4688/Secrets of the Royal Family

Secrets of the Royal Family
Date of Scene:	18 June 2018
Location:	Hyperspace
Synopsis:	Laurel seeks to understand the reason behind her ancestors' hostile actions.
Cast of Characters:	Mon-El, Andromeda

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Mon-El has posed:
    It's been a few weeks or so since the...confrontation on Earth. Laurel, by her own volition, has opted to leave the planet temporarily and travel away with the Daxamite leadership, despite the circumstances.

    The flagship is quite nice. Sure, it's a military vessel by default, but it definitely isn't lacking in luxuries, since it was designed to accommodate royalty. Perhaps surprisingly enough, they've treated her quite well, just like a guest of honor or something. She has her own spacious quarters, and if she ever needs or wants anything she can ask.

Andromeda has posed:
    The food, at least, is familiar. Laurel is turning the situation over and over in her head. It looks so similar to the Daxam she remembers and yet... The values and people are very different. Rhea reminded Laurel of her own mother, and the other people here... She's been a courteous guest, attentive and quiet while asking for fairly little.

    Right now, Laurel is seated in her quarter and studying the door, considering what she might wish to do next. Really, she is just trying to understand what is happening. Perhaps Laurel should have paid more attention to Ancient History in her lessons as a child. It's incredible how similar the food is, at least. Small comforts.

Mon-El has posed:
    Hyperspace zooms by like streaks of white light outside the windows to her quarters, the low hum of engines running the only sound audible way out here in the middle of deep space. Well that and the fact that it's been some time now that she's been without yellow solar radiation exposure, so perhaps she has lost it a little.

Andromeda has posed:
    Laurel's strength is fading but she can still feel it. for the moment. She's been being exposed since she was a child and it will take time for her reserves to fully deplete. Still, she feels something she hasn't in many years. Fatigue. Despite this, Laurel quietly moves up to the door and presses it open gently to look outside and at the ship.

    "I wonder if grandmother is interested in talking..." Laurel cocks her head slightly to the left and runs her fingers lightly through her hair before taking a deep breath. She is still surprised that there isn't a guard posted outside of her room for this trip. It gives her a moment to look around, at least. Someone would no doubt check on her soon enough.

Mon-El has posed:
    Nope, no guard or anything. Surveillance, maybe. But no guard. Although, once she's out in the hallway, someone brushes past her rather rudely. She's seen him around, and he was among the fighters during the conflict on that island. He definitely has status, too, and he looks like he could definitely be Lar's older brother. Well he certainly doesn't look like he is in a good mood at all or happy with the situation in any way. He turns around and glares, regardless of whether she's staring or not. "What?" he asks gruffly.

Andromeda has posed:
    "...You ran into me, and apparently something's bothering you. Is it anything I can help you with?" Laurel's green eyes widen slightly and she does look over at the man, but only once he addresses her. She blinks a few times and offers a brief smile. "I'm sorry, I haven't learned all of the names yet. You are...?"

Mon-El has posed:
    The man grumbles, folding his arms and sighing. "Del Gand II. You're Laurel, aren't you? The supposedly from the future." Then he seems to relax at least a little bit, a brow quirking slightly. "Why did you insist on coming here? Surely there must have been a reason. It wasn't because you couldn't stand Lar's...antics any more, was it?" Eyeroll.

Andromeda has posed:
    "Supposedly from the future," Laurel echoes back. "That's correct." She takes a deep breath and holds it for a moment, fixedly studying the man in front of her. She is very tall, even statuesque, and easily looks him dead in the eye while studying his features. "I'm quite fond of Lar, to be honest. No, I insisted on coming because I realized I don't understand *why* this is happening. What led to it. What Krypton did... Who we are, as a people, in this century. And I want to understand. In my time I was Daxam's champion. Not an outcast. Fighting other Daxamites is... It isn't..." She gives her head a shake in a flourish of golden tresses.

Mon-El has posed:
    "..." Del's face softens a bit when she admits that she just wants to understand. "I...see." He looks like he is about to tell her his own take on everything, but then just shakes his head, frowning again. "You'd best ask mother--er, Queen Rhea about that. She could tell you everything you want to know much better than I could."

Andromeda has posed:
    "Grandmother, that is the Queen? Yes... I was about to go see if she was free to talk. But I really would like to hear what yo uthink if yo uhave some time. I wouldn't mind getting to know you, especially since we've already spent this much time together and hardly been introduced."There's that glowing, incandescent smile Laurel uses to chargm so many people she knows. She watches Del's expression for his thoughts on that suggestion. "I intend on asking the Queen anything I can, but I don't want to impose so I've been patient. After all, we've awhile together yet..."

Mon-El has posed:
    Del's mannerisms sort of give the impression that he is somewhat depressed. He shrugs. "What I think doesn't matter." He patches into his comms to inform the queen that Laurel would like to speak with her, then nods to his guest. "Queen Rhea would be happy to speak with you about our history. She is waiting in her study on level 5, whenever you're ready."

Andromeda has posed:
    "...It might not change things but that doesn't mean it doesn't matter." Laurel sighs and then gives a faint nod. "Thank you," is all she adds after that before walking away with long, purposeful strides. It doesn't take Laurel long to find the study. WIth her enhanced mental capacity she's already pretty muched mapped the ship, and diminishing her powers isn't likely to make her forget. She knocks politely before entering the study.

    "Queen Rhea?" Laurel calls quietly. "...Thank you for seeing me."

Mon-El has posed:
    The door is already open when Laurel arrives, and the queen is sitting at her desk looking over some documents but she glances up immediately when her guest calls out. "Please, come in. And call me Rhea." She motions toward a seat in front of the desk. "Sit down. Anything to drink?"

Andromeda has posed:
    "Water would be fine," Laurel replies quietly. "Thank you, Rhea." It takes a split second's pause to get the mode of address correct but Laurel still handles herself with grace. She turns as if to close to door but it shuts behind her automatically and instead Laurel is left taking a moment to glance about before carefully taking her seat. "I appreciate you allowing me to travel with you..."

Mon-El has posed:
    Rhea nods and a floating disc-shaped drone brings her a glass of water as requested. "Well, you are one of us, regardless of what...time period you may be from." she answers, folding her hands on the desk in front of her. "So what can I do for you today, Laurel? I imagine there was a reason you wanted to come here. Other than enjoying the amenities, that is." she says with a small smile.

Andromeda has posed:
"I don't even know where I should start if I *really want to understand," Laurel admits quietly. She accepts the glass of water from the drone and favours it wit ha brief smile bufore turning that on Rhea. She looks the woman over for a second. "You look so much like mother," she murmurs after a moment. "She died in an attack when I was small. Who doesn't matter. Not now, at least." Laurel sips at her drink. "I want to understnad what happened. Why did you come to earth? What did Krypton do to us? I know so little about what happened and I just-" She stops herself midsentence. "I'm sorry. I'll let you speak."

Mon-El has posed:
    Rhea seems to feel some compassion at the mention of Laurel's mother. "Oh, I'm so sorry about that." She actually sounds genuine, really. Then she sighs at the question. "Krypton is responsible for our homeworld's current state. The force of the explosion and the resulting fallout destroyed our cities and rendered the surface of Daxam uninhabitable for..." she shakes her head. "We aren't even sure. The foreseeable future."

    "Many of us..." The queen's gaze falls away from Laurel's face, staring at the desk as she tries to hide the fact that her eyes are welling with tears. "...didn't make it. But a few managed to escape either to underground shelters or to the stars. We've been searching for a suitable planet to make a new home out of for the past several years."

    An exhale as she tries to gather herself and look back at Laurel. "The worst part of it is that Krypton could have saved its own people, and -us-, if only they had stopped fighting amongst themselves and started paying attention to the things that truly mattered. We spent so many decades, trying to push them to do what we all knew was right. Some of us even wanted to send troops to force it, but no one wanted to start a war with them, of course."

Andromeda has posed:
    "I..." Laurel flushes faintly as her eyes widen. "It..." She pauses for a second and shakes her head once. "It does get better, but I don't know when," is all Laurel can manage at first. She steps forward then, moving toward Rhea. "A thousand years is a long time to -... Remember." Laurel reaches out and then, after a brief hesitation, moves to embrace the Queen tightly, though careful of her own enhanced strength. "I understand. But hurting Kal isn't the answer-" she pauses for a second."And that's behind us now. I want to do anything I can to help."

Mon-El has posed:
    "I am...glad to hear that Daxam will not disappear forever. But I know it might not be within my lifetime. But I've come to accept the fact that I may never get to go home." Rhea says with a sigh. And then she is suddenly getting hugged--which is definitely a surprise. Given only a few weeks ago they were trying to punch each other out cold. "I know...I know it isn't." she says quietly, embracing her back. "I suppose I'm just..." her voice breaks again, as if holding back tears. "I just don't understand why Lar doesn't seem to want us, Laurel. Del and I...we tried so hard. We gave him everything he could have possibly wanted, everything we could possibly give. Yet he was always unhappy with us. We never understood why, and he never wanted to talk to us about it. And then--" She exhales again, trying to regain her composure. "He falls for a Kryptonian girl, in a matter of--of a few years? Weeks? I'm not even sure. Do you--do you know how long he knew her?"

Andromeda has posed:
    "I don't think it was very long," Laurel admits then. shaking her head once. "But sometimes people fall in love no matter what the circumstances are. I doubht he could help it." She sighs as well and then shifts very slightly so that she can get a better look at Rhea's face. "I wish I knew why Lar was upset but he does seem to be- making a good life for himself here. And his actions... He's a credit. To you, to Daxam? To me. Lar is my hero, honestly." She seems to be stuck trying to figure out what it is she wants to say about this. "Maybe I can help you reconnect with Lar? I can't promise, but... We get along well. He listens to me. And I don't want to see this go on longer than it needs."

Mon-El has posed:
    "I'm sure he couldn't help himself." Rhea admits, pulling back from the embrace and sitting back in her chair with a sigh. "He has always been a bit impulsive, as you probably already know. But, that doesn't make any less frustrating or painful for us. You know? Knowing we tried so hard for so many years. Maybe we just never understood him fully."

    She nods at Laurel's offer. "Perhaps. Thank you for the offer, but...unfortunately at this point I think we've passed the point of no return. He's made a life for himself with you and with the Legion. And if he truly loves Kara Zor-El, and she him, then we have no right to dictate who he is allowed to love. I suppose...as long as my son is happy, I will be happy." Though she doesn't exactly look or sound like she is. More of just...a resigned attitude that is tired of trying and losing.

Andromeda has posed:
    "Well. Perhaps he'll come visit with me sometime in the future," Laurel murmurs. she nods, however, and then breathes a heavy sigh as she turns back toward the door. "I understand a it of how you feel. I'd like to get to know you better, so I think I'll stay for awhile. And I can always come visit again. ... Than kyou again. For explaining. Though not under the best circumstances I'm- glad we met."