A Changing Face

Posted on Sun Mar 10th, 2024 @ 3:22am by Princess Royal Giana Orsini & Empress Cosima Orsini & Richard Ramsay Ph.D & CJ Zajak

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: The Pyramid
Timeline: Date 2371-09-10 at 1730
7009 words - 14 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

After visiting with CJ, Giana had returned to her apartment to wait for a little while and then make sure her look was touched up for her meeting with the regents. There would be a lot to discuss and hopefully they would stick to what plans they had already decided upon instead of someone suddenly having a change of heart. She checked her light lipstick in the mirror and, satisfied, turned and left her room.

She knew exactly what she needed to do and while she had steeled herself for whatever reaction Ramsay was going to have, she wasn’t sure it would end up being enough. She just had to hope. It seemed like that was all they were doing the past week… hoping. Hoping her father would wake up, hoping she could get to Giuseppe, hoping the people would see wisdom and celebrate in the decisions that were to come, hoping they could keep the Empire together - was there anything that was a sure fact anymore? It took about five minutes for her to reach the chamber where they would meet.

Smoothing her red dress out, she pushed open the doors and walked inside. She herself was on time, but she wouldn’t have been surprised to see her mother and Ramsay already there.

When she walked through the doors, she saw her mother standing in the corner of the room near a large potted plant standing next to her Private Secretary. The women spoke in a moderate tone and volume, the elder clearly giving orders to the younger. As soon as Giana entered, Cosima put her hand on the shoulder of the pretty blonde who ran her Private Office.

The woman turned and smiled at Giana. Ana Greco had started of in the Social Office of the Imperial Household, but had quickly climbed her way to the top. She was sweet, and quiet, and competent; they right kind of person to work closely with Empress Cosima.

“Your Highness.” She said, curtsying, before proceeding toward the door.

“What is the point of politicians, Giana?” Cosima said with a small grin. It was clearly a rhetorical question, meant for levity more than anything else. They were now the only people in the room. “I’m so happy you and your brother are back and safe.”

Giana hadn’t been entirely sure what she was expecting on being greeted, but it wasn’t this. Perhaps it was just a front with Ana still in the room. As the young woman passed, Giana gave a nod of acknowledgement, but her eyes were on Cosima. “Yes, it is good to be home…”

Cosima reached her arms around Giana and pulled her into a hug. It wasn’t a Vice grip by any means, but she had initiated the act with full confidence. She was strong when she first pulled her in, but soon it became clear she was softening. A sniffle confirmed it.

“You really scared me.”

The thought that this could be something to give her a false sense of security did occur to Giana and when it did, she realized perhaps she really did need a rest since she was being far too paranoid. She adjusted in Cosima’s arms slightly so she could return her mother’s hug and sighed softly. “I’m sorry, mama. It wasn’t the intention to scare you.”

“I know, dear. I know.” Cosima said, pulling out of the hug and fanning the tears on her face so as not to smudge her makeup. “No one intended any of this except Giuseppe.” She looked at her daughter with meaningful, sad eyes. “How did…how did it happen?”

Giana took Cosima’s hand and held it gently while searching her mother’s already teary eyes and forlorn expression. “Does it matter…? Do you really want to know?”

Maybe she did, but the question seemed like it would just cause more grief than anything else. Giana obviously wasn’t a mother though, so maybe she was missing something on that front.

“No, I don’t want to know, Giana, but I need to.” Cosima answered. “I was there when his life began…I would know how it ended.”

It still seemed like a poor decision, but Giana accepted Cosima’s feelings on the matter. “Alright. Let’s go and sit down then.”

She walked with her mother to take a seat while still holding Cosima’s hand and even continued to hold it as they settled down in the chairs. “Giuseppe captured Sacha and Paolo when they were trying to get to the Imperator. From what I was told, Giuseppe and Sacha ended up in a fight where Giuseppe subdued Sacha for at least a couple of minutes and then he turned to go after Paolo. He tried to strangle Paolo to death… Sacha woke up and got hold of him and pulled him off Paolo… but Giuseppe didn’t fight Sacha anymore he died still trying to get to Paolo.”

Cosima sat in silence with that news for a long while, her tears still flowing without her bothering to reach up and dry them. It felt like yet another part of her had died. Her life was crumbling apart and it felt like there was nothing she could do.

“So, Sacha killed him?” She asked, looking up at Giana.

“Sacha saved Paolo.” Giana pointed out while offering her mother a tissue. It was an attempt to spin it into a slightly better light - one she hoped would work with her father as well when he woke up.

Cosima nodded, but it was clear that she was no longer mentally present at the moment. She felt she had no one to lean on, and that was new for her. She married Antonius when he was just the grandson of the Emperor, and she’d had years to lean on him; but now he was gone from her in a way. She stood alone.

The doors opened part way through her silence and Richard entered in a charcoal black suit. Where he would have bowed his head to them before, now he proceeded with the dignity of an equal in authority. For him, it was important to behave as was most appropriate for his station.

“Good evening.” He said, his eyes traveling to the Empress, seeing her grief not for the first time. “Welcome back, Your Highness.”

“Richard.” Giana returned the greeting with a polite nod and gave a final squeeze to her mother’s hand. “I trust everything you needed to take care of was dealt with?”

“So far, yes.” He answered, taking a seat for himself and allowing for the sadness in the room to dissipate a bit. He knew it was a family matter and had no interest in commenting unless he was asked to. “So, the Imperial Senate has been debating the parade.”

“Yes, they have.” Cosima said with a sigh, “it seems Lady Montreve had been using her influence to slow down the approval process. It seems she believes one battle doesn’t deserve a military campaign, and suggests that Giuseppe’s coup was a minor rebellion rather than a civil war.”

By the laws of the Empire, the members of the Council of Lords moderated the Senate and even had the power to remove members, but in reality, members tended to use their money and status to make clients of various Senators, meaning the Lords needed to be made happy just as much as the Senate.

“Do we know why she is doing this, exactly?” Giana asked. She shifted in her chair slightly to be more open and conversational instead of focused on her mother.

“On the surface, her political claims might be seen by some to be legitimate. But I suspect she wants something.” Cosima said with a frown. “Honestly, I haven’t the energy for the woman.”

“Surely it’s not enough to stop it.” Richard commented. “But a delay is inconvenient.”

Giana took a beat before she spoke, trying to be very mindful to think and consider. Handling this kind of thing should have fallen to her mother, but it was obvious everything was taking a toll on Cosima - the news about Giuseppe obviously didn’t help anything on that front. “Too inconvenient.”

She looked at her mother then with a slight frown. “Do you need me to try and handle it?”

Cosima looked at her daughter, her eyes full of knowing resistance. She shook her head before she even answered.

“It’s my job, Giana. And I used to be good at it.” She said with a slight smile, “I just need to have my head straightened again and it won’t be a problem. You will already have your hands full planning this parade and meeting with the SCAF about the ongoing war with the Alliance. I couldn’t possibly bother you with this, dear.”

Ramsay frowned, his expression full of a calm observant skepticism. He slid down slightly in his chair and seemed to have no intention of speaking. His dark eyes actually watched them as if he were just seeing what would happen next.

“You still are good at it, mama, but these have been very… well, the circumstances recently haven’t been ideal and you have been very affected by them. Understandably so.” Giana pointed out, trying to be gentle.

Cosima seemed to falter for a moment, her resistance giving way to real consideration, but then she shook her head again.

“I’m a regent. I have to do my part.”

“There are many ways for us to do our part, ma’am.” Ramsay said, but then fell into observant silence again. His eyes lingered on Giana now.

“Richard is right.” Giana nodded but didn’t look at him. “We can work together and figure out how to deal with what is going on in a better way to help take some of the burden off of you until you are well again.”

Cosima’s response was difficult to read, but she shifted slightly in her seat, her dark dress remaining still despite her movement.

“I am perfectly capable of work and of equal partnership, but I understand that change could be a good thing.” She said, somehow defensive and conciliatory at the same time. “What do you suggest?”

Giana blinked and then hesitated, finally looking over at Richard and searching to see if he had some sort of suggestion himself. They didn’t get along, but she was trying. Perhaps he would too.

Such a situation might be a minefield with Princess Giana, Richard knew. The last time they had divided roles, she had gone away completely dissatisfied with a strong sense that everyone was working against her. He wanted to avoid that happening again, if possible.

“Well, your Highness. Where do you think your talents might be best used now that the rebellion has been crushed?” He asked, his eyebrows raised and a finger on his lip as he looked at Giana.

For a brief moment, Giana looked at Richard as if she were trying to figure out what he was playing at. “I could continue with the military, if needed, but perhaps something closer to home might be better. Next to the Empress, I would be most qualified to handle the Lords and Senate.”

Ramsay nodded, turning to the Empress rather than jumping on what Giana said.

“That’s true, it would suit your skills best.” Cosima admitted. “But I can’t take over in the military considering all of this. I don’t want to plan the celebration of the death of my son.”

“I don’t think Princess Giana is suggesting that, Your Majesty.” Richard said. “I know you’d be perfectly capable of taking over in the Secretariat. Anything you had trouble with, they would help you with. They’re a great team. And I may not be a military man, but I know my stuff and I understand the political layout of our flag officers.”

“Of course we wouldn’t ask you to plan that, mama. I can at least finish planning that with Richard. That isn’t something you need to be involved in.” The princess assured earnestly.

“I could agree to this…adjustment.” Cosima said with a frown, looking between the two of them. “Thank you. I suppose this is the reason Antonius opted for a council rather than appointing one person.”

“No, ma’am.” Richard said, smiling at that. “I think he wanted us to have to fight to get anything done. It keeps everyone looking forward to the heir’s coming of age. But that’s beside the point, I suppose. I think we should move Imperial Intelligence to you as well, ma’am. There are some developments with the Romulans that should be unfolding in the next few days which Foreign Affairs might need to get with them on. If we did that, I’d be happy to keep the Compliance Authority.”

He looked at Giana.

“With ISS, you might get some help moving Montrieve if such a thing is possible, though I’d caution against threatening her.”

“I wasn’t planning on doing so.” Giana nodded. Not unless it was necessary of course. “I think this would be a good compromise, then, shifting the duties around.”

“Good.” Cosima said. “Good.”

The door opened and an aid entered, walking straight up to Giana. The young man bend over and informed her quietly.

“The Chancellor is outside for you, ma’am. She wanted me to tell you she’s ready to enter whenever you are.”

“Thank you.”

Giana took a breath then and folded her hands. “Before this meeting, I had a discussion with CJ and we would like to present something to you. She’s waiting outside. Would you like to meet with her now or is there something else to discuss?”

Ramsay gave a look of confused curiosity.

“I’m alright with meeting her now.” He said, and the Empress nodded in agreement. They saved their questions, knowing they were to be answered very soon.

With a simple nod, Giana made a motion to the guard standing by the door. The man opened it and looked out at CJ.

“Chancellor, the regents will see you now.”

Without a word, CJ walked in and proceeded quickly and smartly to the side of the table where they sat. In her hands, she held three government-issued tablets.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness, Sir.” She said, pausing, offering a curtsy which was both well-practiced and somehow ill-fitting for her, and took a seat. She looked to Giana to take the lead, but she was there whenever the time was right.

Giana was quiet at first, having expected CJ to take the lead and it was only after the silence became slightly awkward did she realize differently. Clearing her throat, she recovered as naturally as she could. “This is regarding the coming days once news of the end of the rebellion breaks officially. In our discussions, we thought it might be beneficial that I conduct a series of interviews to direct the public eye from what is happening with the Emperor and focus it onto the success we have achieved in ending this feud.”

“As you both know, the Princess scores favorably on opinion polls among Terrans from all classes of society. Her competence and comfort with the media coupled with her popularity could do a lot in my view, to reassure the shaken public and to stabilize the markets.” CJ said, taking over confidently. “A single interview with a trusted journalist where she answered pre-approved questions is probably the best thing we could do for the royal family as far as PR goes at this time.”

“What about the Crown Prince?” Richard said, looking at CJ. “I have no doubt Her Highness would do a spectacular job, but some might argue seeing the heir in a prominent place would at least reinforce the certainty of the succession.”

“Some might, sir. But His Royal Highness is a fourteen year old boy, and people already know the Empire is under the leadership of the Council of Regents while our Emperor recovers. In my view, touching on the succession more than mentioning Prince Paolo’s contributions to the battle, would signal weakness and uncertainty on our part.”

Giana didn’t comment, instead she was focused more on Richard and to a lesser extent her mother. Her hands were folded delicately in front of her and she looked quite engaged with the conversation, but was deferring to CJ - this had been the woman’s job after all and it would have been silly not to do so.

“I think it could be a good idea, so long as we can control what comes out. Giana had always been a friend of the cameras.” Cosima said with a smile.

Ramsay, on the other hand, was back to observing. And what was more, he was observing Giana in her observation.

“And what might you say, “ma’am?” He asked to her directly, his tone curious and clipped.

The princess turned her head toward Richard and had to fight now to scowl at him. He was going to fight this, it oozed from every one of those too large pores in his body. She licked her lips and took a small breath. “I want what is best for the Empire. CJ has served in this position for many years and if she thinks this is what would be best in this situation, then I agree with her.”

Ramsay smiled, though there was still an underlying seriousness to the reaction.

“Excuse me, I wasn’t clear in my questioning. I meant what might you say in the interview; about the battle; about its end?”

“Mm…” Giana acknowledged the miscommunication mildly then continued. “Again, I would still defer to CJ’s suggestions. She has more knowledge to what the public needs right now. If I were to suggest though, I’d lean it more into honesty.”

Ramsay nodded, but his face only communicated he was thinking. He looked back and forth between Giana and CJ, spending time with the eyes of both of them and really watching as he thought. It was intentional and unapologetic, but didn’t seem to mean much.

“Well, you are aboard, the Empress has agreed. I see no reason not to do this.” He said, his words selected particularly and precisely. “I suppose you have my support.”

It wasn’t by any means a ringing endorsement and if she were being honest, she found that rather annoying. She kept most of it off of her face, but not all of it; she hid it behind a slightly strained smile.

“Good, thank you.” She managed politely.

Richard noticed her annoyance, but he gave no sign of preparing to respond to it. He believed in allowing people to proclaim their own thoughts, and tried not to read them out loud for them.

“Is there anything else?” Cosima asked.

“Regarding this? Nothing from me.” Giana looked at CJ and lifted her brows questioningly.

CJ nodded with a pleased expression, steepling her fingers on the table.

“As far as this goes, I think we’ve covered it.” She said, and then stood. “I’ll leave you to your meeting. I need to get home. It’s been a long day.”

With that, CJ gave another I’ll-fitting curtsy, and then made her way toward the exit. When she was gone, Cosima stood as well.

“You offered to plan the parade without me a bit earlier. I think I will take you up on that. I trust we can start our new assignments tomorrow.” She smiled at both of them. “Until next time.”

The Empress, regal and motherly, turned and walked toward the exit next.

Giana leaned forward and was about to call Cosima back but seemed to think better of it. What she had to say could be said in front of her mother later, and Cosima likely needed to go process and cry in peace after hearing the truth of Giuseppe’s demise. She didn’t particularly like to be left with Richard without some sort of buffer, though. She looked over at him to try and get a read on what he was going to do.

Richard, for his part gave the smallest of smiles, friendly and simple. Tapping his fingers on the table between them, he spoke first.

“It’s not an easy thing you did. It was damn impressive, really. I have to admit that. Are you really comfortable talking about it in front of billions though?” He asked.

Surely he wasn’t giving her a compliment. Her perfectly kept brows lifted just slightly and she looked at him with her father’s blue eyes. It was something that made her unique among the Emperor’s children. “It’s certainly a deviation from my usual topics when I speak to billions, but I will handle it.”

“I admit, the plan makes me skeptical. I’m not sure what it is; let’s call it a bad feeling in my stomach.” He admitted, “but I know you probably won’t have any trouble with it.”

He sat up straighter then and slid a tablet to her.

“Here are my thoughts on the parade. I think it might be best if, despite the natural power of the occasion, we keep it relatively modest, if only for your mother’s sake. A military parade through several systems starting at Axanar and ending here at Terra. A parade in the capital for the Army and Marines with a fighter show in the skies above. The public execution and the reading of our pronouncement against the rank and file soldiers, and then an evening fireworks display in all of our major cities across the Empire to wrap it all up with a bow.” He said, and then looked at her, having leaned much closer to look at the screen. “What do you think?”

“I think it is a solid plan. Should we perhaps give commendations to some of our soldiers as well?” She asked, looking at the screen from exactly where she was positioned with no trouble at all.

“Oh, yes, right.” He said, navigating to the next page. “Since we decided to stop short of a Triumph for you, the first question is what should be done with Admiral Leyton. We could award him the Imperial Star, making him a member of that illustrious group of flag officers. Besides a triumph of his own, that’s the highest we can give him. Other than that, there is the possibility of the more standard award for a battle commander, the Imperial Shield of Honor.”

Giana’s expression immediately soured just slightly at the mention of Leyton, but she didn’t respond right away. Instead, she drummed her nails on the desk for a few seconds and then finally spoke. “What do you think my father would do to honor a man who is a snake in the grass and would turn on us if he thought it would benefit him, but because it didn’t he played the nice and loyal soldier?”

“I think that describes half the Admiralty, ma’am.” He said with a smile. “And I would guess he is in that half. The Order is well trusted, and we should only put him there, in my view, if we think he is a great and loyal Terran.”

“I don’t think he is, but I know my experience with him is quite limited. If anyone would deserve to be in the order it would be Colonel Akamu, but I’m sure putting him in and not Leyton wouldn’t be a wise decision even if it would be morally correct.” She sighed and sat back.

“The Guard has its own honors, ma’am. I don’t think they accept anything else. Hoshi I thought it…muddied the waters. People who are supposed to be especially loyal should get special prizes. Though it might be a good idea to give him the Special Order of the Imperial Guard. Or even a civil honor.” he said, stroking his chin with his thin fingers. “Leyton and..what’s her name..Bentine can receive the Imperial Shield of Honor. He’ll probably be a bit annoyed, but it would certainly help her career.”

“Why should Bentine get anything?” Giana asked, her brows raising in genuine curiosity. “She didn’t do anything more than Leyton told her.”

“Is that the case, ma’am?” He asked, looking at her with curious interest that matched her own. He knew that following orders could be meritorious on its own, but he was curious why Giana didn't seem to think so. “I only assumed the deputy commander of the fleet had a meaningful contribution. I certainly wasn’t there.”

“Do we usually give out commendations to deputy commanders?” She asked with her nose slightly wrinkled in thought. “I really don’t know. We haven’t done anything like this since I can remember.”

She hadn’t answer the question at all, and he had of course noticed. She had a habit of doing that with him, and he wondered if she did it because she wasn’t thinking seriously, or because she just didn’t trust him enough to give him any of her mind. He suppressed a natural irritation, showing no sign, and raised his eyebrows.

“That depends on the nature of their conduct, ma’am.” he answered, sounding tired but engaged. “There are some deputy commander who distinguish themselves as much as, or more than those above them. And in the case of flag officers, they tend to play a bigger role in battle planning and execution than, for example, people who serve as Executive Officers on a ship. Do you have a reason to believe this wasn’t the case for Admiral Bentine in this very successful operation?”

The truth was he wanted to hear her answer to see how much of it was direct knowledge and how much was perceived or assumed. He had always silently enjoyed how much women could hate each other, and he had a secret love of hearing about other people’s drama.

“When we met, I simply didn’t have the impression she had her own thoughts and was there merely as Leyton’s yes man. It is obvious they are close in a way that made me wonder how much of her position is due to merit and how much of her position is due to… personal pursuits.” Giana replied diplomatically. “She had been put in charge of overseeing the fighter wings I believe and I don’t recall there being anything spectacular done there, but I’ll confess I was more focused on the whole rather than particulars. We can look into it and if we think she’s deserving, she can be awarded with Leyton.”

He exhaled sharply through his nose, a grin creasing his aging features. A woman sleeping her way to the top wasn’t rare in the Empire, and though he certainly didn’t approve, it was always kind of amusing. Some men, he knew, managed to sleep their way up a few levels as well if they had the right boss, but it was far more rare. He, on the other hand, had to be competent and to make the right connections. What was in his pants was no political use to Richard Ramsay.

“That old story.” he said in an amused voice, shaking his head. “I didn’t think it got to the Admiralty. Your father is typically pretty picky who he pins those stars on. But I suppose that doesn’t mean there aren’t exceptions. Perhaps we should ask Leyton about her contributions before we decide?”

“We could try, but I’m sure he will sing her praises regardless. Her being elevated also benefits him too considering their closeness.” Giana noted and put her chin in her hand. “And maybe I’m wrong about it, but I certainly got the impression in our short meeting.”

Richard’s smile and reaction didn’t go unnoticed by the princess, and he hadn’t dismissed the suspicion out of hand. It was telling in a way.

“Well, okay. I think you might be on to something. I’ll have a talk with Janeway tomorrow to confirm, but I suspect you’re sense on that one is correct.” he said with a chuckle, shaking his head. He looked back to the tablet then. “For the ship Captain’s fighting on our side and the unit commanders on the ground, we could offer the Cross of Starfleet, the Cross of the Army, and the Cross of the Marine Corps.”

“Alright.” Giana nodded and looked at her own screen. “That should include the leader of the team that rescued the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, of course.” he said with a nod, not knowing how any of that really happened. “Is he the one who killed Giuseppe ma’am? If so, he may deserve a higher reward.”

“Ah… no.” Giana actually cringed just slightly. “Sacha was actually the one who killed Giuseppe.”

He looked at her with immediate surprise on his face, trying to process the information that had just been presented to him. He leaned forward after a few seconds, his brows furrowing in frustrated silence.

“What the hell?” he asked, confused.

“I’m sorry. I thought you would have been informed.” Giana sighed and shifted in her seat so she was facing him more directly. “Sacha and Paolo were captured on Axanar together and Giuseppe kept them together in a cell. Giuseppe ended up with them, and when the Imperator attacked to open up a vulnerability to get a recovery team through, I guess Sacha was able to break free of his restraints. There was a fight, Giuseppe momentarily got the upper hand and turned on Paolo, but Sacha was able to recover and go after Giuseppe again and ended up killing him to protect Paolo.”

Ramsay listened with interest as she relayed the story in brief, his face still locked in surprise.

“That’s remarkable. I’m no PR man, but I would imagine the public would see your fiancé as a hero.”

“The public might, but what of my father when he wakes or my mother?” She asked quietly. “My father rescinded the kill on sight order after all.”

“They may not be happy, but it doesn’t mean that he acted wrongly. And the shoot to kill order was a military command. Giuseppe was still an enemy of the people and killing him wasn’t a crime.” Richard said. “It certainly makes for a good story, if nothing else.”

Giana looked extremely skeptical, but didn’t shut Richard down completely. “Alright… are you suggesting something specific?”

“I think that his actions should be honored. If they were a civil honor it would be most appropriate.”

“I will talk to him about it if you think it would be a good idea, but I’m not going to tell him he has to do it. Sacha hasn’t liked being in the limelight in the past though he’s been embracing it more recently since our engagement. This would still be a lot, and it should be his choice.” Giana sat back in her chair and placed her hands down on her thighs.

“I can accept that.” Ramsay said, seeming genuinely satisfied. He understood the need to check in and make sure things would work, especially when a relationship was involved. “Oh, by the way, you haven’t gotten around to considering a new appointment for the Secretary of the Supreme Council, have you? It’s been vacant since Giuseppe’s Coups. And I would like to get it filled soon. I don’t want to start over from scratch if you had some thoughts already.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, I haven’t. With everything else that has been going on I didn’t have a chance to look into it with the consideration it is due.”

It was a small thing for her to do, but he certainly hadn’t expected her to apologize about it. Richard smiled and shook his head, seemingly genuinely pleased.

“Not a problem. I’ll find someone and make sure you and your mother approve. You were very busy and off-world, after all.” He said, and looked down at his watch. “Is there anything else, ma’am? I promised my wife we could have dinner together and she’s been waiting.”

There was a short pause while she seemed to consider something and then brought her gaze up to him. “I won’t keep you much longer then. I wanted to do this with my mother here too, but I will talk with her later; she needed to rest.” She took a breath and continued. “I am aware that I overstepped what was appropriate when I took the Imperator and I was aware of it when I did it. For that, I apologize and I accept there will likely be consequences after things have settled down. I hope that you understand what I did, I did for the good of the Empire.”

She looked away from him and out of the window, a small frown on her face. “I don’t think either of my parents would have been capable of killing their son, but my mother certainly would not have. It needed to end.”

He listened patiently, and when she was done, he gazed out of the window as well. He let a moment of silence pass between them as he selected his words. He always chose them very carefully.

“I have thought long about how I should respond to this thing you’ve done. At first, I was frustrated. I thought you were an entitled little brat who decided to do what you thought others were smart enough to achieve without you. I know I was wrong about that now, and that you did this because you saw a problem that needed to be fixed and really didn’t think anyone else would solve it.” He looked at her then, his face honest. “You were right. I watched your father, and he was torn up. He worked so hard to keep Giuseppe alive, and he knew he couldn’t do it. He wasn’t going to move against him until he had to, and your mother…she is a wonderful and insightful woman, but she’s no killer.”

He cleared his throat and adjusted his posture in his seat, looking at her with sad eyes. “I would have helped you though, and we could have solved this without subterfuge. Just for future reference. There’s always a good way through the darkness, ma’am. Always. Your little brother used to believe that, at least. But I think he’s forgetting it, like your father forgot. It’s terrible what the throne does to a man.”

Another silence passed between them; it wasn’t awkward this time, but it had a heavy weight to it. “I’m very worried about what my brother witnessed and what happened to him, Richard. I earnestly tried to leave him here on Terra to protect him not only physically, but mentally. I thought he would see sense if he had time to think and remember as Crown Prince, he shouldn’t be putting himself at risk.” She frowned, looking distressed.

“Sacha killed Giuseppe because Giuseppe was too determined to kill Paolo to even fight for his own life.” Richard nodded, having listened to her intently.

“I’ve had the pleasure of being his government tutor for the past few months, and believe me, that isn’t just a statement of flattery. I was professor for most of my adult life, until I became Chancellor and couldn’t find time for it anymore. Paolo is the brightest and most curious student I’ve ever had, without exception. He takes after your father, but is brighter still, I think. He would have made a remarkable second son..”

He looked at her then and frowned.

“But being a remarkable Emperor requires a character of steel. There are so many temptations at that level, and finding a real friend is damn near impossible. Everyone seems to want something from you.” His typically whiny voice was becoming more sad, and it was clear he might actually be near tears. “It’s a terrible thing to be so lonely, and to have all the power of the Empire to deal with. And who knows what the experience he had on Axanar will do to his idea of himself; of the world.”

Giana reached out then, placing her hand on Richard’s forearm. She looked at him imploringly, clear and vulnerable concern in those beautiful blue eyes. “Help him, Richard. Can you? He needs help and guidance, now most of all, and our father isn’t here but…” Giana frowned. “I love my father, but I don’t want my brother to be like my father.”

He listened with obvious attention, as always, and her words seemed to send him reeling into a train of his own thoughts. He nodded at her plea, but seemed almost distracted straight away.

“I love your father too, and I know what you mean.” he said with a sad chuckle, folding one leg over the other and leaning back a bit. “Do you know how I met your father? He taught my freshman-level philosophy class at Cambridge. I was a lot less gray back then..what year was it?...2329. God’s above.”

He sniffled, a clear sign that he really had become emotional for a time, but had managed to avoid it.

“He was a Duke back then, great-grandson of the Emperor, a thousand miles away from the throne, and a dedicated widower-turned bachelor. You know he used to wear his hair long, don’t you?”

While Giana wasn’t overly empathetic toward Richard, she was at the moment at least paying attention and projecting some level of empathy. While they rarely - well, really never - saw eye to eye, Giana was aware that Richard was one of the only people her father considered a friend; perhaps the only person. When he mentioned her much younger father, she nodded slightly. “Yes, I’ve seen pictures of him from back then.”

“Well he was the most frustrating teacher I ever had. He never forgot anything I did or said and was on my ass with every paper I turned in. I hated him at first, and I thought he hated me. There was a time when I seriously considered dropping out of school..dropping my dream of becoming a history teacher, and he told me he was so damn mean to me because he believed in me and thought I was lazy.” Richard smiled. “I was at his wedding to your mother, and he helped edit the paper that got me recommended to head up the Ministry for Education and Patriotism. I don’t know if he’s there anymore, or if he’ll ever wake up. But I’ll always take care of his children, have no doubt about that.”

He looked at her and gave a few quick, shallow nods.

“I’ll do my best to reach your brother.”

Giana’s brows lifted and she smiled, but there was a slightly skeptical quality to her expression. She had no doubts he would do his best with Paolo at the very least. “Thank you, that’s all I can ask. I won’t keep you longer though. Enjoy your dinner with your wife.”

“I will, thank you.” He said, standing, straightening his suit jacket and starting to walk toward the door.

Just before he got to the door, Giana called after him. “Richard.”

When he paused, she was looking at him, a slight frown on her face. “Did you mean what you said? That who I am has brought as much pain to my father as Giuseppe did?”

Richard stopped at her hidden and turned around, his frown sad and his lips moving almost hesitantly.

“You underestimate his love for you. I don’t know why, but you do.” He said. “All that he has ever wanted from you, besides doing your duty, is to be happy. Giuseppe is…was his son, but was also, quite frankly, somewhat dull and utterly without scruples. You aren’t, ma’am.”

A very small, sad smile pulled onto her full lips. “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you not give a straight answer to a question.”

“According to some very old wisdom, there is a time for everything under the sun, including a time to speak and a time to be silent. A good courtier always knows the difference, ma’am. Even the honest ones.”

The small smile faded suddenly and her body seemed to try and fold in on itself, her shoulders rolled forward and she hunched slightly, but it stopped there. He had meant it, and she supposed somewhere in her she knew that. The fact he didn’t say otherwise confirmed it. If nothing else Richard was an honest man, and he didn’t speak out in anger - she had just hoped maybe somehow she had driven him to exception. She looked absolutely crushed as she sat there alone where he had left her.

After a moment, her head moved in just a slight nod and she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper. “Goodnight, Richard.”

“Goodnight, ma’am.” He said quietly. He hoped her father would wake up so she could have the conversation herself. He turned and left without another word, knowing there was nothing he could say that would truly help.

END