Chat with Dakkon Darksword, Crown Prince of Hapes and Hapan Consortium
"Lord Darksword, I was wondering if you've seen the public response made by the Relephon Moon's Crown..err... Representative?"
Dakkon flashed a winning grin and leaned back clearly at ease. "Yes, I've seen poor Lucien's first attempt at real governing. We mustn't be too hard on the man but it just goes to show, that just because a person has money and thinks of themselves as a leader, does not mean they are naturally one."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, on the one hand, you have him spouting on about Hapan Traditions and supporting a united Consortium while neglecting to tell you that according to those very same Hapan Traditions, his actions would have called for the death of not only himself but his family and an interdiction of his world until another suitably loyal family could be chosen to take the reigns of the Relephon Moons.
He doesn't realize the danger he has put himself in.
Perhaps other worlds in the Consortium may look kindly at the niavete but they will not look kindly upon his efforts to bring them into disloyalty to the Queen Mother.
He espouses our 'traditional' family values but neglects to inform those that do not know that 'traditionally' the Royal Families use assassination as a suitable means for social advancement. And he says he's worried
Hapan values would be corrupted by the galaxy? It is that same, traditional value of 'assassination' my brother used to try and usurp the throne and the Queen Mother. It is interesting to note that for all
his (Lupercus') own talk of Hapes for Hapans and traditional values, he used outsider mercenaries to carry out his designs. In the end we exiled him and he is, more than likely, spreading that Hapan tradition about on the Imperial world of Corellia. I hope not.. I would think the galaxy should worry about
us!" He chuckled lightly. "Now I cannot say that poor Lucien is the same as my brother. Not nearly. Lucien, at least, has a sense of taste... but all his rhetoric about our values and his xenophobic fear of the Commonwealth turns to hypocrisy if we find that he is making a bid for the throne of Hapes using outsider mercenaries as well."
"So that's the question then isn't it? Is Lucien D'alaetos truly worried about Hapans or is this a bid for the throne?"
Dakkon shrugged, "That is the question isn't it? He has spoken of Hapan unity as if our move to ally ourselves with and become a part of this Commonwealth was something arbitrarily done by myself without cause or concern for the rest of the Consortium. Perhaps because he is new to the responsibility of being a leader of a world, we were all sorry to hear of his father's death as his presence at Court is missed terribly, he does not realize that we are following the more important traditions that he himself is destroying.
You see, traditionally, all sixty three planets within the Consortium have representation through the Royal Families in the Hapan Court, presided over by the Queen Mother and the Crown Prince. When the Andozians crossed the Transitory Mists, it was a court-approved decision that allowed them to remain here. When we settled on an economic agreement with Vinda Corporation, it was at the behest of the Court and every family, including D'alaetos, has prospered because of it. The meeting over a year ago between the Andozians and the Commonwealth, as well as the talks with Mr. Vinda had each family weighed in on the decision. Were there those that dissented? Sure. But the majority impressed upon the Queen Mother and myself the direction most Hapans could see our culture moving in and so we negotiated to ensure that we wouldn't be taken advantage of. After a year... a full year of negotiating, the Accords were finalized and now? NOW? Lucien D'alaetos has a problem?
As a member of a Royal Family of Hapes, he retains the right travel to Hapes to seek an audience with the Queen Mother and myself or have the Court lay his fears at ease. He's been to Hapes on numerous occassions visiting the Synthium as indicated by his passport documentation so he's afforded himself the opportunity to do so. He just apparently has not afforded himself the desire to do so.
Instead, what do we see? He has usurped my traditionally held position by calling himself the Crown Prince, he has the Relephon Moons usurp Hapes traditional position by attempting to have the sixty three world send representatives there instead of here.
The only reason he is alive now is because of the Commonwealth. You see, as THE Crown Prince, I could have signed the Accords fully expecting compliance from the Consortium and, of course, the subtle plotting behind my back. However, after a year of negotiating, the one point that the Commonwealth stuck too was a confirmation of the Court's final backing. Representative government they called it. And so, what Representative of the sixty three would not desire the honor of publicly expressing their private support of the Queen Mother and of Hapes? And so, the Sixty-Three, who had been here from the Accord's inception went home to place before their planet's heads the final
choice.
It is a choice that has a subtle effect of weeding out those who would think of themselves over their people. Why would the Queen Mother and Hapes settle for the weak platitudes of the half-hearted? Better a bitter enemy than a lukewarm supporter. At least a bitter enemy has the courage of their convictions.
Fifty of the Sixty Three have already returned."
"How do you respond to the claims that Hapan values are changing?"
Dakkon barked out a laugh, "
Of course, they are changing. Assassination attempts on the throne alone have dropped dramatically. Couple that with our culture growing out of it's xenophobic state, well.. most of our culture,....well, you see, in any society, there are two sets of cultures: where it's been and where it's going. As the consort of the Queen Mother and as Crown Prince, I have to keep my focus on where our culture is going. If not for our eventual acceptance and inclusion of geneticists in our culture, we would have bred ourselves to extinction long ago. Three thousand years of inbreeding between the royal families will do that. Also, when our culture was first established, we had a population imbalance which prompted greater political power being assumed by our women and the creation of the hereditary position of the Queen Mother. And I must admit, without the brilliant leadership as well as sacrifice from our Hapan women, we would not be where we are today. However, after three thousand years, our population has once more been balanced and we've seen an increase in responsibility and political power in our men. Two decades ago you would not be listening to me but to our Queen Mother, overworked and harried to keep her throne in the face of backstabbing royal families. You would not hear Lucien shouting from the Relephon Moons but his Mistress, who would have had him leashed for his impertinence.
All in all, our culture seems to be changing for the betterment of all Hapans and it's obvious most of the Cluster feels the same or we would never have begun talks with the Commonwealth."
"So you do not see the Commonwealth as a foreign power holding sovereignty within Hapan Territory?"
The Crown Prince smirked, "The Commonwealth has not challenged my position nor have they moved Hapan politics off of Hapes. We have gained additional support in various forms augmenting not only our military strength but also giving us a rather large voice in the happenings of what is going on outside our Cluster.
Lucien D'alaetos, by announcing himself as the Crown Prince, has challenged my tradition-supported position. With the Relephon Moons sending out representatives and asking, once again, to discuss what has already been discussed for over a year has moved Hapan politics off the traditional capital of the Consortium, Hapes.
So, between the Commonwealth and the Relephon Moons, who has done the most damage to our customs?
If Lucien did not want a foreign power to hold sovereignty within Hapan Territory, he should not have announced himself as the Crown Prince or the Relephon Moons as his seat of government for now he has created a foreign power operating within Hapan Territory."
"The Hapan/Commonwealth Accord allows for this creation of a separate state within the Cluster..."
"..and for not wanting to recognize Commonwealth authority or government, Lucien sure took advantage of the provision from the Accords that would not have 'traditionally' been his by separating the Relephon Moons from the Consortium. His citizens are angry at the turn of events for travelling through Consortium space, then they should tell their 'Crown Prince' to stop un-recognizing a bureaucracy that has been setting up for an entire year. You cannot travel to a system you do not officially recognize."
"He says..."
"He says..and says..and says... but what has he
done! If he wants to be a part of the Consortium, he needs to get his ass over to Hapes and take his place as a Representative of the Relephon Moons in the Court. Or, if he wants to stay on his world, to send someone in his stead. Not illegally refer to himself as the Crown Prince and illegally attempt to move Hapan official politics off of Hapes. If he doesn't want to be a part of the Consortium, as his actions have already indicated, then he can claim any title he wants on the Relephon Moons. But if he's serious about recognition from his neighbors, he needs to recognize their authority. That's basic government 101."
"What do you think about a reference to a citizen's comments regarding the imprisoned Hapan rapists?"
Dakkon frowned slightly, "It's indicative of the degradation of Hapan Society. To assume that there is no crime in the Consortium is like saying space is not black. The Consortium and the Commonwealth put the offender in jail. That a citizen is complaining about it is really surreal. Perhaps he thinks rapists roam free on the Relephon Moons to do as they will. There are also some Hapan men shallow enough to feel they are so beautiful that they can do no wrong. That they cannot be held to an account of their actions. Some Hapan males are actually showing signs of resentment of the long held authority over them by women and are taking it out on Hapan females through force, trickery or simple manipulation. One only needs to know the reputation of Sevaedus Delaeda to see this. But if the man wants to move, he need not look to the news for his incentive.
And that's our Hapan disease. We think that our beauty makes us perfect. We use our physical perfection as a cloak to hide our morally bankrupt hearts. We think looking pretty will hide our scheming against each other and our assassination attempts and xenophobia."
Dakkon smiled, "Let's shed our fear once and for all. Let's be beautiful on the inside as well as the outside."
