Faction A Division of Pride

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

It had been a while since Lori had visited the Palace on Spindle IV. Technically it was her home. It was where her and her husband Rex Valhoun were supposed to live and work together. But it hasn't worked out that way. Lori spent most of her time on Damascus Station or on her ship.

Before the arrest warrants and bounties placed on her friends, Lori had felt rejected by Rex. And it wasn't until Var-Sulis had confessed that he had fallen for her, that Rex had shown any hint of caring for her in her presence. Although that hint was moreso downright jealousy and rage. He wasn't possessive of her or by any means controlling, which was a good thing. However the lack of contact did little to bring about any kind of connection that they should share as a married couple.

Perhaps that was what she was fated for. Her first husband was killed within weeks of their marriage. Once Rex got into power, she barely saw him. And shortly after Var had revealed his feelings, he too disappeared.

Destined to be alone. That's what it felt like. And it just wasn't fair.

Caedyn Arenais had given her some insight. Dorthea Dobson had done so as well. For Lori to be happy, she had to decide what it was that she wanted for herself. Yet she couldn't see for herself if anyone was capable of giving her that happiness until she spoke to the individuals privately.

Lori stood at Rex's chamber door, leaning her forehead against it as she contemplated on what she would say to him if he happened to be there. If things went badly, she was sure to have Daro Roz’yrn on standby with Arla to pick her up and take her back to the station.

Finally after a few minutes she took a step back from the door and knocked on it. "Rex, are you there?...It's Lori...."

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex was staring at his holoscreen in his chambers within The Palace on Spindle VI, the capital of The Imperium. That seemed like all he did anymore...watch The "News". The Imperium was barely holding together. It amazed him that one arrest warrant was all it took to ruin the golden age he had brought to The Imperium. The economic growth was even continuing, but all eyes were on his "Tyrany", be it members of The Imperial Bloc defending The Dobson Family, The Refugee Bloc criticizing the more nationalist and Imperial tone Rex had taken, or The Elysium Imperial Bloc claiming he was ruining his father's creation. Almost every holostation criticized him too, because they all had their own allegiances.

Nobody seemed to understand him anymore, and his options were becoming more and more limited.

Then there was a knock on the door...a real surprise given his lack of allies, and the tight security around The Palace. But then Loreena's voice put him at ease. Well, kind of. He was relieved to know it was her and not an assassin, or really anyone else because all he received now was bad news. But Loreena wasn't necessarily an ally anymore either...

"Come in, this is your house as much as it is mine..." He needed to stay friendly, show that he was the same old Rex, and that his actions were just politics. That was his only hope of keeping Lori even remotely on his side, and she was by far his most powerful ally, and the only person in his life he considered family. But it would always be in the back of his mind now that she had cheated on him with Var-Sulis, and that she actively helped The Dobson Family escape. He waited every day for the news that The Dobsons were either caught, dead, or back with an army to take his throne.

He understood his predecessor's paranoia now though...so many enemies. So many threats....

The King sat up on the couch, but remained in a comfortable position, boots up on the table in front of him, and right arm on an arm rest with a glass of carbonated water as he awaited Loreena's entrance.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Her house, maybe. But it wasn't her room. She respected his privacy and they each had their own bedchambers. She wasn't about to go into his without permission first.

Lori opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her. She spotted Rex Valhoun on the couch, appearing relaxed and casual. Was it all just for appearances though? She knew that she wasn't relaxed. She couldn't be. Not with everything that had happened recently.

After a pause she made her way into the room, sitting on the arm of a chair. Lori wanted to fold her arms across her chest, but she didn't. Instead she just had them rest on her lap.

"Hey I just thought we could talk. Just you and me. Nobody else....We haven't exactly been seeing eye-to-eye on a lot of things lately. Needless to say, I'm worried about you." That was an understatent. Why else would she of had her brother poke around lately? She needed Caedyn Arenais ' expertise. There wasn't anyone else that she could count on to see how far Rex had fallen.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex listened as Loreena, whom had sat on the arm of a chair, revealed her intentions. A talk. Simple enough, and sorely needed indeed, but an uncomfortable situation for Rex on any day, but especially so today given their recent differences. He inhaled sharply, nodding, and then exhaled slowly, preparing for what would surely be a tense situation for him. He then turned the holoscreen off, took a sip of his drink, and turned to face Lori.

"Alright, let's talk."

He would try to keep an open mind, but already he felt that this would lead nowhere. He had tried to explain himself to her several times lately. The last time was the closest to common ground they had come, when she claimed she would convince the Imperial Bloc to support dropping the warrants. So far that hadn't happened, and the political stalemate continued. It was like two immovable objects closing in on one-Rex-and creating such force that it was burying him. The Imperial Bloc was to his right, The Refugee Bloc to his left, and The Elysium Imperial Bloc above him. Meanwhile the few remaining Dobson goons were watching with glee as he continued to sink into the sand.

But that was a stupid and maybe confusing visual that he'd refrain from using. Instead he'd let Lori talk first. She was the one that initiated the conversation. He knew what she was going to say though. She would be here to save her friends from a simple questioning. They didn't need saving, but she seemed to think they were in mortal danger...

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

The body language told her a lot. Rex Valhoun didn't want her there. She had invaded his space and the fact that she had told him that she was worried about him went completely over his head.

So she got to her feet again. "I won't be long. Then you can go back to doing whatever you were doing." Lori balled her hands into fists as she kept them at her sides, doing her best not to fidget with them or cross her arms over her chest. "As I said, I'm worried about you. You haven't been yourself for a while now. I don't know if it's from coming into power or what. Others have picked up on it too, so I know that it's not just me." And that was the truth of it. Others had expressed their concerns after various events, yet she had always pushed those concerns to the back of her mind.

Until now.

"Haven't you noticed it yourself?"

 

[Rex Valhoun]

"I can't say I have noticed, no. Unless you mean politically, in which case yes, I'm aware I have changed. The Imperium needs to be stronger on the galactic stage..."

He started to explain, but trailed off, waiting to see what Lori would say. He was being truthful. He hadn't changed, he was the same man he always had been. Politically he was a whole new animal though. He was done juggling the senate around. Done backing down like he had on Belsavis, leaving those poor people to their fate, handing victory to The Eternal Empire, ceding the planet, and breaking his promise to help Imperator Sarilia Ellwin . Change was needed and he intended to provide it. His reign had so far been mostly successful. If taking things slowly and playing the pragmatic moderate had accomplished so much, then how much more could decisive, consistent leadership accomplish?

But maybe there was truth behind Lori's words. Maybe she was on to something. Maybe Rex was falling into a trap and he didn't even know it. Maybe something was different, and if so, perhaps Lori could wake him up to it...

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"It's not just political..."

As she figured, Rex Valhoun was blind to it. But that was an entirely normal thing for people in his position. As the old saying goes; power corrupts. And in his case the power was corrupting him more slowly than if some Sith Lord had influence over him. For that Lori was grateful. It gave her a chance.

"You're more angry now and that anger is clouding your judgement and making you more violent. I know that you feel alone, but that doesn't meant that you should lash out and push everyone away. You're only going to build resentment. Unless of course, that is your goal..."

Lori couldn't pretend to know what Rex's goals or plans were anymore, outside of trying to make the Imperium appear stronger in the eyes of others. It was as though their views held more sway than those of his own people. That was another way that he pushed people away from him.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

"I have more things to be angry about. The senate is bloated and their demands are intangible." Intangible. A new word for the man that had spent his life in the wilderness without hearing or speaking a single line of basic. "Outside we have no respect. The Empress of The Eternal Empire couldn't even be bothered to meet with me over Belsavis, and those there were incredibly disrespectful. They don't take us seriously, and I left in disgrace because I refused to fight a war over a single planet half way across the galaxy." Belsavis was a disaster. He had defended The Imperium but it was all he could do. His options were made clear. Leave Belsavis to its' fate or face war. The Empire could have won the war, but it would have been close, and costly. But knowing he had averted war didn't make the diplomatic defeat sting any less.

"Then there's The Dobson family. I love you Lori, but you're a fool if you think they aren't a threat. Something had to be done, and I've tried to explain that the warrants on Viken and Dorthea won't result in any harm to them. I need their help, and I was righteously outraged at Var, so I made one hasty decision..."

He hated this conversation. He was incredibly uncomfortable admitting that he had made these mistakes. He preferred to keep everything to himself, no matter who he spoke to. But he owed her some explanation. Maybe this time she would understand.

"Listen...I haven't changed. I've just been under pressure. You don't know what it's like to back down to people who mock you to your face, and in doing so break promises. Then come home, and get ridiculed by almost everyone in the senate for different reasons, and then have your own guard blatantly say that he would be a better husband, and then, on top of all the shame and anger that you've built up, have your own wife and many of your own people turn on you because of one order they disagree with. It's as if all the good my reign, our reign has brought The Empire means nothing."

That was it. He had been crystal clear. If he was any more clear with her he would surely turn invisible. If that didn't make her understand, then she was lost. Meanwhile his heart was pounding. He hated socializing and this was the worse kind of socializing. At least the lights were dim. It helped to be in low light, or outside. Made everything less...constricting...in conversation. It also helped to be sitting comfortably, and not staring face to face with the other person.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori clenched her jaw as she listened to Rex Valhoun explain himself. She wasn't quite sure of what he knew about her past, or why she had decided to go with the arranged marriage in the first place, but it didn't seem like he knew much about it at all. He still didn't know her.

She had to keep control of her feelings though, which was proving to be more difficult as he continued on. So she finally gave into herself a little bit and folded her arms across her chest. It was both defiant and gave her a feeling of protection at the same time.

"You think that I don't know what it's like to be ridiculed, mocked, ignored and pushed away? Are you serious? I have had that for most of my life! And it was all for my 'protection'. No one outside of my family had respect for me and most of them still don't. I'm not me so much as I am Cae's sister. He's the one that has their respect and gets to do great things. Marrying you was my chance to try to do the same. But it's not working when those that do have respect for me have arrest warrants and bounties on their heads! Do I think the Dobsons are a threat? Of course I do! But it doesn't help when you are going after innocent ones too! They don't know anything and yet you insist on treating them like criminals that have to try to prove their own innocence and get you to believe that they aren't hiding anything. You've turned them into some political spectical for your own image and that's wrong."

As for Var-Sulis , she wasn't quite sure of what to say. In her mind she had hoped that maybe the revelation of him falling for her would help Rex to treat her better, but instead it had the opposite effect.

"I still get ridiculed here and I know the rumours that go around. I'm just glad that I don't have ears like Arla to hear what they are whispering when I walk by. We're not a couple in love, Rex. Loving someone and being in love with someone are two different things. And we're not even good at pretending otherwise in front of other people. I tried at multiple events, but you always just pull away or ignore my efforts. That's been noticed by others, Rex. I just don't know how to fix it or if it's even fixable." She sighed a little, thinking on aome of what Dorthea Dobson had asked of her a while back when Lori was looking for some advice. "What is it that you need to be happy?"

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex frowned, listening to her words and trying to make sense of them. But by the end of it he felt that he knew little more than he had before. These problems seemed to all be in her head. Maybe in the past she wasn't respected, but now? It was an absurd claim. But how could he make her feel better?

"Lori...how can you say that you aren't respected? You are The Queen of Mnemosyne, Queen of The Elysium Imperium, Owner of Dar'Manda Industries, and a member of house Arenais. If your family doesn't respect you at this point, then that's on them. With me things are different. It's my own softness that has earned me the disrespect of so many. I backed down at Belsavis. I allowed The Dobsons to continue to grow their influence. You have given no reason to not be respected..."

He was focusing on the issue of respect too much. What was more important was her believing that they weren't a couple. That was a problem, and a very painful revelation. It was true that he hadn't made much time for her, but it didn't mean he didn't care..

"I was happy before I was King. I was even happy for a while after I took over. Things were going well..."

He was still too focused on the politics, the state of The Empire, his reign.

"-and despite what you may think, you make me happy. Truly. When you're in the room I feel like a weight has been lifted off me." The weight of ruling? She was the queen...but no. "You're funny, smart, and honestly you are more qualified to rule than I am. I used to always know you had my back. But now..." He just shook his head, staring at the blank holoscreen ahead.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"Rex, I'm not talking about my family. Yes they pushed me away from war for my protection too, but I'm talking about outsiders. I'm a Nobody Queen to them. I get completely ignored by others in meetings, and when I get ignored by you too in them as well; it just hurt." Lori sighed a little, yet still kept her arms folded across her chest while she continued standing there. "You're too focused on how outsiders approve of you or think of you, just as I used to be. And not being treated the way that you want to be treated has caused you to lash out in anger and be quick to violence. That's not going to earn you respect. Now I care as little about those outsiders as they do me and it's lifted a weight off my shoulders. You should start doing the same."

And then Rex Valhoun answered her question in regard to happiness. The first thing that came to his mind was very telling. Being King was too much for him. Given his upbringing, she wasn't entirely surprised. However he wasn't supposed to be King yet. This all happened before he was ready.

She was only secondary to that.

"My parents didn't want Cae and I to become trapped or overburdened as they were when they ruled over multiple worlds. So they created a parliamentary system fkr Mnemosyne with my brother and I as overseers. Perhaps you should think of something similar for you here." As for herself, she lightly shrugged her shoulders. "I'll have your back for some things, Rex. But not all. I expect nothing more than that from you...."

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Apparently his explanation made it sound like he cared what the outsiders thought. That wasn't accurate. He didn't care what they thought of him. He cared what they thought of The Imperium, and he cared about what The Imperium thought of him.

"I was adopted by The King of a nation of Imperials, but also a nation of refugees. I met so many people that needed a strong nation to shield them from, well at the time The Bryn'adul, and The Agents of Chaos, but now from The Maw, The Eternal Empire, and the still ceaseless wars of the galaxy. I have lived a life of luxury because I am responsible for them, just as Heath had been. I had also met the Imperials. Not just the senators but the citizens. They aren't the evil men they are always depicted as by other nations or senate opponents. Sure, they are a temperamental bunch, but their intentions are good. I tend to agree with them on most things, I believe in their policies and their cause. I don't want to let them down. That's why I hated the defeat at Belsavis. Not because The Eternal Empire disrespected me, but because in doing so they disrespected a nation of the strongest, most resilient people I know."

Lori had also mentioned a reform into a parliamentary system. It wouldn't work. As Rex had just stated, he believed in The Imperial cause. The Elysium Empire, now The Imperium, was the only nation in the galaxy currently that had a constitutional monarchy involving three levels of government.

"We already have a semi-parliamentary system, Lori. We have a senate, and a council, and my powers are limited by our constitution...and up until now we've had outstanding stability. But you're right, there needs to be some change. More federalization to start. We give a lot of autonomy to our planets, but it's becoming a problem. We need some form of unity. We also need to limit the senate. It's massive, with no limit. There are so many senators now..."

He felt like he was a computer, throwing out all kinds of information on the government for some student to study...

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"But they are shielded from war. War has not come into our borders at all. And if that's the result of being disrespected by outsiders, then good! We don't need war to come at us to survive." Lori's parents had kept their nations safe from war for many years and they had thrived. Their occupation by the Sith was short lived as liberation came quickly.

She chewed the inside of her cheek, listening to Rex Valhoun explain his ideas for reform. Lori wasn't so sure of what she thought about all of it. Some of it was great, but others gave her a bad feeling due to her past experiences.

"Lowering the number of senators isn't a bad idea. But how....exactly... do you plan on taking away a planet's autonomy? That's something that you'd have to tread very lightly on...." At least that was her opinion. Lori had spent a portion of her life helping others keep their freedom from the Eternal Empire's forcible rule. They were always given the option of either accepting the Eternal Empire's way of life or have it forced on them through war. Many were treated as second-class citizens that couldn't even vote out the Eternal Empire's stooges that were put into power on their own planets. It wasn't good, and she didn't want such a thing to happen here.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

"Not take away...just, shift their autonomy. I'm thinking governors. Like the moffs of The Empire. They represent a planet when speaking with the government, and they represent the government when speaking to their people. Planets would still have their militias, and their judicial systems. This will just be a way to manage them better. I'm also considering a new system regarding our territory. Rather than every planet being "Imperial Land", maybe we could give certain planets the distinction of "core land" while others are "territories"...or something. That way we can claim areas of land that need more autonomy, for example Gaulus could be a territory. They won't have a governor or moff, and they'll have their own set of rules different from integrated lands like Lionus or Spindle."

Rex was just spitballing. He had many ideas, but none of them were official plans. Just ideas to help manage the ever-growing Imperium. Hopefully Lori would understand that, and help develop these ideas. But it was more likely that she would shoot them down with criticism.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"Okay. But where would these governors come from? From the planets they represent? Or do you pick them?" She almost thought that it was just shifting the Senators to a different title. But she could be wrong.

Lori dropped her arms to her sides, no longer needing to defend herself for the moment. Right now her focus was on politics of a different sort. Not that it was any easier. But this one wasn't taxing on her emotions.

"I think that people might be more receptive to the idea so long as they have some control over it. If they don't feel as though their governor is working well for their interests, they can change it to someone else."

Hopefully that was what Rex Valhoun was thinking. But it was difficult to say given how far apart the two had been.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

"Yes, they'll have some choice in things....and I would like to meet with The Council, or at least with some senators to discuss the possibilities. I'll need support from some people and I'm not sure I have that support right now...and many senators will oppose any reform that would have them lose their positions...but it needs to be done. The senate gets nothing done. They proposed maybe one bill this year. There are just too many of them. Debates go on for days."

Maybe getting their attention on a senate reform would take their focus off The Dobson warrants and the failure at Belsavis. It seemed to be working on Loreena...

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"What choices will they have? You said that the people will have some choice, so which of those will it be? And again I ask where these governors will come from?"

Lori chewed the inside of her cheek as she mulled it over. She didn't offer much by the way of options as she needed to see more of what Rex Valhoun was thinking. And the best way to do that was to get him to talk.

"No Senator would want to lose their position. You might have to offer them an incentive to volunteer to step down. When it comes to politicians, credits talk." That and power. At least Lori and her brother were too humble to have a want for power. They had it, but they didn't flaunt it.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

"I don't know yet. Like I said, I need to meet with others and plan this out. I assume we will have elected senators and...governors. The governors will be from the planet or at least the system they are to represent. Maybe we can have the people vote, and then The King picks from the top two candidates. I'm just spitballing...."

"I won't bribe them. I'm not Arken Dobson. I have the power to dismiss senators, I can dismiss the most troublesome. I, as King, am responsible for what laws pass and which laws don't. However I can't change The Constitution, that is something only The Senate can do. All I need is a majority. If I remove enough opposition then the reform will pass. But I'd rather not take that route unless it becomes necessary. I'm sure we can convince enough to support it without bribes or threats..."

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori nodded a little as she furrowed her brows. It was unclear just how much control over their own worlds that people would have. Hopefully whatever Rex Valhoun and the others decide, it wouldn't take too much away from them. That's where rebellions began, afterall.

"I see....My guess is that some might want to become Governors instead of walking away from power completely with no compensation. Afterall most don't quit their jobs without something to go to." That was Lori's understanding anways. Unless of course someone was on the run. But even then their movements were planned at least one step ahead. She knew that well.

Lori shifted her weight on her feet. She had learned much about her situation and those of her friends. She struggled to find the optimism, but maybe she just needed to have some time to think on it. "Well thanks for the chat. As I said, I wasn't going to be long....I'll let you get back to what you were doing."

 

[Rex Valhoun]

She was correct, most senators wouldn't give up their power without compensation...though they were volunteers, as Civil Servants should be. The government didn't pay them. Their only income from politics came from bribes or donations. Most senators had other jobs. Maybe that needed to change...but that would be settled later. First the senate needed to be cut down to size.

Rex felt bad as Lori began to leave. He didn't mind her company, especially since she wasn't undermining him at the moment. Besides, she was his wife, once his best friend and then some. Recently her loyalty was questionable to say the least, but he would be lying if he said he hadn't missed her. So he softly called out "You can stay..."