquiring mind this mare had, she would doubtless settle well into her job and become one of the people he could count on to make rational decisions or so it seemed for her words thus far. It was possible that she was a ‘proper’ hellene when roused to anger but he hoped not. Hot anger was all very well for warriors, but not what he needed in his fellow thinkers. Calculating efficiency fuelled by cold, sharp-edged anger was what was best for their job; those who only got more focused as they grew angrier made the very best tacticians... He probably ought to say something of the kind to her; people liked to be praised.
“You seem to have a fine mind Jocasta-hellene,” Castor said with a nod to the Reya mare, “I am quite sure that you will settle into your duties in no time, and that you will excel in those duties next time we thinkers are needed to do more than keep our minds sharp.” There, that had been pretty good he though; quick, to the point and not overdone, overdone compliments were not a good thing at all, or so Ignac told him.
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:00 am
The slender appaloosa nodded at his words, silently agreeing. Yes, it made a great deal of sense. She'd assumed that the Omega force and taking prisoners and the like would vary depending on the situation, but it was best to ask to find out. And see what she'd gotten? A list of situations for both, really, and that was something she hadn't expected. Every battle was different, no two were alike, and no one thing that worked in one would assuredly work for another. That's what the tacticians were for, predicting and planning and scheming and plotting to find every possible situation, to find their disadvantages and put their advantages to good use to end a battle quickly in their favor. Battles were like living things, in a way; no two were exactly alike, each was different in its own way, no matter how similar they may seem. Just like nequus, she mused. Best to save those thoughts for later, though.
With a small effort, she pulled herself back to reality in time for the compliment and offered the Master Tactician a charming smile. That was certainly unexpected. Who knew she'd be complimented on her mind simply by asking questions? "Thank you very much, Castor-hellene," she replied gratefully with a respectful dip of her muzzle. "That means a great deal to me. My goal is to do the best job I am capable of to aid the herd in any way." Whether that be planning a battle or fighting one, she'd do whatever necessary for the good of the herd.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:45 am
The tall stallion smiled and nodded to the smaller Hellene. “I am always pleased to hear that. I know it is the sentiment of every member of this herd, but it is good to hear it said aloud nevertheless.” The subtle cues that others seemed to pick up so easily were a great mystery to him, and as such even though intellectually he knew almost everyone felt the same loyalty to the herd he did, he didn’t know it the same way others did unless it was actually stated.
“Do you have any further questions at this moment, Jocasta-hellene?” the Master Tactician asked after a moment. “I am supposed to be rendezvousing with Ignatius-hellene soon and will be on my way if you do not. If you happen to think of other questions at a later date, you are of course free to approach me any time you wish.” She almost certainly knew that, but it made him happier to set it out clearly in words and he doubted the richly coloured mare would actually mind so it was for the best. It was always best to do things that put you at your ease, or so he felt in any case.
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Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 6:40 pm
She bobbed her head in agreement, offering him a small smile as she half-raised a folded wing. "Ah, no - I have no more questions for you, but if I should think of anymore I will come find you for answers. Thank you very much for your time and help, Castor-hellene, and good luck finding Ignatius-hellene. Farewell," she said with another more respectful dip of her muzzle, and she turned to leave. They both had better things to do than stand idly with lengthy, awkward good-byes, and such trifling things always rubbed her the wrong way. It was best to wish luck and say good-byes, then leave. Speaking of wishing luck, she hadn't seen Ignatius yet, and as such didn't know that the Master Tactician probably didn't need much luck in finding the peculiar stallion.
Well, she'd have to make note of the answers she'd been given, and find time to ponder the new information. She doubted she wouldn't have anymore questions for the odd mixed blood, but if any did surface then she knew exactly who to seek out.
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