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morgynleriTitle: The Old and the New
Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
AU: Last Stand of Valor
Rating: Teen
Characters: female Finis Valorum, a reporter, Sei Taria (briefly)
This reporter may think he's more clever than most, sneaking in questions he's not supposed to ask cold, and asking them on the heels of asking about the resurgence of rumors about her love life. Finis Valorum isn't going to make it that easy.
It would be easy for her to remain silent against the whispers that say her lack of spouse or visible lover is because she is involved with a Jedi - a particular Jedi. That her choice of diplomat in the most delicate situations is colored by her affection for Qui-Gon, that she is choosing based on emotion rather than who is best for the job. They are accusations she's heard before, and not solely about her and Qui-Gon.
Equally as easy would be getting insulted, affronted, angry about those whispers, if she were inclined to do so. It would be just as damaging, and pointless. She could speak calmly and rationally about how they couldn't be true, and there are many who wouldn't believe her. Getting visibly upset just makes it worse.
It's not expected, when she's asked by a holo-news reporter, that she smiles, and chuckles, and asks if anyone has holos, because she's never seen a Jedi without his robes. A real Jedi, anyway; she has seen those awful movies and serials about heroic and virile Jedi, in all their naked glory.
"If you can't come up with something new, you might start to worry about your career. Everyone's heard the rumors about me and Master Jinn time and again, and no one's ever had any proof."
"There has to be some truth to them if they keep being brought up."
The reporter is persistent, but Valorum simply smiles, shaking her head slightly, as if disappointed. "Reporters pulling old stories out and shaking them off is just a sad remark on the moribund state of our Republic's media. There are a myriad other matters which you could report on, and all you can think of is 'we haven't harangued the Supreme Chancellor on her love life in half a year', and drag out old, tired, worn-thin rumors."
"And the speculation that you and Master Jinn are secretly married?"
"I first heard that one thirty years ago. You might want to ask the Jedi Order to clarify its rules regarding their members and marriage, as well as the recording of such. They can confirm - or deny - the status of any of their members."
Not that Valorum expects the reporter will bother looking - none of them ever do. It's too easy to find information to refute their wilder stories, and they want the most salacious and scandalous gossip to come from them first. Regardless of the veracity of their information or sources.
"So you aren't denying the rumors?"
She'll have to send the article to Qui-Gon once it comes out for him to have a chuckle at. The reporter is pulling out all the old tricks.
"Nor confirming them." Valorum shrugs, letting her amusement show. "Do you have any new speculations? The old ones are getting boring."
"I have a source that tells me you accepted bribes from Nebula Front in regards to Senate Resolution BR-0371. Specifically, in the form of aurodium stolen from the Trade Federation during the Dorvalla Incident."
Clever. Valorum lets none of the cold creep of fear, or the annoyance over a problem she'd been hoping to keep quiet until she discovered who had staged the money transfer, show on her face. This is something she can be angry about, or shocked, or any number of emotions other than flippantly amused. Asking about it on the tail of questions about older scandals is not quite what she'd expected of the young reporter.
"The incident in question is still being investigated by my accountant, and questions regarding the details are supposed to be submitted to my aide, Sei Taria, prior to any interview."
"My apologies, Chancellor." The reporter smiles, though neither apology nor smile strike Valorum as particularly sincere. "I simply thought I would try to break the real story ahead of anyone else."
"The report on the incident will be released to all media outlets when it is complete. Until then, I have nothing to say on the matter." Valorum stands, the reporter following suit with some scrambling. "The interview is over. Taria will show you out." She presses a button on her desk, keeping her gaze on the reporter until Sei opens the door. "Good day, Mr. Russon."
She stays on her feet until the door closes behind Russon, sitting heavily in her seat again once she's alone. The money crisis by itself is dangerous enough for her career, but the sex scandals being revived at the same time is potentially enough to end her career, or at least drive her from office.
"No." Drawing in a deep breath, she shakes her head. Her enemies might well take her down, but she's not going down without a fight, and she's not letting them stop her from doing her job in the meanwhile.
Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
AU: Last Stand of Valor
Rating: Teen
Characters: female Finis Valorum, a reporter, Sei Taria (briefly)
This reporter may think he's more clever than most, sneaking in questions he's not supposed to ask cold, and asking them on the heels of asking about the resurgence of rumors about her love life. Finis Valorum isn't going to make it that easy.
It would be easy for her to remain silent against the whispers that say her lack of spouse or visible lover is because she is involved with a Jedi - a particular Jedi. That her choice of diplomat in the most delicate situations is colored by her affection for Qui-Gon, that she is choosing based on emotion rather than who is best for the job. They are accusations she's heard before, and not solely about her and Qui-Gon.
Equally as easy would be getting insulted, affronted, angry about those whispers, if she were inclined to do so. It would be just as damaging, and pointless. She could speak calmly and rationally about how they couldn't be true, and there are many who wouldn't believe her. Getting visibly upset just makes it worse.
It's not expected, when she's asked by a holo-news reporter, that she smiles, and chuckles, and asks if anyone has holos, because she's never seen a Jedi without his robes. A real Jedi, anyway; she has seen those awful movies and serials about heroic and virile Jedi, in all their naked glory.
"If you can't come up with something new, you might start to worry about your career. Everyone's heard the rumors about me and Master Jinn time and again, and no one's ever had any proof."
"There has to be some truth to them if they keep being brought up."
The reporter is persistent, but Valorum simply smiles, shaking her head slightly, as if disappointed. "Reporters pulling old stories out and shaking them off is just a sad remark on the moribund state of our Republic's media. There are a myriad other matters which you could report on, and all you can think of is 'we haven't harangued the Supreme Chancellor on her love life in half a year', and drag out old, tired, worn-thin rumors."
"And the speculation that you and Master Jinn are secretly married?"
"I first heard that one thirty years ago. You might want to ask the Jedi Order to clarify its rules regarding their members and marriage, as well as the recording of such. They can confirm - or deny - the status of any of their members."
Not that Valorum expects the reporter will bother looking - none of them ever do. It's too easy to find information to refute their wilder stories, and they want the most salacious and scandalous gossip to come from them first. Regardless of the veracity of their information or sources.
"So you aren't denying the rumors?"
She'll have to send the article to Qui-Gon once it comes out for him to have a chuckle at. The reporter is pulling out all the old tricks.
"Nor confirming them." Valorum shrugs, letting her amusement show. "Do you have any new speculations? The old ones are getting boring."
"I have a source that tells me you accepted bribes from Nebula Front in regards to Senate Resolution BR-0371. Specifically, in the form of aurodium stolen from the Trade Federation during the Dorvalla Incident."
Clever. Valorum lets none of the cold creep of fear, or the annoyance over a problem she'd been hoping to keep quiet until she discovered who had staged the money transfer, show on her face. This is something she can be angry about, or shocked, or any number of emotions other than flippantly amused. Asking about it on the tail of questions about older scandals is not quite what she'd expected of the young reporter.
"The incident in question is still being investigated by my accountant, and questions regarding the details are supposed to be submitted to my aide, Sei Taria, prior to any interview."
"My apologies, Chancellor." The reporter smiles, though neither apology nor smile strike Valorum as particularly sincere. "I simply thought I would try to break the real story ahead of anyone else."
"The report on the incident will be released to all media outlets when it is complete. Until then, I have nothing to say on the matter." Valorum stands, the reporter following suit with some scrambling. "The interview is over. Taria will show you out." She presses a button on her desk, keeping her gaze on the reporter until Sei opens the door. "Good day, Mr. Russon."
She stays on her feet until the door closes behind Russon, sitting heavily in her seat again once she's alone. The money crisis by itself is dangerous enough for her career, but the sex scandals being revived at the same time is potentially enough to end her career, or at least drive her from office.
"No." Drawing in a deep breath, she shakes her head. Her enemies might well take her down, but she's not going down without a fight, and she's not letting them stop her from doing her job in the meanwhile.