Private The Black Lion’s Pride

[Arken Dobson]

Pride.

What is pride? Is it an over inflated sense of self? Is it a moment in time when one reveals to themselves their own value? Is it a feeling or a state of being? Is it a sin or is it something to be embraced?

To Arken, pride was a simple thing that became complex the more it manifested itself. To Arken, pride was simply the acknowledgement of one's own self value. That value existed on a variable spectrum that was different for each and every individual. To some, their own self-worth was little and content with their pathetic lot in life. To others, that value was higher than anything the galaxy could offer them. And to Arken, that sense of self value was a fire that burned deep inside him and fuelled his engine to pursue great things and bring change to the galaxy.

Of course, pride came in many forms. It manifested itself in different flavors, and Arken had tasted each and everyone of those flavours many times throughout his long life. Him and his family, that is.

The first flavour of pride was greed. The pursuit of things that one's self value determined was worth acquiring. Some thought greed was in the act of having things, but in fact, it was the taking of things that greed embodied. The chase. The thrill of the hunt. Arken's niece, Linn Dobson , was the one that came to his mind when he thought of greed. She was a hunter that enjoyed the thrill of stalking her prey. The actual catch and consumption of her prey was of little consequence to her. The action of pursuing the things she wanted was what thrilled her. Arken respected her for that.

The second course of the banquet of pride was gluttony. Some made the mistake of assuming this was about food, when in fact it was about the excess of having that defined gluttony. Arken's heart went to his own son, Severus Dobson , for this one. His son was famous for wanting more of something he was already given. For Severous, enough was never enough. Arken had labored long and hard to hone that hunger into something powerful as Severus grew up.

The third course was sloth. The sense that ones self worth was too great to be bothered with things that caused inconvenience, or suffering. A certain nephew, Brodan Dobson , embodied this manifestation of pride to an irritating level. He had completed the minimum requirements of his career to achieve maximum results, exploiting the power of his family to do so. To Arken, Brodan was worthy of very little honest respect. Arken never paid much mind to him and his pathetic navy career.

The fourth course of pride was lust. Again, people made the mistake of assuming this was about sex. It was not. Lust was the act of desiring what is denied. Like a child that when it is told no, the child wants it even more. Arken could think of no other member of his family that fit this description better than @Doofy Dobson . The strange young man could not be contained no matter how hard the Dobson family tried. The more you tried to stop him, the harder he tried to escape. Arken was embarrassed by Doofy, but even he could find the young man's antics amusing from time-to-time.

The fifth course was the ugliest. Envy. The belief that your self worth is more deserving of what you desire than others. Dorthea Dobson could have been so much more than what she was if she hadn't let her pride and jealousy get the better of her. Her anger and disposition towards the Dobson family put her on the outside of Arken's circle and insulted him greatly. He would make her pay for that some day. Someday soon.

And lastly, the most beautiful form of pride of all… wrath. The very essence of his beloved brother, Omar Dobson. Wrath was the manifestation that one's enemies must be punished for obstructing ones machinations of self-value. And Omar was a master of this. A force of nature and not one to be trifled with. Arken feared his younger brother, and rightly so, but he needed Omar more than anyone right now. And Omar could be trusted.

Arken sat in his prison cell, alone with his inner musings. He resented the fact that he had enough time to think about these things. He needed to be out in the galaxy protecting his empire. The empire was growing rapidly, but crookedly. Recent events told him that it was time to act. His time in prison must come to an end.

And as if on cue, the guard knocked on his cell door and spoke, "Get up, old man! you have some visitors here to see you!"

Arken smiled. He knew more about what was going on with the empire than anyone would suspect. He had heard about the recent disaster to remove the pirates of Spindle IV. He expected his family to come…

 

[Omar Dobson]

....And come they did.

Omar gave the guard a quick nod as he clasped his hands behind his back. "You may leave us. The King asks for discretion in this matter. Would you not agree that following his orders is advisable?" He gave the guard his trademark focused stare that could bore into a man's very soul. Everyone knew of Omar being a leader among the Special Forces. Everyone knew what happened to his enemies and there were very few that would wish for that misfortune to be brought upon themselves. So it didn't take much for the guard to leave them.

It wasn't until the guard was fully gone that he turned his attention to Arken Dobson . His brother was so wrongfully arrested, but it mattered little as their agenda was still being played out. Heath Valhoun was going to lose power very soon....

"The Empire expands and has found a new home. I wouldn't get too comfortable for you'll soon have a change of scenery. As will the thorn in your side."

Even while the guard wasn't there, Omar kept his words cryptic. Yes the King asked for discretion, but he didn't specify which King that was. Nor did he specify just what the change of scenery would be. Or of which thorn in Arken's side he was referring to. The chess pieces were already moving against Heath Valhoun and Loreena Arenais-Valhoun . The heir Rex Valhoun was already poised to be nudged in the exact direction that the Dobsons needed him to be.

All that he needed was for Arken to say the word that the time....was now.

 

[Linn Dobson]

Commander Dobson could think of only one thing at the moment. And it was determination. She had not seen her father Omar for quite some time although she was sure that he was well aware of her past ventures on Culroon III. She had a small militia at her command..Ready and willing to follow her to the ends of the galaxy if need be..Being ruled and led through fear was Linn Dobson’s nature…And because of this nature..Her greed has no end. Compared to an all-consuming black mass that’s hunger is never quenched, her drive and motivation to see her father and Uncle for two distinctive reasons was a top priority. As she came about down the hallway with her naval commander uniform tightly pressed, her combat-shined boots would clunk through the area loudly.

She glared down at her Signa-Ki patch across her left chest and would brush it quickly, thinking there was some floating debris attached. Seeing the guards in the hallway as she was coming closer to where her Uncle was kept she knew there was a great chance she would have to explain who she was before being allowed entry. After all, If you held a Dobson prisoner….EVERYONE knew about it. As she cleared her throat her stoic face would slightly turn to the guard at the prison cell entryway. With her hands cuffed behind her back, she spoke low and sharp. “Evening…My name is Commander Linn Dobson…My intelligence has led me to believe a certain detainee you have in your presence is my Uncle…Arken Dobson…I demand to see him at once.” With the commanding statement, she was ready to show credentials if need be although she would be highly insulted.

Tag: Arken Dobson Omar Dobson

 

[Severus Dobson]

Severus should have been the first one there, being the head of the house with his father rotting in prison. However that wasn't the case, because as usual, he was making an idiot of himself. First his ship ran out of fuel in the middle of the fleet's designated lane. That was fun. Then The guards had been hesitant to let him in the prison, telling him two military officials with the same last name were already down there. Apparently they had never heard of a family reunion, and when Severus tried to pull rank on them, it went nowhere. Evidently prison guard outranks Council Member.

He had then tried to bribe the guards, which wasn't successful either because "We only accept Elysium Credits, sir" A load of bantha fodder.

It was only after he insisted they let him in for the fifth time that they let him in. In cuffs. So now he was being escorted into the prison to meet his family, and he was a prisoner. It was unbelievable, almost as bad as that time he sprinkled what was labeled as "Spice" on his pasta, only to find out it was a different kind of spice.

At last the escort led him to his family.

"Hello, father." ​

 

[Arken Dobson]

Omar Dobson:

"The Empire expands and has found a new home. I wouldn't get too comfortable for you'll soon have a change of scenery. As will the thorn in your side."

"We will discuss this in a minute. First, is your daughter coming…" just as he started to ask, he watched Linn Dobson ’s powerful form burst into his cell. Her face was full of stoic passion and defiance, as was her custom, "… and can she be trusted?" He finished, not missing a beat and looking directly at her. His question was directed at both of them, and he expected them both to make their case for her loyalty to the family. He needed her for his plans.

Severus Dobson :

"Hello, father."

Then, suddenly, a sad form was escorted to the cell in shame by the prison guards. Arken had ordered the guards with his prison influence to make it difficult for his own son to even make it through the door. Severus Dobson carried the weight of all of Arken's expectations for his children since Dorthea had disappointed him so tremendously. He needed to test his son to see that his resolve had not been shaken. He was pleased to see that Severus had succeeded in passing Arken's little test, even if he was in cuffs. But he wouldn't let Severus know that he was pleased. Instead, he deadpan stated, "well, at least you're not high again." He then addressed the guards, "release him now."

The guards wasted no time obeying Arken's command, and removed Severus's cuffs immediately. Arken intended this little display of power to show his family that he was still a force to be reckoned with. He hoped it had the desired effect.

 

[Omar Dobson]

Omar tilted his head to the side just slightly as Linn Dobson arrived once Arken Dobson mentioned her. Still his cold focus remained on his brother. Any normal person would scoff or show their dismay at having the loyalties of their children questioned, but not Omar. He remained silent. He didn't need to say anything. If it was anyone that had children with faulty loyalties, it was Arken himself.

Speaking of which, Severus Dobson appeared. Arrested, of course. Such a thing came at no surprise. The man liked to throw his weight around, yet more often than not, it landed him into legal troubles. Having the spotlight wasn't always what it seemed....

"Being cooped up in a cage for a while takes it's toll on a man. I think you're due for a breath of fresh air." And maybe some exercise. Arken's weight wasn't good for his health and there was still much for him to do.

 

[Severus Dobson]

At least you're not high again

What a thing to say to your son. But Severus let it go. He knew better than to take shots at his father, and this clearly wasn't the time for arguments anyways. Besides, he was the favorite son, he was allowed to get high. He was probably the smartest man the elder Dobson knew.

Severus looked to Omar as his cuffs were removed. Omar, his uncle, was a dangerous man. He was every bit as dangerous as Arken, but he wasn't as much of a business man. Instead Omar found his success in the military, where he could use his particular set of skills to ruthlessly pursue any who oppose him, his family, or the Empire.

Severus forgot how Omar had stated it..."Kill you enemy dead, unless he rises up stronger." or something like that. Severus wasn't one for fancy quotes, but it made sense to kill enemies, but not if they could rise from the dead stronger than before. Then it was wise to run.

Then there was Linn Dobson. Omar's daughter, Severus' cousin. She was a real piece of work...a stern woman, she had no problem asserting her unbearable dominance into a room. Severus couldn't stand her, she's ugly, prideful, and worst of all, she is powerful. That was the worst because she is the closest member of the family to inheriting the businesses from Arken apart from Severus himself. That made her a threat. But at least she isn't Viken, or...Dorthea. ​

 

[Linn Dobson]

"We will discuss this in a minute. First, is your daughter coming…" just as he started to ask, he watched Linn Dobson Linn Dobson ’s powerful form burst into his cell. Her face was full of stoic passion and defiance, as was her custom, "… and can she be trusted?" He finished, not missing a beat and looking directly at her. His question was directed at both of them, and he expected them both to make their case for her loyalty to the family. He needed her for his plans.

"Yes. The subject at the moment seems to be that of trust. Believe you me, if it were my choice, I would not have come. But despite our....(As she slightly looks to Omar Dobson ) Indifferences...There are several matters at hand that need to be attended to. One of them being...How the holy hell you ended up here in the first place? Word does travel as fast as the shooting stars..Despite what you may think." She replied standing upright awaiting a response. Her controlled breathing gave away the notion that she was content with being there for the time being, But Linn hated to stay in one place for too long.

As she glared around, She was fully aware that it seemed the family was coming together for something BIG...Much bigger than themselves and an alliance out of necessity may have to be made.

Tag: Arken Dobson Severus Dobson

 

[Arken Dobson]

"Being cooped up in a cage for a while takes it's toll on a man. I think you're due for a breath of fresh air." And maybe some exercise. Arken's weight wasn't good for his health and there was still much for him to do.

Arken smirked in mild amusement at his brother’s ribbing. He knew a good natured insult from Omar when he heard one, “oh, the toll I’ve taken is more of a moral one, my brother. My experience in not being the one to lead this family has weighed heavily on me.” He smirked mockingly at Omar Dobson knowing that he would get the returned insult, “but you are correct. My time here must come to an end. We will get to that in a little bit.”

Arken noted at how Severus Dobson looked at Omar instead of him as the cuffs were taken off. Arken inclined his head as he spoke, “Aren’t you pleased to see your father, boy?” His eyes looked hard at his son in the way he usually did when he was testing him.

"Yes. The subject at the moment seems to be that of trust. Believe you me, if it were my choice, I would not have come. But despite our....(As she slightly looks to Omar Dobson ) Indifferences...There are several matters at hand that need to be attended to. One of them being...How the holy hell you ended up here in the first place? Word does travel as fast as the shooting stars..Despite what you may think."

A twinkle came to Arken’s eye as his niece interrogated him directly. He wished his own children could exert such strength and presence. Dorthea, maybe. But she was an enemy now. He shot Omar a glance of pride for his success with Linn Dobson before returning his gaze to his niece, “I appreciate that you at least have the dignity to remain direct with me after all these years. You will do well to remember that crossing the head of this family has consequences, however. You’ve seen what happens to a Dobson that forgets their place.

“Your question brings us to the point, however. My incarceration here has given me time to think about what we need to do to preserve the influence of the Dobson family in the Empire. Until now, our biggest mistake has been taking public perception into consideration. This empire is a monarchy, however, and centuries democracies have spoiled our ambitions. We must change how we do things and be more… direct moving forward. The three of you each has a job to do. My question is this; do you each have the will to serve your family as our ancestors have?”

 

[Omar Dobson]

Omar noted the stares from Severus Dobson and Linn Dobson , the latter of which was accompanied by words. Indifferences indeed. Yet it did come at some surprise that she wasn't aware of the circumstances that had brought Arken Dobson to where he was today. The lack of knowledge of such important matters would have been something that he'd of expected from "Doofy" Dobson ; but not from Linn....

Those musings were put to an abrupt end however as Arken addressed them all.

Omar didn't even blink at the insult slung his way. He merely gave his usual unfettered stare. Behind his eyes told another story however, reminicent of their youth and the competitiveness that they both shared. The two elder Dobspns shared the same goals, however their methods varied greatly.

And then came the carrot. Arken dangled it before them all. During his incarceration Omar was quite certain that his brother was using the time well. A plan was festering inside of him and before giving his opinions on what he thought should occur, Omar decided to wait to hear his brother out.

"Your flair for the dramatics has not diminished. You know the answer. What have you come up with?"

 

[Severus Dobson]

Severus simply gave a nod at Arken's question. He was pleased to see his father, but he was also disappointed. This wasn't just some meeting. Arken had summoned the family. That could only mean one thing: He has a plan. Sure enough he mentioned his time here being at an end, and then asked if each member has the will to serve the family as their ancestors had.

Severus again nodded, then looked around the room to see the others' responses to such a question.

For Severus, the nod meant Yes, I am willing to do whatever it takes, for the family. But was his heart truly there? No. All he desires is power, and his power comes from the family. So the nod truly means, Yes, I will do anything necessary to secure my power. But for the other Dobsons, Severus did not know. Were their motives the same as his own? Would they all become rivals to his eventual ascension? Or would they put the family first, and when the time comes, fall behind him as they now fall behind Arken?

Only time will tell. ​

 

[Linn Dobson]

A twinkle came to Arken’s eye as his niece interrogated him directly. He wished his own children could exert such strength and presence. Dorthea, maybe. But she was an enemy now. He shot Omar a glance of pride for his success with Linn Dobson Linn Dobson before returning his gaze to his niece, “I appreciate that you at least have the dignity to remain direct with me after all these years. You will do well to remember that crossing the head of this family has consequences, however. You’ve seen what happens to a Dobson that forgets their place.

“Your question brings us to the point, however. My incarceration here has given me time to think about what we need to do to preserve the influence of the Dobson family in the Empire. Until now, our biggest mistake has been taking public perception into consideration. This empire is a monarchy, however, and centuries democracies have spoiled our ambitions. We must change how we do things and be more… direct moving forward. The three of you each has a job to do. My question is this; do you each have the will to serve your family as our ancestors have?”

As Arken uttered the words of the proposition before them Linn continued to stare at the wall to the side of her as if it had something better to say, or an input as well. Clearly hearing what sounded like a promising plan to follow she would slowly extend her right hand to the wall, edging it slowly as if in deep thought. She would stop abruptly within a moment as her low undertoned vocals opened up.

"This family...Will never see eye to eye..However....The willingness and fortitude to do whatever it takes is something I do believe we all share in common...Consider my services rendered unto you. I know my strengths and most importantly..My own weaknesses..And I dare not blur the line between the two...for now...So then.....Being more direct and precise is my style...I am under your command..." She said, while turning her head slowly towards Arken Dobson


Tag: Omar Dobson Severus Dobson

 

[Arken Dobson]

"Your flair for the dramatics has not diminished. You know the answer. What have you come up with?"

"Good, my brother," Arken looked at Omar Dobson. He even smiled at Omar’s dry sense of humour, "I'm counting on you the most. I need you to accomplish two things. One, I need you to find us a proper stronghold for the family. It is time that this family became an empire of its own for once. Our little consulting firm has done its job and will continue to serve us well, but it has come time to carve out a piece of the Elysium Empire for ourselves. We need a fortress and I may even join you in this hunt once I'm out of here.

"The second task that you must accomplish will be a difficult one. Var-Sulis is an agent of the king and is publicly known as the man that carried out my arrest. I offered no resistance at the time, but media spin has taken this to another level. The Chiss Brothers are pampering him and giving him gifts to make him their pet, but they are also cleverly surrounding Var-Sulis with loyal Navy assets for his protection. We need to weaken their reputation and destroy Var-Sulis. After they used your son Brodan Dobson to humiliate our family, we need to show them that we can hurt them too. You have the exact same ship design as him, but he is no match for your experience. He should be easy for you to defeat. I do recommend disguising your vessel though."

Arken was truly confident in Omar's abilities as a military man, but in truth, Arken knew that it had been a while since Omar had been properly tested in action. An even fight between Omar's HMS Blind Eye, and Var-Sulis' HMS Titana would bring Omar's reputation to full status once again if he won. If not, well, it wouldn't hurt to keep Omar from getting big ideas about the throne of the Dobson family. Omar wasn't typically ambitious in the way Arken was, but it never hurt to keep one's brother in his place for good measure. Either way, Arken would be fine with the results if Omar won or lost.

Severus simply gave a nod at Arken's question.

For Severus, the nod meant Yes, I am willing to do whatever it takes, for the family. But was his heart truly there? No. All he desires is power, and his power comes from the family. So the nod truly means, Yes, I will do anything necessary to secure my power.

He turned his gaze to Severus Dobson who only nodded at Arken's inquiry. It annoyed him that his spoiled little son was not speaking respectfully to Arken, but nodding would have to be good enough for now. He knew that Severus was only interested in his own well-being and glutinous nature, but at least Arken could always trust Severus to look out for his own self interests. Still, it was good to remind him who was in charge for good measure.

Arken began to speak to his son while locking eyes with him, "now, you. First, you will do well to remember that even in prison, my word is law. You saw how I commanded the guards in here and I know about your embarrassments at Alderaan during the live aid event. I'm watching you, and if you step out of line, you will be made an example of, mark my words. I have more power in the Empire than you are even aware of and you only think you know what I am capable of." He jammed a finger at him, "don't cross me.

"Now, you have three jobs. It's time that you made use of your expensive law degree. I need you to mitigate the consequences of Brodan Dobson 's actions as much as you possibly can. I'll arrange for you to be his legal counsel using my connections, but you need to lessen the damage that this does to our family by any means necessary.

"Your second job is to get me out of here. That won't be hard, honestly. I'm only still here because I haven't fought my incarceration at all while I took this time to plan things. My incarceration was unconstitutional, so you should be able to do this quickly.

"Your third task, once I'm out of here, is to find a woman named Roweena Arenais. She is a hidden contact in the Arenais family that is unique and ambitious. Ambitious like a Dobson. You and I will talk to her in person and see if we can form an alliance. If not, I have… other plans."

"This family...Will never see eye to eye..However....The willingness and fortitude to do whatever it takes is something I do believe we all share in common...Consider my services rendered unto you. I know my strengths and most importantly..My own weaknesses..And I dare not blur the line between the two...for now...So then.....Being more direct and precise is my style...I am under your command..." She said, while turning her head slowly towards Arken Dobson

He then looked at Linn Dobson and was please that she was willing to cooperate, even if she was apprehensive about it. He had half expected her not not show up at all. Now that she was here, it told him that she was an asset worth considering… after being tested, of course. Funny how Brodan took the spotlight from her all these years and she was right under our noses… I have the perfect test for her, "And as for you, I need a hunter. A year or so ago, I stumbled upon an incredible discovery. Loreena Arenais-Valhoun believes that her own mother is dead and that her entire family is estranged from her. This is a unique situation because her mother is actually alive and well on Alteria. Loreena thinks she won a major victory by stealing Dorthea and Viken away from me and holding them hostage in her company. But she needs to know that my family is not one to be trifled with. You will go to Alteria, and assassinate the enemy NPC Treasury Arenais. If you can take her as a prisoner, this is acceptable as she would make a valuable hostage, but I'm mostly interested in her head, attached or otherwise. How you do this is up to you, but try not to incriminate yourself. This cannot be traced back to us.

"If you succeed at this, I can personally see to it that you are promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral of the Elysium Navy, with an appropriate command to fit your title. I have an Admiral under my influence by the name of Johnathon Cousins who was not happy about one of the Chiss Brothers being promoted to Grand Admiral. He is mine now and will do whatever I ask of him. He will promote you if I tell him to" unspoken was the fact that Arken could halt her career if he so chose using the same avenues.

"Now, can you accept this mission, or should your father be the one to handle it?" He leered at her, implying that turning down the assignment would be a disappointment to the family and Omar. Such disappointments came with severe consequences in this family, and everyone knew it. Bribes reinforced with threats were strong persuasive tools for Arken.

 

[Severus Dobson]

His words enraged Severus. Severus was once the favorite son, the one entrusted with anything, the one set to inherit this family empire, but now...now he was being put down like a dog that had taken a dump indoors. Arken was flaunting his power, and blaming Severus for the Alderaan Debacle. It was outrageous! It was unfair! Severus again gave only a nod to Arken. Meanwhile he clenched his fists so hard that it hurt and his hands shook.

But then his anger took over. As Arken concluded his list of assignments, in which he also put down Linn Dobson , taunting her by asking if her father should do the job for her, Severus yelled out.

"I'll do it, father, but let me be clear. I won't be intimidated. I know damn well what you're capable of, and I'm just as capable. So by doing your laundry list, I'll prove to you that I'm just as good, if not better than you. But now you'll answer my question. What would you do if I shot you dead right here, right now? Then your Empire is mine, and I'll sure as hell treat our family better than you have here today. And don't think for one second that you can keep me from inheriting your empire when you die. I'm the lawyer here, I will utilize every loophole in the seven nations of the galaxy to ensure that I take what is mine."

He spat on the ground

"So don't you ever put me down like I'm still a child, do you understand?"

His heart was pounding. He had spoken so far out of line, he wouldn't be surprised if Arken just busts through the bars and strangles him. But no, long gone are the days of "tough love", as are the days of being spoiled in every way. Severus knew, at this moment, that he couldn't party the way he was accustomed to anymore. Anything given to him from this family will be earned through blood, sweat, and tears. He wouldn't be handed the empire now. He would earn it. He would take it, if he has to. ​

 

[Omar Dobson]

Omar listened intently as Arken Dobson layed out his tasks. A fortress wouldn't be so hard to build and establish under the nose of Heath Valhoun and the others. He had a few planets in mind and various contacts to work with.

As for the second task to destroy Var-Sulis , there was almost a glint in his eye at the thought. However navy battles weren't his forté, but in this case he could make an acception. But it wasn't enough to blow up his target. Omar was a bit more personal in his killings than that. Battle plans would be forged either way.

Arken addressed the others; Severus Dobson and Linn Dobson yet before Omar could respond to his brother, Severus intervened with a threat. Does stupidity run in this next generation? First "Doofy" Dobson , and then Brodan Dobson . At least it was safe to say that Arken also sired children with an idiot streak in them.

Omar stepped in front of Severus and looked at him with that cold stare that most loathed. "And what's to stop me from killing you right where you stand and inheriting the Empire from you? Insubordination within the ranks is punishable by death. Do you really want to test me on that? A man gets treated by reflection of his behaviour. If you don't want to be treated like a child, I would suggest that you stop acting like one. Is that understood?" He was testing his nephew and fully prepared to take him out if need be.

 

[Linn Dobson]

Linn simply cracked a slight smile as she thrived on dramatic confrontation. Especially within her family as they all seemed to be built for it. But for her, This was an opportunity to prove her loyalty and true worth in spite of what she went through and the deep-seeded resentment within her heart. She did admire Severus Dobson for his attempt, however, as she expected nothing less from him. Even though she had been absent from family affairs for quite some time, it was compared to stepping into an old pair of boots that were worn only once but still considered used.

"

"And as for you, I need a hunter. A year or so ago, I stumbled upon an incredible discovery. Loreena Arenais-Valhoun Loreena Arenais-Valhoun believes that her own mother is dead and that her entire family is estranged from her. This is a unique situation because her mother is actually alive and well on Alteria. Loreena thinks she won a major victory by stealing Dorthea and Viken away from me and holding them hostage in her company. But she needs to know that my family is not one to be trifled with. You will go to Alteria, and assassinate the enemy NPC Treasury NPC Treasury Arenais. If you can take her as a prisoner, this is acceptable as she would make a valuable hostage, but I'm mostly interested in her head, attached or otherwise. How you do this is up to you, but try not to incriminate yourself. This cannot be traced back to us.

"Consider it DONE. It will be QUICK...Now then....I will conduct my own research on Alteria and determine the best way to proceed. Anything else I should be aware of?" She asked as the tension in the room was becoming thicker.

 

[Arken Dobson]

Arken observed the room carefully as all three of the present family members reacted to his orders. And he was almost entirely… pleased.

Severus Dobson immediately threw a tantrum. It was his way, but this anger needed to be tempered. In this respect, Arken had always considered Dorthea to be leagues ahead of Severus. If she hadn't been so damn defiant, Arken would have considered her as the heir to the throne, despite Severus being Arken's favourite. Arken personally liked Severus more, but Dorthea had more skill when her resources were equal to Severus's. But, alas, Dorthea could never be trusted, and even she made that clear. Often.

But Severus's tantrum did have some positive sides to it, though. It showed that, although Severus was impulsive and accident-prone, he was still passionate about the throne, and that Arken could still get inside his head. In fact, the closer Severus seemed to think he was to the seat of power, the more self-control he seemed to lose. Arken was still concerned about Severus's lack of self control, but at least he had an abundance of energy which could be harnessed and directed by a man with the right skills. Arken was the man with all of those skills and more.

Then, rather concerningly, Omar Dobson stepped in to get control of Arken's son. Arken had mixed feelings about this, but mostly he was surprised. Omar usually liked to stick to his own theatre of battle and intimidation. He was a man who always held strength in higher esteem over power. By stepping in to command Arken's son, Omar was showing off his power, not strength. This was very out of character from the man Arken always knew Omar to be.

Arken smiled to himself. Growing up with Omar, Arken had learned to distinguish the difference between them as brothers. In endeavouring to understand Omar, he had philosophically uncovered the difference between ambition and motivation. It was somewhat synonymous with the definition of strategy and tactics, respectively. In strategy, one concerned themselves with things outside their sphere of importance and strived to affect the bigger picture. This was also the case with ambition. In tactics, or motivation, one thought smaller thoughts in a more self-centered approach to how life worked. One did not concern themselves with what was going on outside of their immediate problems, but dealt with things more in stride while ambitious strategists took care of the larger picture.

For Omar to concern himself with how Severus was behaving towards his father showed Arken that Omar was thinking outside of his own problems for once. For any other being, this would be a form of endearment and consideration. For any Dobson, however, this was a warning sign of ambitious thinking. Very interesting, dear brother. I will be watching you more closely now…

Then, Linn Dobson simply obeyed Arken's orders. Simple, and direct. Aiming to please, while showing strength. Like daughter, like… how her father once was…

Arken could appreciate how she wanted to show her strength and loyalty, but like Omar, this limited how far she was willing to go in her ambitions on motivation alone. Arken could still find her extremely useful, but her ability to be pushed to higher limits would reach a peak at some point like it had with Omar. Perhaps that is why Omar is changing his ways? Arken needed to contemplate his family more in meditation later. These changes were very interesting indeed.

He pushed his musings aside and rubbed his eyebrow with two fingers from his left hand. The signal was quickly seen on the prison cameras and one prison guard seemed to appear from the shadows and set his blaster barrel against the back of Severus Dobson 's head. Another guard simply shifted his posture in the distance. He was sitting in a position down the hall and in a cell on the other side with a long range blaster trained on Omar Dobson . Arken had instructed the second guard to sit there in the dark and only move when Arken wanted him to be seen by Omar. Arken knew his brother very well and knew that only Omar would be able to see the guard with the long range blaster. Omar's special forces training had conditioned his eyes to subtle movements in dark places, so Arken took pleasure in using that to send him two subliminal messages; I know what you're capable of, and I'm always two steps ahead of you.

Had Arken rubbed his eyebrow with three fingers, another guard would have activated the prison's remote stun turrets and aimed it at her in warning. But she was behaving herself. For now. Arken had other ways to get control of the situation, though. He always had a backup plan.

He simply spoke to his family as the guards held them at gunpoint. He addressed Severus first, with a smile and a tone that suggested that he was both calmly proud and disappointed in his son at the same time, "this empire will be yours on one of two conditions, boy: either, I will die and you will be the only plausible option, or you will eventually outsmart me. Do you think I was sitting here reading literature and playing brain exercises with the elderly while I've been in prison? You've already seen that I control the guards here and you just threatened me while I have you surrounded by my men, you idiot. You are my son. I don't expect you to be smarter than me yet but I expected you to at least be smarter than that. Now quit your griping and do your job."

He then turned to his brother Omar Dobson and hardened his tone with a slight edge of authority, "and you will not be killing my son. No one commits a family hit unless I sanction it, and I am still head of the family." He glanced at the gunman in the shadows, the one that only Omar would be able to see, "and you will do best to remember why I was chosen to lead us after our father stepped down."

He looked at Linn Dobson next and said, "and you…" he couldn't actually think of anything to say which threw him off. Eventually, he just settled for, "watch your tone. Otherwise, I look forward to when you complete your mission…" he felt oddly defeated right then. She is EXACTLY like her father… Kark me…

"Now," he addressed the whole room this time, "as for Dorthea, I want her left alone for now. I want her whole world to fall apart around her before she comes slithering back to us. If she comes back begging to return, I will consider it, but I suspect she will come back for revenge. When your missions are done, you will need to watch your backs. She has resources now, being the director of that ridiculous Damascus Station.

"For now," he looked at Omar and Severus, "play nice. I want to see my family getting along once I'm out of here."

"Now. Go."​

 

[Severus Dobson]

Severus just smiled and nodded as Omar stared at him,. He had seen it before. Severus could take Arken down. Omar? Omar was nothing compared to Arken. He held the smile as the guard pulled his blaster. Severus had expected it, though it irritated him still. Arken thought he had the situation under control, but this time, things went beyond the end of a blaster barrel. Sure, Severus would back off, but it was clear now that his father was losing his grip. Omar, despite going after Severus, was also exercising his own power over Arken's. Though, Linn disappointed the favorite son. He expected her to have her own choice words for his father. Instead she just...accepted his commands.

Regardless, he had something to work with.

After a moment, he spoke in a deathly calm voice, "Very well. I'll be on my way." He gave one last glare at his father, then Omar, and ignored Linn completely, then slowly turned around and made his way toward the door....​

 

[Omar Dobson]

Omar noted the movement in the shadows taking place at the same time that a blaster was put to the back of Severus Dobson 's head. Touché. Only Arken Dobson protected Severus from stepping out of line, but within Omar's ranks, such a thing wasn't allowed.

Still, Arken was the head of the family and his word was law. But Omar was no pushover. And Arken knew that.

He gave his brother the same cold star that he gave everyone. "I have not forgotten. And it's good to see that prison hasn't made you soft." Omar dipped his head to him as he was dismissed, but not before returning the glare to his nephew. Hopefully he learns to be smarter. But only time would tell.

At least Linn Dobson wasn't the type to have temper tantrums.