As I Lay Dying [Geneviève Lasedri]

[Natasi Fortan]

It had been rather an emotional day for Aurelia Volcata, the capper on an emotional two weeks, beginning with a routine visit to her physician, progressing through a devastating diagnosis, several days of tormented considerations about how to proceed, before finally coming to recognition that she could no longer do her duty. It would be a long, ugly, drawn-out death. Not something she wanted to be recorded -- not something she wanted her cabinet colleagues to use against her -- not something she would want her friends and family to see on the holonews.

Once the decision was made, the date set for the election, Aurelia's resignation made to the Senate, there was only one last thing to do, and this was rather more difficult than standing in the Senate and announcing her departure. At least it could be said that Aurelia Volcata was brought low not by Cecily de Demici or other political interlopers, but indeed by her own weak body.

Aurelia cradled a carton of her office affairs against her stomach as she waited in the Prime Minister's outer office. A secretary wandered in and inclined her head. "Minister Volcata -- I'm sorry, you're not on the diary. Is she expecting you?"

"No," Aurelia murmured. "i'm afraid I didn't think to make an appointment. I have some things... some things for her. But I didn't make an appointment. Would you please see if she is available?"

The secretary floated back into the office of [member="Geneviève Lasedri"] to ask if she had a moment for Minister Volcata.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

The task of typing out this executive order was proving uninspiring to Lasedri, thoughts still lingering on the loss of the one person she considered more of an ally than anyone else. Raaf may have been her friend and council, but Volcata was her coupling to this resistant freight train that was the Galactic Senate. And just today, she had lost that strong link of hers. So she expected this time to come--though the moment had apparently arrived faster than expected.

"Let her in," the Prime Minister insisted when her secretary came calling. One last meeting. The blond politician from New Holstice had sat opposite her at the executive desk a few times, assisting in management of finance distribution as Minister of that facet, as well as just providing insight and being something that Gen was yet largely unfamiliar with: a friend. She set aside her datapad and fetched her bottle of crimson-colored wine and set it within reach should the time come.

Today was a good day to get that executive order written up. The Senate might not be guaranteed a staunch supporter of the Prime Minister from here on. Of Gen's guard, only Faith still remained. She would feel this loss for certain.

[member="Aurelia Volcata"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Aurelia was shown into the Prime Minister's office. She offered an apologetic smile as she stepped closer to the desk. "I hope I'm not messing up the diary too much," she told [member="Geneviève Lasedri"] quietly. Without even thinking, she dropped into her usual seat across from the Prime Minister. Had she not been carrying that box and a deteriorating body it could have been another meeting of the minds. "I will be brief if you have other things... other appointments," she murmured, pausing to look around the office, as if seeing it for the first time. Her voice trailed off for a moment and then she looked back to the Prime Minister, her gray-green eyes glassy with tears just waiting for a blink to break the surface tension.

"Do you know, for the first time I'm considering what it would like to have this office. When you were done with it, of course. Someone would have to keep it away from that grubby idiot de Demici." She paused, her eyes widening for a moment before clearing her throat to stifle a giggle. "Out of politics five minutes and I've lost all my diplomatic skills, heavens. Anyway. I've thought of policies and programs and things I would do, but never really thought of being in the office. It's rather terrifying." She laughed again, hollowly, as if to fill the silence, but then her voice broke and finally she blinked and tears spilled down her cheeks, tracing little lines down Aurelia's flawless, pale skin.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, abashed, and drew a hankerchief from her sleeve. Parts were spotted with dark blood. She held a clean corner under one eye, then the other. "I'm sorry," she repeated, biting her bottom lip to steady herself. It didn't work. "I came..." She sniffed and rustled through the cardboard carton on her lap, extracting some items. One, the seal of the Ministry of Finance. Two, her Ministerial pin. Three, a set of keycards.