Operation Citadel

Chapter Two

Felicity's First Job

Growing up, my brother was everything to me. After the death of my mother, my father threw himself into work. Brendan always said it was because Father was so heartbroken over mother, but I could never ask Father about it. Saying the word "Mother" or "Dinah" was an offense bad enough to be sent to my room without supper. Mother was dead, and it seemed the only way for Father to deal with it was to forget her.

When I was seven, Father got recruited into some super secret weapons project. He didn't tell us anything about it, and Brendan and I knew better than to ask.

Our father was… a strict man. I'm fairly certain he loved us, but we weren't his top priority. He very much subscribed to the theory that the man is the head of the household and the disciplinarian. Brendan and I were mainly reared by a series of nannies (Father could always find the faults of a person and was very vocal when he did, so none of them lasted very long.) I could probably name four of the nannies if I really tried, but they blended together after a while. They were there to cook, clean, and make sure Brendan and I didn't burn the house down.

…You accidentally set one couch on fire at age eight, and suddenly "Felicity's an arsonist who must be watched 24/7!" And Luke wondered why I never learned how to cook until he taught me. Then again, I did manage to set water on fire during one of our cooking lessons (there was oil involved.)

The nannies weren't there to be my mother; they weren't even there to care about me. I don't remember a single one playing with me, reading to me, or teaching me anything. Now that's not to rag on nannies, I think they do work if you get the right one. Heck, Luke and I had a nanny for Rey when I went away for a few months to get treatment for my postpartum depression (yes, it was that bad.) My point is that I did not truly have parents growing up.

But what I did have was Brendan.

Like I said, Brendan was my everything. He taught me to read, how to tie my shoes and dress myself, told me epic stories of the Clone Wars, and played both Stormtrooper and fairy princess with me (sometimes even at the same time.) He taught me to drive a speeder, had campouts with me in the yard complete with tent and campfire, and mended my first broken heart (Damn you, Farren Otorn from fourth grade.) He helped me sneak cookies before dinner, trained me in the art of sarcasm and messing with people, and taught me how to do my hair for fancy occasions (which is why 85% of the time a bun is my go-to fancy/professional hair style. This is what happens when you learn hairstyling from a man with four inches of hair.)

Brendan was my best friend. He was more a father to me than Alaric ever was, and continues to affect my life even long after his death.

He was secret in his dislike of the Empire; so secret that neither Father nor I ever caught on to his defiance during his lifetime. For all his rebelliousness and doubt of the Empire, Brendan was a model student. One hell of a pilot, Brendan was recruited early on to be a student of the Imperial Academy in the Future Imperial Cadets program.

The academy was on Coruscant, so Brendan was able to stay home with me (Father was starting to make more and more business trips.) Although scouted as a pilot, Brendan would have to be a Stormtrooper for five years before he could get into a TIE Fighter. Father was fiercely proud when Brendan was presented with his first set of Stormtrooper armor, while I just teased him over how hard it would be to keep clean.

But there was one thing I didn't account for when Brendan graduated from the Academy at age 19… I suddenly was going to be home alone. Brendan was shipped off to Mandalore to keep the peace as best he could (it was a miracle that wasn't the tour of duty that killed him) while Father was off at his super secret weapons job. I was a few months from my fifteenth birthday when Brendan got shipped out, and Father wasn't delighted with the idea of his fourteen-year-old living alone.

So his brilliant idea was for me to get a job.

… Yeah, somehow I had to find a job that provided room, board, adult supervision, and flexible enough hours for me to still go to school, because hey, I was kind of only fourteen.

Luckily, there was someone willing to provide exactly that.

I'm not sure how Bail Organa managed to get Alaric Rhiaon aware of the open position. Granted it had been tailored specifically for me to get it, but Bail wouldn't just walk up to my father and say "can I hire your daughter that I shouldn't know is looking for employment?" Yet somehow my father decided I should apply to be the assistant of Bail Organa's newly thirteen-year-old daughter who was trying to break into politics (I know it sounds ridiculous, but hey, her mother was a Queen at fourteen.)

You see, although Bail genuinely needed an assistant for Leia, the job was specifically targeted to entrap me. The Rebellion had learned that my father's super secret job was developing a weapon called The Death Star. They needed a way to spy on him, and getting his Empire fanatic daughter (don't judge me, I was young and didn't know any better) under Bail Organa's employment was the perfect way to do it.

Of course, the only question was, was I capable to do the job of an assistant?

"Deep breath, Sis," Brendan instructed with a smirk, rubbing Felicity's shoulder like he was a couch about to send his pupil into a fighting ring. "You can totally do this."

"Your brother's right," Alaric's tone was as formal and strict and prideful as ever. "Rhiaons are born leaders and can face any challenge. You walk right in that office and tell them, I am Felicity Rhiaon, daughter of Lieutenant Alaric Rhiaon, and you will give me this job because there is no other more skilled person for this position."

"Father, it's a personal aide position, not marching into the front line of a battlefield," Felicity rolled her eyes.

Alaric narrowed his eyes, "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

Felicity's posture instinctually straightened, "No, Sir."

"Good," Alaric warned.

Felicity knew not to look her father in the eyes. She stared straight ahead as Alaric opened the door to the offices of the Senator of Alderaan, and approached the reception desk. Felicity made no move to follow, waiting for her father to signal his permission.

Then she caught sight of Brendan barely containing laughter.

"What?" Felicity demanded.

Brendan snorted, "Fliss, I don't talk to my commanding officer with such formality."

"Well, is your commanding officer as terrifying as Alaric Rhiaon?" Felicity shot.

Brendan opened his mouth and then paused.

"Well… no," Brendan admitted. "… Huh."

"What?" Felicity frowned at the odd look on her brother's face.

"Well, you'd think with how afraid of him we are, he'd been beating us or something. But he's just kind of, well… difficult?"

"Difficult?"

"Well, I could say he has a stick lodged up his-"

"Brendan!" Felicity chastised.

"Sorry," Brendan grinned at her. "Well, now what?"

"Well, we've been saying well a lot," Felicity teased, "so I think we need to stop."

"Well, it looks like you're right."

"Knock it off," Felicity jokingly punched Brendan on the shoulder.

"Make me, Shortstack," Brendan suddenly grabbed his sister in a playful headlock.

Felicity squealed but couldn't hide her joy, "Brendan, let me go! Come on, it took me an hour to do my hair and makeup, don't you dare mess it up!"

At that moment the door suddenly slid open.

Alaric was telling Bail Organa, "As you can see, my daughter is a refined, professional, respectable, model-"

"Let me go, Brendan!" Felicity gave another teasing shout, unaware that her father and future employer had just walked in.

"Never," Brendan cried out in triumph, equally oblivious to the situation.

"Are these yours?" Bail Organa had a smile on his face, entertained by the grappling brother and sister Alaric Rhiaon had boasted such refinement of.

Alaric's face was filling with red, and it even looked like his eye was twitching, "Children!"

Felicity and Brendan looked up and their grins froze on their faces. Brendan instantly dropped Felicity and she landed face first on the ground particularly inelegantly.

"This is Senator Bail Organa," Alaric introduced, his teeth gritted so hard it might require dental work afterwards. He gestured to Felicity, "And the girl on the floor is my daughter, Felicity Rhiaon."

Felicity meekly lifted herself up and looked at her future employer, "Nice to meet you."

Bail chuckled, "I have the feeling the pleasure's going to be all mine."

While my introduction to Bail Organa was a disaster, my interview wasn't a whole lot better. Sure, I answered his questions well enough, but my lack of experience in anything really hindered my answers. But the worst part had to have been the last question he asked.

As Bail Organa sat across the grand mahogany desk from Felicity, she nervously tried not to twiddled the thumbs of her tightly clasped hands. Bail had taken a break from the questions to type a few notes into his computer. Felicity wanted nothing more than to grab and turn the monitor to face her so she could read all the comments which she knew had to just be multiple lines of "This girl is insane. Why am I still talking to her?"

"Alright, Miss Rhiaon," Bail turned back to his interviewee. "Final question."

Felicity immediately straightened her posture.

"Hit me," Felicity smiled wide, and then winced as the unprofessionalism of her words hit her. "I mean… yes?"

Bail chuckled, "Miss Rhiaon, you are fourteen years old. I'm not going to penalize you for not being professional 24/7. In fact, being that way would reduce your chances of getting this position."

Felicity frowned, "It would?"

"Miss Rhiaon, do you know what job you're interviewing for it?"

Felicity gave a sheepish smile, "Something about an assistant?"

Bail chuckled again, "Personal Aide is the official title, but that's not quite the job. Miss Rhiaon, my daughter, Leia is passionate about politics, but she is also very young. I can do whatever I can to help her, but I'm not always going to be there. What this job is, is to basically ensure my daughter always has someone looking out for her. Think about it like the Handmaiden of a Queen of Naboo. Do you know what those are?"

Felicity nodded, "Of course. I learned all about Queen Amidala in school. She was a glorious hero for the Empire."

Something froze in Bail's expression, "She was?"

"Of course," Felicity replied. "She made the vote of no confidence that put the Emperor into the position of Chancellor. Do you not know about her?"

"I know about Padmé Amidala," There was a hint of sadness in Bail's voice. "She was a colleague of mine, and a very dear friend."

Plus he was also secretly raising her lovechild with Darth Vader as his own daughter, but Bail wasn't about to announce that to Felicity.

"Leia is very fond of Padmé Amidala," Bail continued. "Perhaps you and she would find joy in discussing her."

Felicity shrugged, "I'm always up for some Padmé Amidala chat."

Bail looked at Felicity.

"Sorry," Felicity bowed her head. "I gotta get better at this professionalism. So, what were you saying about this job?"

"It's like a handmaiden of a Queen of Naboo," Bail explained. "Think of it as one third bodyguard, one third assistant, and one third salaried best friend."

"Bodyguard?" Felicity was caught off guard. "Like I'd have to take a blast for her… Not that that would be a problem but-"

"Leia does have security officers," Bail assured. "But if something does happen, yes, we would like you to be the last line of defense. Now, don't worry, we'll get you the permits and train you how to shoot a blaster-"

"Oh, I know how to use a blaster."

Bail looked surprised, "You do?"

Felicity jerked her head at the door to the reception area where Brendan and Alaric were waiting, "My brother taught me. He's a Stormtrooper. We've spent every weekend at the firing range for the past four years."

"Are you any good?"

"Well, I don't like to brag, but… You know what, that's an outright lie. I love to brag. I'm a heck of a shot."

"Heck of a shot?" Bail said in what Felicity suspected was a teasing tone.

"I could have said hell," Felicity pointed out.

"You're learning, Miss Rhiaon," Bail chuckled and rose to his feet. He pulled his blaster from his belt and held it out to Felicity, "Here. Show me how good you are."

Felicity was stunned, afraid to take the blaster, "You're not serious? This is a government building and you're asking a fourteen-year-old to shoot something?"

Bail pressed the button to his intercom, "Sheltay, I'm having Miss Rhiaon demonstrate her blaster skills. Can you deal with any concerns from Security?"

"Yes, Sir," Sheltay, Bail's aide replied a minute later.

"We should be fine," Bail told Felicity. He thrust the blaster at Felicity, "Take it."

Felicity hesitated but accepted it. She took a few minutes to examine the blaster and test the feel and function of it.

"A good model," Felicity held up the blaster and pretended to aim at a piece of artwork hanging from the wall.

"If you like it, we can get you the same model," Bail replied. "There's permits we'll have to get you first, of course."

"Of course," Felicity lowered the weapon. "So what do you want me to hit?"

Bail looked around the room, "How about the bust of the Emperor over in the corner?"

Felicity nearly dropped the weapon, "Senator, that's treason! I can't defame the image of the Emperor!"

"It's the biggest inconsequential object in the room, it's out of the way, and it makes a good target," Bail pointed out the logic of the situation. "Besides, I didn't even pick it out. They issued those busts to every office whether we want one or not."

"And you don't?" Felicity was confused.

Bail gave a mysterious smile, "Who said I didn't? Now come on, I won't tell anyone you did it."

Felicity hesitated, "Alright, but just one shot."

"Show me what you've got, Miss Rhiaon."

Felicity took a deep breath and raised the blaster at the bust of the Emperor. Her hands shook slightly; a part of her was screaming that this was wrong. Yet oddly, even deeper down, a part was screaming at her that this was right. She took another breath and her hands steadied. She flipped off the safety, aimed the blaster, and pulled the trigger.

She hit the dead center of the Emperor's forehead.

"Well then," Bail grinned at Felicity, "I think this is going to work out very well for us. I just have to ask you that final interview question, and I want you to be completely honest with me."

"Shoot," Felicity placed Bail's blaster on his desk.

Bail asked, "Miss Rhiaon, what is your honest opinion on politics?"

"Well, they are a vital part of running our governmental system, and after much careful study of political theory and observation of the working man, we can really use them to better-"

"Miss Rhiaon," Bail interrupted. "Your honest opinion."

"They are the most boring thing in the entire world," Felicity deadpanned.

"Miss Rhiaon," Bail held out his hand, "you've got the job."

Felicity's jaw dropped, "You're joking!"

"We'll work out the specifics later in regards to your education arrangements and travel expenses, but I think you'll be a very good foil and friend to my daughter, Leia."

"Oh thank you!" Felicity unthinkingly grabbed Bail Organa in a hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"You are most welcome," Bail gave a pat on her back, too amused by Felicity Rhiaon to point out for unprofessionalism. "Now, this isn't a done deal yet. Tomorrow there's a session of the Senate and I would like you to attend it with my daughter alone. That way we can see how you two interact without my influence. Just be yourself and show up here at Eight Standard Hours."

"Yes, Sir!" Felicity grinned. Then she realised her inappropriate hugging. "Sorry."

"Think nothing of it," Bail chuckled. "Now go tell your family the good news."

"See you tomorrow!" Felicity ran out the door.

A few seconds later he heard the commotion of what only could be Brendan and Alaric Rhiaon congratulating Felicity on getting the job. The reception area was filled with the chatter of the Rhiaon family for several minutes, and Bail patiently waited, sat at his desk, for the Rhiaons to leave.

"The Rhiaons are gone," Sheltay's voice came over the system when the reception area had gone quiet.

"Thank you, Sheltay." Bail then commed another officer, containing a Senator who was a close, personal friend of his. "Senator Mothma? I've got Rhiaon."

"Very good, Senator Organa," Mon Mothma congratulated. "We're one step closer to stopping the Empire and their terrible weapon."

"There's just one small detail we haven't settled yet."

"And what's that?"

"Whether Leia and Felicity will like each other."

There was a long pause, "Senator, are you telling me that the fate of the galaxy rests on two teenaged girls liking each other?"

"Yes, yes it is."

"Force help us all."