THE COREWARD SOLDIER
—The premier dataprint for coreward service-beings all throughout Republic space.
EVERYDAY HEROES: DANNETH TARN
By Cora Shaltir"I thought it would be impossible to find an everyday hero to top last week’s exciting interview with Major Clyyrg’rah, stationed in an undisclosed location. However, thanks to a timely tip from the boys of the 29th Anaxsi Defense Squadron “the Flyhards”, I think it’s safe to say that I have a treat for you today!
This week, I met with Danneth Tarn, Captain in the Republic Fleet. We sat down over a thermos of Chandrillian Herb Tea; I wondered why he didn’t pick something a bit more apropos, like a nice Corellian whiskey, but before I had a chance to ask he politely explained that unless his crewers were on leave with him he denied himself the pleasures of alcohol.
At first glance, my impression was that “the Flyhards” were really “blowhards”!
At 152 cm., that is, slightly taller than an astromech droid, with jowly cheeks, a slight paunch and a quickly receding hairline that’s turning grey even quicker, Captain Tarn wasn’t exactly the poster-boy for Republic recruitment. After seeing Major Clyyrg’rah’s lightning filled orbs, Captain Tarn’s eyes were shockingly boring and brown. His nose is too long, his ears too wide, his forehead too sloping, and his skin is red and pale and blotchy, probably from too many years spent in orbit.
Overall, as he sat there, quietly sipping his tea, I got the impression of a man who belonged behind a desk, rather than on the battlefront. I was half tempted to excuse myself right then, but I felt like I owed it to the boys of the 29th to stick around for a few more sips. So I decided to take a closer look.
Readers, I’ll tell you now, don’t judge a datapad by its lining!
When I started paying closer attention, I got the feeling of something more intangible…more metaphysical about the man. Short and stocky, no doubt, but, despite his size, Captain Tarn seems to dominate the space around him. The grey sprinkled in his hair and the white of his impeccable mustachios speak to a man who has survived anything that military life could throw his way. His eyes, while plain, have depth to them, and rightly so, as they have seen much. Even his features provide him with a more human, sympathetic dimension; after all, who identifies with perfection? Then I noticed his uniform. It was trim and spotless, no badge out of place, no decoration missing. The blaster at his waist sparkled, all of his equipment was in tip-top shape. Apparently, Captain Tarn wasn’t the sort who thought about glamour, but he did seem to care about an efficient image!
But enough about all of that; I don’t want you readers thinking I spent the whole interview ogling the poor man. I asked him to say a few things about himself and where he came from: he started with a laugh.
‘Well, Miss Shaltir, what can I say…I was born on Anaxes, fifty…six,’ he paused to tick off a few fingers, ‘yes, fifty-six years ago. My father worked for the planetary constabulary and he met my mother while on patrol, I came along shortly thereafter. We had a very pleasant life, although, sometimes my father’s work kept him out of the home for days. It was a strain—’ he cut himself short and laughed again, “oh, what am I complaining about, I do the same thing to my wife!’
I asked him when he first wanted to become a soldier:
‘Oh, early…very early. Even as a child, I wanted to do something similar to what my father did,’ he crinkled his forehead, deep in thought, “my father always taught me the importance of doing your duty, he told me that there was a thing called honor. Most of all, he said that it was the job of everyone, not just the police, to defend the laws—that’s probably what inspired me most, because, as an officer, I see myself not just a defender of the people, but a defender of law.
‘Then I went to the Academy. It’s ancient history, so I don’t mind telling you that I didn’t like it at all.’
I pointed out that Anaxsi have a long and noble tradition of authority problems.
He quickly protested, ‘that was certainly part of it, but not all of it. I was an intellectual soldier…I spent most of my time in the library, reading texts about ancient warlords. I didn’t seem to fit the soldierly mold. Also, I was something of a loner.
‘In any case, I survived the Academy and walked out with my head high and a Lieutenancy to my name. They stationed me on Coruscant, and thus I incurred a debt to the Republic Navy which I will never repay.’
I wasn’t tracking. He laughed again, and I swear that I saw a twinkle in his eye.
‘I met my wife on Coruscant. The third day after my arrival. One of my mess-mates insisted that I see Selonia At Dawn at the Coruscanti Opera House. The Prima Ballerina was Adal Asama and she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Selonia ran for eight weekends and I didn’t miss a single show. My seat was middle-left, the best angle of the ballerinas. On closing night, I snuck backstage and proposed to Adal.
Awwww…
‘She shot me down,’ he cackled, delighted, ‘crashed and burnt. Anyways, the show traveled and I didn’t see Adal again for three years, but I wrote to her every week of those three years. When the troupe finally came back to Coruscant, I had just been promoted to Commander. I proposed again and this time I was right on target…without a doubt, the happiest time of my life.’
After that, we moved away from personal talk and into his military career.
‘Commander was the big break for me. I had been starving for a command while planetside, and I had it at last. They gave me a frigate, dropped me in the Expansion Region and told me to look for pirates. I found them in staggering numbers. Of course, I completely disagreed with the High Command on how to go about pirate hunting. They were convinced that I should root out their base of operations and then neutralize it. I had some experience with pirate groups and I tried to explain that they usually used mobile headquarters, or had a number of them throughout the sector.
‘It was frustrating. I distinctly remember one example when I was pursuing a small bandit force in the Trestis sector. It was almost exactly the same as an ancient battle I had read about where the larger fleet chased the smaller clear across an ocean, only to find themselves staring at a fortress. So I stopped.’
I pointed out that that was dereliction of duty.
‘Yes, I imagine it was. And I’m sure I would’ve been punished severely, had I not baited the pirates out of their stronghold and then dealt them a crushing blow. Happily, High Command was only interested in results. That’s what gave me my Captaincy. And then…” he drew a deep sigh and his face clouded over, ‘I was immediately dispatched to Kira IV with a battle-group. I had orders to quell a rebellion there.
‘The issue was…complicated…a powerful corporation, which will remain unnamed, had interests on the planet. Their employees had been striking for months and it had turned violent. Or, at least that’s what they told the Senate. In reality, when we arrived, we found squalid working conditions…practically no shelter and barely enough food to go around. In my opinion, they had every right to revolt. We made a report, but this particular company had lobbied quite hard and quite effectively. The orders stood to disperse the workers, by force if necessary.’
He paused for a few moments, as if to collect himself, and I was afraid he wouldn’t finish.
‘…we managed to convince the workers to surrender peacefully, in the hopes that they would negotiate a new contract—nothing ever came of that. It was the most shameful moment of my life. The wanted to promote me for “handling the crisis”, but I refused…”
I could tell that it was a painful subject, so I tried to steer it another direction. I asked him about now, the Alsakans, the war and how he was getting on.
‘It’s a bad business…there have been atrocities and foolish mistakes which have embittered the struggle. I don’t see it ended any time soon. The Alsakan’s have made some blunders, but they are tenacious and driven; I fear they will continue to fight until we take the war to their homes—something I have little stomach for.
‘One thing I am glad for is my crewers. I’m lucky to have them really, the brightest and bravest generation yet, I’m sure. They call me the “old man” when they think I’m out of earshot…I can’t tell if it’s out of respect or if they’re mocking me. I just hope I can give them as good an account as they’ve given me so far.’
That seemed as good a place as any, so I asked if Captain Tarn had any closing remarks. This is what he said:
‘All of you, serving now, flung across the galaxy and far from your homes, never forget that you are fighting on the side of justice. I’ve seen a lot in my years, and from time to time my faith in the Republic has been shaken, but it has always come out stronger. We’re winning this war, so keep going, we still need that last measure of strength. The hope of law-abiding and freedom loving people everywhere is with you…and may the Force be with you too.’
You heard the man: an everyday hero, just like you, serving on the front lines. So to all of you longing for hearth and home in the Core, good night, and may the Force be with all of you.”
This week, I met with Danneth Tarn, Captain in the Republic Fleet. We sat down over a thermos of Chandrillian Herb Tea; I wondered why he didn’t pick something a bit more apropos, like a nice Corellian whiskey, but before I had a chance to ask he politely explained that unless his crewers were on leave with him he denied himself the pleasures of alcohol.
At first glance, my impression was that “the Flyhards” were really “blowhards”!
At 152 cm., that is, slightly taller than an astromech droid, with jowly cheeks, a slight paunch and a quickly receding hairline that’s turning grey even quicker, Captain Tarn wasn’t exactly the poster-boy for Republic recruitment. After seeing Major Clyyrg’rah’s lightning filled orbs, Captain Tarn’s eyes were shockingly boring and brown. His nose is too long, his ears too wide, his forehead too sloping, and his skin is red and pale and blotchy, probably from too many years spent in orbit.
Overall, as he sat there, quietly sipping his tea, I got the impression of a man who belonged behind a desk, rather than on the battlefront. I was half tempted to excuse myself right then, but I felt like I owed it to the boys of the 29th to stick around for a few more sips. So I decided to take a closer look.
Readers, I’ll tell you now, don’t judge a datapad by its lining!
When I started paying closer attention, I got the feeling of something more intangible…more metaphysical about the man. Short and stocky, no doubt, but, despite his size, Captain Tarn seems to dominate the space around him. The grey sprinkled in his hair and the white of his impeccable mustachios speak to a man who has survived anything that military life could throw his way. His eyes, while plain, have depth to them, and rightly so, as they have seen much. Even his features provide him with a more human, sympathetic dimension; after all, who identifies with perfection? Then I noticed his uniform. It was trim and spotless, no badge out of place, no decoration missing. The blaster at his waist sparkled, all of his equipment was in tip-top shape. Apparently, Captain Tarn wasn’t the sort who thought about glamour, but he did seem to care about an efficient image!
But enough about all of that; I don’t want you readers thinking I spent the whole interview ogling the poor man. I asked him to say a few things about himself and where he came from: he started with a laugh.
‘Well, Miss Shaltir, what can I say…I was born on Anaxes, fifty…six,’ he paused to tick off a few fingers, ‘yes, fifty-six years ago. My father worked for the planetary constabulary and he met my mother while on patrol, I came along shortly thereafter. We had a very pleasant life, although, sometimes my father’s work kept him out of the home for days. It was a strain—’ he cut himself short and laughed again, “oh, what am I complaining about, I do the same thing to my wife!’
I asked him when he first wanted to become a soldier:
‘Oh, early…very early. Even as a child, I wanted to do something similar to what my father did,’ he crinkled his forehead, deep in thought, “my father always taught me the importance of doing your duty, he told me that there was a thing called honor. Most of all, he said that it was the job of everyone, not just the police, to defend the laws—that’s probably what inspired me most, because, as an officer, I see myself not just a defender of the people, but a defender of law.
‘Then I went to the Academy. It’s ancient history, so I don’t mind telling you that I didn’t like it at all.’
I pointed out that Anaxsi have a long and noble tradition of authority problems.
He quickly protested, ‘that was certainly part of it, but not all of it. I was an intellectual soldier…I spent most of my time in the library, reading texts about ancient warlords. I didn’t seem to fit the soldierly mold. Also, I was something of a loner.
‘In any case, I survived the Academy and walked out with my head high and a Lieutenancy to my name. They stationed me on Coruscant, and thus I incurred a debt to the Republic Navy which I will never repay.’
I wasn’t tracking. He laughed again, and I swear that I saw a twinkle in his eye.
‘I met my wife on Coruscant. The third day after my arrival. One of my mess-mates insisted that I see Selonia At Dawn at the Coruscanti Opera House. The Prima Ballerina was Adal Asama and she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Selonia ran for eight weekends and I didn’t miss a single show. My seat was middle-left, the best angle of the ballerinas. On closing night, I snuck backstage and proposed to Adal.
Awwww…
‘She shot me down,’ he cackled, delighted, ‘crashed and burnt. Anyways, the show traveled and I didn’t see Adal again for three years, but I wrote to her every week of those three years. When the troupe finally came back to Coruscant, I had just been promoted to Commander. I proposed again and this time I was right on target…without a doubt, the happiest time of my life.’
After that, we moved away from personal talk and into his military career.
‘Commander was the big break for me. I had been starving for a command while planetside, and I had it at last. They gave me a frigate, dropped me in the Expansion Region and told me to look for pirates. I found them in staggering numbers. Of course, I completely disagreed with the High Command on how to go about pirate hunting. They were convinced that I should root out their base of operations and then neutralize it. I had some experience with pirate groups and I tried to explain that they usually used mobile headquarters, or had a number of them throughout the sector.
‘It was frustrating. I distinctly remember one example when I was pursuing a small bandit force in the Trestis sector. It was almost exactly the same as an ancient battle I had read about where the larger fleet chased the smaller clear across an ocean, only to find themselves staring at a fortress. So I stopped.’
I pointed out that that was dereliction of duty.
‘Yes, I imagine it was. And I’m sure I would’ve been punished severely, had I not baited the pirates out of their stronghold and then dealt them a crushing blow. Happily, High Command was only interested in results. That’s what gave me my Captaincy. And then…” he drew a deep sigh and his face clouded over, ‘I was immediately dispatched to Kira IV with a battle-group. I had orders to quell a rebellion there.
‘The issue was…complicated…a powerful corporation, which will remain unnamed, had interests on the planet. Their employees had been striking for months and it had turned violent. Or, at least that’s what they told the Senate. In reality, when we arrived, we found squalid working conditions…practically no shelter and barely enough food to go around. In my opinion, they had every right to revolt. We made a report, but this particular company had lobbied quite hard and quite effectively. The orders stood to disperse the workers, by force if necessary.’
He paused for a few moments, as if to collect himself, and I was afraid he wouldn’t finish.
‘…we managed to convince the workers to surrender peacefully, in the hopes that they would negotiate a new contract—nothing ever came of that. It was the most shameful moment of my life. The wanted to promote me for “handling the crisis”, but I refused…”
I could tell that it was a painful subject, so I tried to steer it another direction. I asked him about now, the Alsakans, the war and how he was getting on.
‘It’s a bad business…there have been atrocities and foolish mistakes which have embittered the struggle. I don’t see it ended any time soon. The Alsakan’s have made some blunders, but they are tenacious and driven; I fear they will continue to fight until we take the war to their homes—something I have little stomach for.
‘One thing I am glad for is my crewers. I’m lucky to have them really, the brightest and bravest generation yet, I’m sure. They call me the “old man” when they think I’m out of earshot…I can’t tell if it’s out of respect or if they’re mocking me. I just hope I can give them as good an account as they’ve given me so far.’
That seemed as good a place as any, so I asked if Captain Tarn had any closing remarks. This is what he said:
‘All of you, serving now, flung across the galaxy and far from your homes, never forget that you are fighting on the side of justice. I’ve seen a lot in my years, and from time to time my faith in the Republic has been shaken, but it has always come out stronger. We’re winning this war, so keep going, we still need that last measure of strength. The hope of law-abiding and freedom loving people everywhere is with you…and may the Force be with you too.’
You heard the man: an everyday hero, just like you, serving on the front lines. So to all of you longing for hearth and home in the Core, good night, and may the Force be with all of you.”
OOC: I was going for a newspapery feel. Too much?
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