>>Should I tell them not to come?<< Raena was painfully aware of how it looked every time she got together with her parents. A High Dynasty heiress meeting with the TSS High Commander and Lead Agent in private. She hated that such thoughts even came to mind, but it was the reality of the situation. Politics and military were supposed to be kept siloed in the interest of checks and balances, but they were inexorably entwined with her family.
>>No, they wouldn’t have asked to come if it wasn’t important.<< Ryan’s word echoed his statements when Raena had broached the topic of her parents’ visit.
Raena received the request late last night with only a day’s notice. It was very unlike them. Her father, in particular, was deliberate in his actions, so there was a reason for coming besides catching up with his daughter and son-in-law.
Raena massaged her left temple with her fingertips. >>Okay, I’ll see you at lunch.<<
There was nothing she could do at the moment regarding the disruption on Duronis or how it would look to have her parents arrive and provide a perfect photo op to prove the protesters’ point. Trying to hide the meeting wouldn’t look good, either. So, she set about her other tasks for the day and tried to suppress the feeling of imminent doom welling in her chest.
By lunchtime, the sting of the morning’s news had faded to the background, replaced by excitement to see her parents. It had been almost two years since their last visit to Morningstar Isle, though Raena had seen them elsewhere in the interim. She looked forward to showing them how the place formerly used as a beacon of oppression had been turned into a loving home. Granted, the interior renovations weren’t complete, but the energy of the place had shifted. She knew they’d appreciate it more than most visitors.
She went to meet Ryan for the midday meal on the west terrace next to the garden, their usual spot. It was located between their two work areas, so it had become a convenient place to meet up without wasting time trekking across the entire estate.
Ryan was hunched over the table when she arrived, absorbed with reading something on his handheld.
“Hey,” she greeted telepathically when he didn’t look up.
He set the device down. “This day, I swear,” he muttered, shaking his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just got a report of another starship dealer who was inflating lease terms. I understand why people in the Outer Colonies think we’re trying to gouge them—all the people in the middle want to increase their cut rather than deliver on the promises we’ve made.”
“Everything is too big.” Raena rubbed his back before sitting next to him. “It’s like playing a massive game of telephone across the galaxy. The message gets diluted by the time it filters down.”
“What?”
“Never mind.” She forgot, sometimes, Ryan had played different childhood games while growing up on Tararia than those she had played on Earth. “My point is, we need to find a way to more directly interface with our people.”
“Even so, will they believe what we say?”
“If there’s follow-through, yes. The issue isn’t the idea behind these new initiatives, but that they’re not being executed in the way we envisioned.”
“It’s the bomaxed Lower Dynasties! Everything is a political power-grab game to them. Like that shite that went down with Arvonen and the Gate research that got us all in this mess. Ridiculous.”
“I know.” Raena took his hand. “You’re doing great, Ryan.”
“The fact that business is good is secondary. I still feel like we could do more to create job opportunities and help make things more affordable so people can get ahead in life.”
“That will always be a challenge for us. We both grew up without the comforts of wealth and power being givens in our lives, so we think about those who are living paycheck-to-paycheck. No one else in the High Dynasties will ever appreciate that perspective. It’s why it’s so important we stay the course and lead by example.”
“Right, and we’ve made a good start. But reducing transit fees and opening up new shipyards is just scratching the surface.”
“These things take time.”
“I know. Still, it’s frustrating. I got handed all of this wealth by birthright, yet it’s all tied up in DGE, and I can’t do what I’d like to help families improve their circumstances.”
“The harsh truth is we can’t help everyone personally. However, these little price cuts, new jobs, and scholarships will reap long-term benefits.”
“Your grandparents are on board, but the other High Dynasties need to rethink their businesses, too.”
“Once they see what good work you’re doing, I’m sure they’ll follow suit. With all the colonization expansion going on, DGE is primed to shine.”
“And I have every intention to do the Dainetris name proud. The Dynasty is here to stay this time,” he said, resolute.
The whole mess with Dainetris’ temporary fall from power two centuries prior turned Raena’s stomach. The Priesthood had ruined Ryan’s ancestors when they spoke out against the organization’s misconduct, so it was no wonder people nowadays didn’t trust leaders to act in the public’s best interest. Even once files detailing the Priesthood’s millennia of corruption had been released, too many people were still skeptical about the High Council’s intentions. ‘Doing the right thing’ wasn’t a sufficient motive, apparently. But we’re not like the Priesthood.
Raena and her husband had truly tried to live by ‘doing the right thing’ as their mantra. She’d been handed so much power at a young age, and though she hadn’t wanted any of it, she couldn’t turn away when others were counting on her. The power distance between rulers and their people had become so great that they needed someone like her who hadn’t lived like royalty for her whole life. She could help heal the divide.
With that
