Kings and Queens

[Prince George]

"Nonsense! Everyone knows I care very little about my reputation, and let's be perfectly honest with you, the Imperium isn't universally loved here in the United Kingdom. I doubt very much you will do much to improve it. And...umm. Yes, it is an act! Sort of anyway. After what I saw the family do to Ashley I more or less wrote the whole lot of them off. Though, being who I am I can't just disown them. So, I have done the next best thing: Hang out with my mates and have a bloody good time, and at the same time soil the reputation of the House of Windsor."

[Rumiko Lei]

"Oh I know exactly how that is." Rumiko nodded her head. "Still... I'm sure you are much more capable than you let on. My own mother used to call me a flighty whore. My younger sister was the 'back alley slut in training'. Yet who was there with a huge smile on her face when they pinned medals to my uniform for taking down some of the worst criminals and terrorist organizations in the Quadrant?" she sighed. "Just seeing and hearing the way you and your sister act and speak... it brings back a lot of memories." she glanced at Kai. "He really IS trying to help, if he wasn't... I would have killed him. I was about to. I had a bead on him and who I thought was my sister, turned out it was his sister Kalia, but she moved and I missed my shot and they found my perch. Instead of arresting me, they kept me on as an adviser until Julie left the planet, now... I really have no idea what I am, beyond saying I'm 'Intelligence' simply because... I'm still trying to find out where the 'good ones' are." she whispered. "You passed muster too."

[Prince George]

"One thing is certain: he isn't Tiberius or Julie either. I'll give you that. As far as me. I'm not evil, or even particularly ambitious. Hell, I'm not even political. I hate these functions. But, here we are."

[Rumiko Lei]

"Well always good to hedge one's bets." Ru said with a slight smile. "Never know when things like this turn from 'optional' to 'mandatory'." she nodded her head. "Still, I wasn't kidding when I said we could use a hand. If it helps you or not... it's still better than simply standing around drinking and wondering how you're going to entertain yourself. We aren't the worst people to hang out with. You should meet Kai's wife, she's a doctor, but she's like Susie Homemaker, woman can whip up a drink or a snack in like ten seconds. Reminds me a lot of Nick Ryder's mother, the two of them served together for decades, not sure who rubbed off on whom." she finished her drink and handed him the empty glass. "You see, the company you keep can influence you both for good and ill. I normally never drink when I'm technically 'on the job' but then again, I don't have a 'job' per se. Again, influence has its benefits." she slipped him a card. "My personal comm frequency, I already have your's." Ru held up a small device. "I still have some fun spy gadgets handy. I may even share."

[Prince George]

George smirked over his glass. "Indeed miss! Yes indeed!" He said invoking his father's baritone and archaic speech.

[Rumiko Lei]

Rumiko smiled and walked back over to Kaikoa. "I think we can count on Prince George to be an ally."

"Seduced him?" Kai gave her a smirk.

"Not so much as seduced as figured him out. Besides, his sister's kind of a bitch." Rumiko replied and tapped Kai's nose. "And if she wasn't dazzled by you already, she won't be later. So... we encourage the black sheep."