Julianna Hagan's Story

Dominic rolled his eyes. "Nice to see you too, dad." He bore his father's slander and curses with a quiet, reserved frustration.

"This 'sacred house' has been defiled more times than I can count with all the hookers you bring in here," he countered swiftly, "as for the company, it's not going to get ANY better with you destroying my investments the moment you greet them." He growled. "Rhea called me. Told me what happened. Do you not realize how important she is to our standings with Terran manufacturing? You may have just cost us TRILLIONS of cubits, all over your stupid xenophobic beliefs and drunken idiocy."

He turned next and looked at Julia, a smoldering anger evident in his expression. "...you had something to do with this, didn't you?" he glared, "I can spend time with other girls if I like, Julia. Gods, you're back for five minutes and you're already telling me how to live my life..."

The Hagan family drama was in full swing once more.

Hagan sneered at Dominic, before he pointed his cane angrily at the younger man. "The only business I deal with Terrans is at the end of a rifle, we exploit that planet's resources, not strike 'deals' with the locals. They're primitives who have no idea how to wrangle their planet. No deals you strike with that woman will benefit this company, only frak up the status quo!" He barked.

"Your mother was a fool to raise you like she did, for all we know you're under suspicion of heresy after all your trysts with foreigners and Xenos!"

"And Her!?" He shouted, pointing at Whisper. "Do you have any idea who she is!?"

He then glared at Dominic.

"An LDA Agent came to my office questioning me about your activities."

Julia saw things escalating between her father and Dominic. She decided to step back and let them sort their issues out first.

Mile's anger lashed across Whisper's psyche as surely as if he had struck her and her eyes shifted to the man and then to Dominic before she moved to Dominic's side. She slipped her arms around one of his to stand close to him as if he would shield her from his family's anger, but the gesture didn't reach her eyes.

There was an almost unnerving intensity to her gaze as she watched Mile's. She could feel Julia's presence as well, but it was Miles that held her attention. It was his anger that permeated and dominated the room above everyone elses.

Whisper took Dominic's hand as he helped her from the car, but she paused apprehensively as she looked upon the opera house. The girl had become quite introverted since their encounter with the McGregors at the fair, and the subsequent situation at the manor. She hadn't spoken a word all evening.

Despite the return of her withdrawn demeanor she was quite a picture of elegance as she stepped out of the vehicle.

Whisper's initial impulse had been to try and blend, but her foreign features were unmistakable and in the end she had opted for accentuating her more exotic appearance rather than trying in vane to conceal her Isirian nature.

The white dress she had worn left the pale, silver-haired woman looking like little more than an ethereal wraith in the twilight hours of the evening, and there was something almost unnatural in the woman's ghostly and whisp like form, something surreal. Gold embroidery piped the hems of her clothes and both the skirt and sleeves were so light as to seem almost transparent themselves as a light breeze tugged at the wispy cloth.

A thin gold head piece kept her hair free of her face while a small teardrop jewel of sapphire hung from its center-point just above her eyes. It, and the bracelets of matching jewels, were a remnant of her Isirian origins - retrieved from her home here in Caprica City.

Pale eyes sought out dominic's, but her expression was difficult to read as she let her hand slip from his so he could move to help his sister out of the vehicle next. While Dominic was occupied with his sister, her attention was once more drawn to the opera house.

Dominic turned next to Julia, offering her his hand as he helped her out of the car.

"When in Hades' name is dad coming..." he mumbled into her ear, sporting a fake smile for the masses as he talked, "...there's no way he can be late for the Divine Shadow." He coughed into his fist. "And I pray to the gods he's sobered up. The McGregors would never let us hear the end of it."

Once inside the lobby, the Hagans would be treated to the monotone mingling of aristocratic society, the droning of upper-class white noise resonating all about them. It was a sound that Dominic was very familiar with. After countless galas and business mixers, Dominic had become a fluent conversationalist on all matters 'cubit' related. He only hoped Julia, a world-class model (and slightly spoiled rich girl) and Jacquelyn, an introvert to the core, would fare as well.

"Stay close to me if things get a little noisy," he leaned in close to Jacquelyn, "these gatherings have been known to get a little... odd."

Whisper took it all in quietly with observant eyes, but her apprehension was beginning to ease under the general atmosphere of the lobby. Dominic's assessment of her wasn't too far off mark, but it hadn't always been so. There had been a time that social gatherings of this nature would have been a pleasant prospect. It was difficult now to see herself as a social butterfly, but Dominic had a way of reminder her.

As he leaned in close to speak to her, she even went so far as to crack the slightest of smiles as she slipped her arms around his own so as to not get separated in the throng of people milling about the place. As usual the smile failed to reach her eyes, but she seemed compliant enough with Dominic leading them through the room.

"It might be best if I stay close anyways," Whisper replied quietly.

It had only been Dominic's money that had gotten her past the front door in the first place. The rich aristocrats of Aschen society weren't known for their mingling with second class citizens - let alone one from as far out as Isiria.

Fortunately though, despite her concerns to the contrary, it would seem that the average Aschen on Langara couldn't tell an Isirian from an Aschen by appearance alone and none seemed to pay her too much mind.

A car speed silently through the streets of Caprica city, heading towards it’s destination. Glossy, deep, black paint reflected the neon signs and animated billboards back out into the streets; blacked out windows hid the car’s passengers from prying eyes and the outside world. Cocooned safely within the comfort of the vehicle, a woman carefully applied the finishing touches to her makeup as the vehicle slowed nearing it’s final destination. As the car slowly came to a halt, the woman tucked her lipstick back into a small purse, snapping it shut with an audible and careful “click”. As the driver came around to the side to open the door, the woman inside took a deep breath, stepping out, careful to keep her dress from getting caught in the door.

To say she was reclusive was probably an understatement because, she did not always actively seek out companionship or company, and was for the most part content on her own. As she approached the doors of the opera house, Claire paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before thrusting herself into the crowds of opening night. “This should be interesting.” She muttered to herself. Stepping in front of her, the doorman silently opened the doors to the lobby and the excitement of what Claire understood to be one of the first productions since the last bout of political turmoil within the Aschen Empire.

Once inside, she blended in easily amongst the other members of the upper echelons of Aschen society. Claire had carefully picked a aquamarine and cobalt colored, diaphanous, silk gown with fabric fading from light to dark. From the front the neckline appeared fairly conservative for evening, yet still low enough to showcase a collar and earrings of blue faceted stones set in platinum. The back though, was a different story, with it’s daringly low cowl like back that ended right above her hip bones. For Yellowstone society standards, the dress was more than likely to be considered extremely conservative; for the Aschen Empire, it was more than likely a bit racy.

Glancing around the lobby, she found she could safely assume to spend the night ignored, with little evidence of any family yet to be seen.

A slender and delicate hand slipped into Dominic’s as Julia pulled herself from their car. As soon as the world class model was revealed in her gown lights from the paparazzi flashed. Julia was adorned in a brilliant silver dress that reflected back all the light shone on it with multifaceted colors. The sleeveless dress shaped her bosom into a heart, tightened at the waist, and then flared out in folds of cloth that trailed after Julia.

A chandelier of diamonds cascaded from Julia’s ears to frame her face. The woman’s hair had been expertly pulled together in a complicated but elegant braid that trailed over her right shoulder. The Miss Multiverse candidate smiled for her admirers and the media. As soon as she released her brother’s hand, Julia trailed off for short interviews and posed for the cameras.

The only time that Julia’s expert and world class smile fainted was when Whisper clung to her brother. A business mogul like her brother was not going to be missed by the media either. There were going to be whispers about a relationship between him and the white-haired Isirian woman for a very long time. This displeased Julia on the sole fact that when Valerie saw the tabloids than she may never consider Dominic again.

Julia would have loved to have Valerie as a sister by marriage but it seemed that Dominic had other priorities and experimentation to deal with first.

“Are you coming alone tonight, Miss Hagan?” a reporter called out. Julia shook her beautiful mane of hair with a small laugh.

“Of course not,” she replied to him. “My date will show up soon, I am sure.”

“Who is it!”

“I want it to be a surprise,” said Julia with a wink of her smoky eye.

Four Military vehicles inevitably made their way in front of the opera house, each one of them slowly coming to a stop while a large black unmarked SUV moved in front of the entrance to the opera.

A Purple robed individual emerged from the front passenger side, and he moved to the rear passenger side to open the door in which the Divine Shadow himself slowly emerged, smoothing his robes and ruffling them for appearances. Once he was standing, a second purple robed individual inclined his head, and began to move towards the VIP lounge of the opera house and open the door.

The door to the VIP lounge opened ever so slowly, and standing in the door was the Divine Shadow himself in full dark regalia, and his wife, Kianna should she have come to the opera with him.

After Mollem walked through the doors, his son followed, clad in full military regalia. A grey dress uniform adorned with rank insignia, chest candy, and various other service pins and medals which all glimmered and glinted in the light of the opera house.

"This should be interesting." Mollem said, as a Confessor stood in the center of the room. "Bow your heads in reverence to our Emperor, the Divine Shadow!"

A moment later Mollem waved his hand. "Be at ease." He said, throwing back the hood of the robes and making his way to the Hors D'oeuvres and ambrosia.

Raphael on the other hand strutted past Dominic and Julia with his chest puffed out so that everyone could clearly see the multi-colored medals and ribbons that adorned his uniform. As he strutted he made his way over to the Ambrosia table before he pointed directly at Whisper.

"Bring me an Ambrosia, little girl!" Raphael demanded, and should she resist, he would simply bat an eye over to Mollem.

Miles Hagan was yet to be seen.

Whisper's eyes flicked not to Raphael, but to Mollem and Kianna. It was Kianna who gave the slightest shake of her head before she spoke quietly to Mollem.

"Excuse me for a moment," she purred lowly. "Before your son lets the cat out of the bag."

She retrieved a glass of ambrosia from a passing tray as she casually made her way up to Raphael. The glass was in his hand even as she whispered quietly to him, keeping her face shielded towards Raphael in the event anyone was watching her.

"If you blow that girl's cover, your father and I will be extremely displeased," she warned him softly as she moved on quietly as if the brief exchange had never occurred.

The warning was a simple one. If he was going to pick trouble with Whisper he was on his own. No getting daddy to back him up.

Dominic was, as usual, scouring through the horde of haughty aristocrats with frightening social prowess. Even with Whisper (the taboo 'xenos' foreigner) hanging on his arm his conversational skills were undiluted, turning hostility and snide arrogance into laughter and pleasant discourse in half the time it took a normal man to spit his name out. He knew each of them down to the souls of their million-cubit shoes: name, trade, economic condition, family history, sexual orientation, the works. It took only one of these little tidbits of information to steer a conversation in a particular direction, and Dominic seemed to know exactly how to do it. 'Your wife just won an archery contest in Tibertus, yes? Delightful!' 'I heard you just bought a new dock off the coast Menoetius? Beautiful beach. Might I have your opinion on a yacht I'm considering in that area...' 'Up two-and-a-half points since last week, was it? Goodness, you almost convince me to take my own company public..."

The talk droned on, pausing only when the Divine Shadow entered the room. Dominic paid the world leader all the appropriate respects.

He was shaking hands and trading smiles with two Delphi Computron board chairmen when one of his aids tapped him on the shoulder. Dominic leaned nonchalantly back and let the man murmur into his air.

"Ms. Angelique has just entered the building, sir..." he whispered, "...you asked to be notified when..."

"Right, right," Dominic patted his aid on the shoulder nodding, "good work." He turned back to the chairmen and offered them a few hasty apologies before turning away.

"You're doing well," he nodded to Whisper, "I wouldn't count on too much trouble from this crowd. The Isirians were made legal citizens of the Empire by the order of the Divine Shadow himself. No one would dare mock your legitimacy as an imperial while the Divine Shadow himself is in the room. It would be an enormous insult to his political decisions. Trust me, these people don't have the balls-"

It was than that Raphael made his bold, outlandish demand.

Dominic stopped moving, his pulse quickening only slightly. "Wait here," he instructed her before turning around towards the admiral.

He was already pacing steadily over to Raphael even as Kianna reached him, a glass of ambrosia in his hand. He approached the young McGregor just as Kianna was leaving, a pleasant smile on his face.

"I see the Empress is ahead of me," he nodded to the drink on his hand, "I heard you requesting a drink from someone in the room, so I took the liberty of getting one for you myself. Wouldn't want to inconvenience anyone." He reached out and warmly clinked his glass against Raphaels. "I guess I'll just enjoy this one myself then. To your father's health?" His smile was impeccably disarming and charmed; no subtle undertone of venom or spite evident in his expression.

---

Meanwhile, reporters were swarming Julia.

"Ms. Hagan, Ms. Hagan!" one of them shouted for her attention, "can you comment on your brother's date this evening? He wouldn't answer any of our questions! Who's the mystery girl on his arm?"

"A surprise?" another reporter made a strange face as Julia danced around the topic of her own escort for the evening, "when will he be arriving?"

“Date? Oh that woman? No, Dominic has told me they are nothing but friends. I guess you could say that she’s a stand in for someone else who couldn’t be here tonight,” said Julia boldly. She knew she was toeing a line with giving away her brother’s biggest secret and Valerie’s. They had both sworn her to secrecy and Julia agreed.

“As for my date, here she comes now,” Julia said as Leanne McGregor was helped out of her car by a man.

The McGregor cousin of Raphael and niece to the Divine Shadow was draped in a shimmering black dress that wrapped around her throat, left her arms bare, and scooped low in the back. Black jewels glittered at Leanne’s wrist and ears. Her blond hair had been pulled up into an elaborate twisted bun with a few intentional flyaways to frame her face.

“Isn’t she gorgeous?” Julia asked the reporters before she gave a little squeal in the back of her throat and shimmied over to her date. It was hard to not trip over the drapery of her silver dress but somehow the graceful model made it without embarrassment.

Julia took Leanne’s hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The reporters all yelled for more while cameras flashed constantly in their faces. Leanne gave Julia a look and shrugged. Why the hell not? Matching grins perked up on both of the lady’s faces.

Leanne dipped Julia Hagan and gave her a real kiss that was going to be on the front page of the tabloids for weeks. By the time the women unlocked their lips from each other from the garish display they were both out of breath.

“Do you want to go inside?” Julia asked Leanne in a close whisper.

“Please,” Leanne whispered back. She cast a glance backward to see if Orlin had decided to come.

“Let me go introduce you to my brother,” said Julia with excitement in her every movement.

Claire watched the entire discourse between Whisper and Raphael. "Hm." She said to herself as she took a glass of Ambrosia off the tray as it passed her. She didn't care for the liquor but for appearance's sake would at least pretend to enjoy it.
She'd mostly steered clear of the Aschen and their newly re-minted empire until now; it seemed like too much trouble to deal with Mollem, Raphael and others who really couldn't care what happened to her. But curiosity had gotten the better of her with the passing mention of a new opera to be put on in celebration of the empire.

Seeing Whisper now on her own, she steered her way through the crowds to approach the other woman. "Interesting seeing you here." Claire said to her, speaking with a fairly heavy off world accent that could be pinned down to Yellowstone, and specifically Chasm City if one thought about it hard enough. The same could probably be said about Claire, but she had a good enough reason to be present. Whisper however, she wasn't sure where she fit into the picture of everything yet, or how she'd gotten mixed up with the Hagan's or McGregors. "I see my nephew has decided to try to use you as a go-fer this evening."

Whisper watched Dominic move away with some measure of unease. This could easily get out of hand. Claire's approach caught her by surprise and provided a brief distraction from Dominic and Rephael, but she seemed more confused than anything.

"Have we met?" she asked.

It was a valid enough question from Whisper's perspective. There were a lot of memory lapses and holes in her recollection over the past few years. She couldn't recall the woman in front of her, but the woman seemed to know her.

Nephew... that would make her Mollem's sister? She hadn't known Mollem had any siblings... perhaps by marriage?

Her thoughts drew her to a name she vaguely recalled from the AHSP records and files. Claire. What did this woman want with her though?

"No, we haven't." Claire said shaking her head. The only reason Claire knew of whisper was the vague rumblings in Terran politics, which she'd felt the need to keep a careful eye after having been approached by one of the so called resistance leaders. She personally didn't want to be dragged into the entire mess, but saw no reason not to be informed of what was going on in the world. Just because she was reclusive did not mean that she ignored everything else around her.

"Claire Angelique, and I believe you are Miss Jacquelyn Rose?" She asked politely enough. The only interest Claire had in Whisper was what she was doing on Langara, and beyond that had yet to be decided.

"I..." she began before simply nodding her head briefly to the inquiry. She glanced to Dominic, but he was otherwise distracted by Raphael at the moment, which left Whisper to the matter of actually needing to engage in conversation with Claire.

"Did you need something?" she asked quietly.

Her tone was hesitant, and though the question bordered on rude, the unease behind it spoke of the genuineness of it. The girl wasn't entirely accustomed to McGregors wanting to simply speak to her. They always wanted something. And they didn't usually ask.

"No..." Claire answered wondering just what she had done to cause the woman to reply to her greeting as such. "I was simply curious as to what you were doing on Langara." She added frowning slightly. There seemed to be something off about the way the woman reacted to others, as if she were broken and beat down by life in general.

"There's nothing that I want if that makes you feel any less uncomfortable."

"... I live here in Caprica City," Whisper replied quietly. "My citizenship was approved about two years ago," she explained.

Though the answer didn't really explain why the Isirian woman was living here. The Isirian nation had only been absorbed into the Aschen Empire a matter of weeks ago. She rubbed lightly at her arm and her eyes kept shifting to Dominic - a point of familiarity within the crowded room of people.

It wasn't until Claire expressed a lack of wanting anything that Whisper's gaze returned to Claire. Pale eyes sought out the other woman's and confusion touched upon Whisper's expression as she searched Claire's eyes for something, only to find nothing. After a moment she looked away once more, this time to Mollem.

Her inability to read Claire left her suspicious and guarded.

"How do you like Caprica City? It's been a very long time since I've been here." Claire said seeing Whisper's confusion change to apprehension and mistrust. She suspected that if the other woman actually was the one trying to read her, she hadn't received the feedback she was looking for, and instead had noted the complete absence of anything. "Two years? Well then you must be doing well for yourself to make it so well here in Caprica City." She added trying to convey a sense to the other woman of her innocuous nature.

"How is it that you know the McGregors?" Claire asked again trying for at least a small amount of small talk that might make the woman comfortable. To try to read anything other than her body language could possibly cause trouble, and it was trouble she didn't exactly care for.