La Femme Nikita. Adam Samuelle. 083. And.
Title: Checks and Balances
Fandom: La Femme Nikita
Characters: Operations, Madeline; Michael/Simone mentioned
Prompt: 083. And.
Word count: 821
Rating: PGish
Summary: Not your typical wedding present
Author's Notes: Spoilers through mid-Season 3
Checks and Balances
Operations was not happy.
“Did you know about this?”
“Yes. I just heard.”
“We have a problem.”
“Perhaps.”
A pause.
“Which one?” Operations asked, resigned.
“I’m sorry?”
“Which one do we cancel?”
“Neither.”
“Transfer, then.”
“That would be a mistake.”
“No, two Cold Ops being allowed to form emotional ties. That was a mistake. Allowing them to stay married paves the way for disaster.”
“Not necessarily. Actually, we can use this to our advantage.” Madeline had already conjured several scenarios, deciding upon the one that would have both the most positive and negative effect.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Salla Vacek. He has a daughter.”
“Yes. Our intel places her in Western Europe. We’re looking seriously at Great Britain. I know you’re familiar with the profile.”
“I’d like to make a change.”
“Michael? He’s not a Valentine Op.”
“No, but he is trained and has performed well on several Valentine missions.”
“Isn’t he too old for the Vacek girl? She’s what…18 at most? Michael is 26.”
“So is Corliss.”
“Yes, but he looks younger. That’s why he was selected. He blends well into an academic setting.”
“Elena Vacek lost her father when she was very young. I believe she would be attracted to someone older, not a fellow student.”
“Are you trying to say Elena will see Michael as a father-figure?” Operations snorted. “I don’t think so.”
“No,” Madeline smiled. “But she will see him as a father. A father to her children. Michael presents as more mature. He has a younger sister Elena’s age with whom he can have no contact. Elena is an only child with a single parent and no other relatives. She will want a family.”
“And Simone can’t have children,” Operations mused.
“No.”
Another pause.
“However, that doesn’t make her any less...vulnerable.”
“So, you want to use Michael on a Valentine mission to keep Simone in line.”
“Simone and Michael.”
“Both? How so?”
“A blood-cover.”
Operations raised his brow. “Have Michael actually marry the Vacek girl? I know we’ve discussed the idea of a blood-cover in other circumstances, but it’s never been done. Will Michael cooperate?”
“If he wants to keep Simone safe.”
“Simone is a good operative,” Operations stated reluctantly. “She was taking care of herself long before Michael arrived in Section.”
“Yes. But even the best operatives have their weaknesses. Simone’s is Michael.”
“And Michael’s is Simone.”
“Actually, that’s yet to be determined.”
“You’re not sure if Michael is as attached to Simone as she is to him.” Madeline didn’t reply. “And, naturally, you have a test.”
“Naturally.” Madeline smiled again. Operations was suddenly chilled.
“Michael will marry Elena Vacek, and they will have a child. Michael believes his marital vows to Simone are binding. Will he feel less so about those between himself and his child? Particularly a son?”
“I understand, but your speculations are still theoretical. We’ve yet to find the Vacek girl, let alone have her connect with Michael. Besides, sims have put the chance that Vacek will surface for his daughter’s wedding at less than 50%. We’ll overextend one of our best resources with the odds already stacked against a positive outcome.”
“We know that, but Michael doesn’t. Neither does Simone. We’ve not run a sim with Michael slotted in for Corliss. Those odds may change. Regardless, I propose broaching the situation with both of them. Immediately. They will feel as though they are being punished.
“As they should!”
“They will feel as though they are being punished,” Madeline repeated as if Operations hadn’t spoken. “They will blame themselves and, to a lesser degree, each other. There will be some discord, which we will allow to grow. Which we will nurture. And with Simone on Michael’s team...”
“For a blood-cover Valentine mission? That’s classic.” Operations was deeply amused.
He didn’t like Simone. He hadn’t liked her since the day she came to them just months after her 16th birthday. From the moment Michael had finished his training and been put on the same team as Simone, Operations expected trouble. They were too much alike to work well together side by side but, on Madeline’s advice, he’d let the situation play out. Simone has shown no animosity when Michael was promoted to be her Team Leader. On the contrary, they’d gotten married!
“I’m not convinced,” Operations decided. “Michael and Simone, whatever else goes on between them, are a good team. One of the best we’ve ever had. They complement each other in the field; Michael stronger where Simone is weak.”
“And that shouldn’t change. Simone especially knows the consequences of what she and Michael have done, and she will be expecting some sort of punitive action. Simone will fall in line, as she always has. Michael will resist. Initially. Until he is convinced that his actions influence Simone’s performance evaluations.”
“That reminds me. Where are we with Glass Curtain?”
Madeline smiled. Again. And the temperature in the room dropped precipitously.
My prompt table is here.
Fandom: La Femme Nikita
Characters: Operations, Madeline; Michael/Simone mentioned
Prompt: 083. And.
Word count: 821
Rating: PGish
Summary: Not your typical wedding present
Author's Notes: Spoilers through mid-Season 3
Checks and Balances
Operations was not happy.
“Did you know about this?”
“Yes. I just heard.”
“We have a problem.”
“Perhaps.”
A pause.
“Which one?” Operations asked, resigned.
“I’m sorry?”
“Which one do we cancel?”
“Neither.”
“Transfer, then.”
“That would be a mistake.”
“No, two Cold Ops being allowed to form emotional ties. That was a mistake. Allowing them to stay married paves the way for disaster.”
“Not necessarily. Actually, we can use this to our advantage.” Madeline had already conjured several scenarios, deciding upon the one that would have both the most positive and negative effect.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Salla Vacek. He has a daughter.”
“Yes. Our intel places her in Western Europe. We’re looking seriously at Great Britain. I know you’re familiar with the profile.”
“I’d like to make a change.”
“Michael? He’s not a Valentine Op.”
“No, but he is trained and has performed well on several Valentine missions.”
“Isn’t he too old for the Vacek girl? She’s what…18 at most? Michael is 26.”
“So is Corliss.”
“Yes, but he looks younger. That’s why he was selected. He blends well into an academic setting.”
“Elena Vacek lost her father when she was very young. I believe she would be attracted to someone older, not a fellow student.”
“Are you trying to say Elena will see Michael as a father-figure?” Operations snorted. “I don’t think so.”
“No,” Madeline smiled. “But she will see him as a father. A father to her children. Michael presents as more mature. He has a younger sister Elena’s age with whom he can have no contact. Elena is an only child with a single parent and no other relatives. She will want a family.”
“And Simone can’t have children,” Operations mused.
“No.”
Another pause.
“However, that doesn’t make her any less...vulnerable.”
“So, you want to use Michael on a Valentine mission to keep Simone in line.”
“Simone and Michael.”
“Both? How so?”
“A blood-cover.”
Operations raised his brow. “Have Michael actually marry the Vacek girl? I know we’ve discussed the idea of a blood-cover in other circumstances, but it’s never been done. Will Michael cooperate?”
“If he wants to keep Simone safe.”
“Simone is a good operative,” Operations stated reluctantly. “She was taking care of herself long before Michael arrived in Section.”
“Yes. But even the best operatives have their weaknesses. Simone’s is Michael.”
“And Michael’s is Simone.”
“Actually, that’s yet to be determined.”
“You’re not sure if Michael is as attached to Simone as she is to him.” Madeline didn’t reply. “And, naturally, you have a test.”
“Naturally.” Madeline smiled again. Operations was suddenly chilled.
“Michael will marry Elena Vacek, and they will have a child. Michael believes his marital vows to Simone are binding. Will he feel less so about those between himself and his child? Particularly a son?”
“I understand, but your speculations are still theoretical. We’ve yet to find the Vacek girl, let alone have her connect with Michael. Besides, sims have put the chance that Vacek will surface for his daughter’s wedding at less than 50%. We’ll overextend one of our best resources with the odds already stacked against a positive outcome.”
“We know that, but Michael doesn’t. Neither does Simone. We’ve not run a sim with Michael slotted in for Corliss. Those odds may change. Regardless, I propose broaching the situation with both of them. Immediately. They will feel as though they are being punished.
“As they should!”
“They will feel as though they are being punished,” Madeline repeated as if Operations hadn’t spoken. “They will blame themselves and, to a lesser degree, each other. There will be some discord, which we will allow to grow. Which we will nurture. And with Simone on Michael’s team...”
“For a blood-cover Valentine mission? That’s classic.” Operations was deeply amused.
He didn’t like Simone. He hadn’t liked her since the day she came to them just months after her 16th birthday. From the moment Michael had finished his training and been put on the same team as Simone, Operations expected trouble. They were too much alike to work well together side by side but, on Madeline’s advice, he’d let the situation play out. Simone has shown no animosity when Michael was promoted to be her Team Leader. On the contrary, they’d gotten married!
“I’m not convinced,” Operations decided. “Michael and Simone, whatever else goes on between them, are a good team. One of the best we’ve ever had. They complement each other in the field; Michael stronger where Simone is weak.”
“And that shouldn’t change. Simone especially knows the consequences of what she and Michael have done, and she will be expecting some sort of punitive action. Simone will fall in line, as she always has. Michael will resist. Initially. Until he is convinced that his actions influence Simone’s performance evaluations.”
“That reminds me. Where are we with Glass Curtain?”
Madeline smiled. Again. And the temperature in the room dropped precipitously.
My prompt table is here.