{To start with, I think rather than rambling on like a loon for four hours, I'll try and break everything down into my headcanons for each of the major players in Archer's canon Rocket. Please keep in mind that these are based on my personal headspace for each character, not on anyone else's representation of their character and that this should in no way reflect another's iteration of the character. This is strictly those NPCs which exist around him as part of the story I have brewing for him. So, without further ado and in no particular order...

Ariana - The first person Archer called after news broke that Giovanni was arrested, Ariana is the only other person Archer trusts implicitly with the organization and operation of Rocket as a whole. It was a joint decision to keep Rocket running in secret and migrate to Johto, although it was mostly Archer's idea. He couldn't let Rocket die entirely as it served him far better than any attempt at a normal life after its destruction would. However, as Ariana so rightly pointed out, Archer was not cut out to run the whole thing on his own. Rocket had always had its individual segments run by their trusted Administrators and as someone who'd only ever operated within one of those segments, he was ill-suited to keeping Rocket afloat alone. It's not often Archer accepts that he's out of his depth-- let alone admits it-- but he gladly welcomed Ariana's assistance in heading the organization as it fled to nearby shores.

Although they both professed that their leadership was temporary-- Interim Bosses and not Bosses proper-- Archer has absolutely no intention whatsoever of ever handing Rocket back to Giovanni except under very specific circumstances. He would rather see Rocket return to dust than let it be run again by the man who he views as having betrayed them all. Ariana, on the other hand, is very adamant about returning leadership to Giovanni and she poses the only hitherto known threat to Archer's designs on keeping Rocket out of Giovanni's hands for good. They clash at times because of this-- although Archer keeps his designs a secret, Ariana has a nose for his true intentions and always pushes him to do things the way Giovanni would have-- but don't let their spats get in the way of keeping things running smoothly.

Ariana is more likely to return former Rockets back into the family. In addition to being Archer's equal as far as rank is concerned, Ariana acts as more or less the head of whatever counts as Rocket's HR department-- seeing to interpersonal issues within the organization, some recruitment, settling disputes, putting members to their best use-- she is the 'face' of Rocket's internal aspects and does her job exceptionally well. For all their disagreements, Archer is incredibly grateful to have her and never speaks ill of her to others even when angered or frustrated with her.

Proton - Proton was actually one of the first people Archer recruited in Johto. He was the leader of the largest, most violent and brutal (but also most successful) underground gang on Johto's shores. They were something of a problem when Rocket first made their moves on territory in Goldenrod. Despite their best efforts, Rocket's men usually returned to their temporary headquarters in either body bags or on stretchers and Archer found himself facing his first real obstacle in reestablishing Rocket's former glory.

He arranged a meeting with Proton in the hopes of arranging a cessation of conflict, only to find himself on the receiving end of a butterfly knife in the dark. The wound was superficial-- as Archer soon learned was the object of the attack-- and as he knelt in the alleyway, bleeding all over his hands and uniform, he came face to face with the one who would soon become known as the scariest and cruelest member of Team Rocket.

Proton wasn't an unreasonable man and he recognized Archer for who he was. He was familiar with Giovanni and Rocket's operations in Kanto and, despite the knife wound in Archer's belly, he was interested to know what Archer wanted. With nothing else left to him but the hopes of getting out of the encounter alive, the Interim Boss laid his plans out and made the situation plain: Archer wanted to recruit Proton and his entire gang into Rocket proper. He had no intention of moving in on his operations or putting restrictions on them. He would give Proton complete control over his own men and even pay him and give him a high-ranking position for his effort. Archer knew he needed a man like Proton on his side, not to mention the numbers of his gang, if he wanted to succeed in Johto and he was willing to offer quite a bit to get what he wanted. Proton mulled it over, helped Archer hobble his way to the nearest hospital, and when they left together, they did so as budding comrades.

Proton, as though he were the inverse of Archer, heads the darker, seedier underbelly of Rocket's machinations. While, yes, he is in charge of things like interrogation and rooting out corruption wherever Archer might assume there is any, he also acts as the face of Rocket on the street. Where Ariana recruits former Rockets, Proton recruits or absorbs what remains of the gangs running around Johto's streets. With the exception of the scientific research and experimentation sides of Rocket's illicit activities, if it's illegal, Proton is most likely at the helm. He and Archer have something of a mutual respect for one another and, although Archer is convinced he's a little too hotheaded at times, he is also aware that without Proton, Rocket would have died as soon as it left Kanto.

Petrel - Like Proton, Petrel was recruited off the streets of Johto. Although it was Proton who actually brought him into the fold, it was Archer who put him into an Executive position. Despite his laidback, easygoing attitude with those he doesn't consider a threat, Petrel is exceptionally skilled at both espionage and drug-running. Where Archer and Ariana act as the frontward facing leaders of what Rocket gets up to topside, Petrel and Proton are equal in running everything else. From drug dens full of opium and prostitutes to underground rings full of dogfights and Pokemon trafficking, Petrel runs it all and does so with a finely-tuned finesse that is belied by his seemingly lazy, incompetent behavior.

Archer and Petrel get along about as well as a recently-bathed cat and a dopey dog looking to play, but Archer cannot-- and will not-- deny his abilities and fortitude. Petrel tends to be the friendly face to all those in Rocket-- even Archer from time to time-- and oftentimes acts as the glue that keeps everyone from being at each other's throats on their worst days. He's quick with a smile and a drink to lift your spirits and although Archer wishes he would be a little less lackadaisical, he is just at grateful for him as he is for Proton and Ariana.