"I hadn't really thought about the possibility of being made a duchess," Solae conceded. Truthfully she ought to have anticipated that she would escalate in stature for her proven loyalty, but she had expected nothing more than social recognition for her deeds, and a reputation that placed her upon reproach for her unusual compassion. Perhaps it was because she had so narrowly focused on reaching the PEA, sending the message, jockeying for Syshin rights, and clearing the good name of her fiance, that she had forgotten all else except these goals. The rat race that made the aristocracy claw for any opportunity to advance had been left behind years ago. The former marquise had not considered that she would inherit lands or title, though in retrospect it had been a natural choice as Duke Tan could obviously no longer be recognized as such by the Stellar Empire in light of his coup. Her parents would be aghast that she did not think of more lofty prizes than a happy marriage, justice served, and peace. Then again, she suspected they would not be surprised given that she had not once voiced any desire for engaging to a man that might have brought her more wealth or fame.

"It is ironic, because I've never wanted power, and would have happily accepted a lower rank to marry you," she said, putting a voice to a concern that might have grown in his heart. "Being a marquise was never that important and yet I've risen, while the man that has hungered for more has lost his position." Solae shook her head with a slight twinge of pity for Duke Tan. He was a despicable man who was evidently never satisfied, thirsting for more, willing to kill for more. That he never appreciated all that he had was tragic despite the circumstances. The empress may have crowned her duchess in no small part because she was not ambitious for a throne. In tumultuous times, the loyal and steadfast was priceless.

"As for Rosaria, I don't know," she admitted as she sank back down into her chair now the doctor was keeping Rene from exerting himself physically. The screens had faded into a series of artfully taken photographs flickering past. The actual work of pouring through Syshin records was now moot. With Thorne's protege turned to their side, hopefully, she would not need to spend so much time trying to analyze the data and gleam the information she needed for locating and liberating possible allies.

"I want to give her a chance," Solae sighed, shaking her head. "Her desire to work against Thorne I think is sincere. Once you have a taste of freedom it's hard to go back into a cage you were put into unwillingly. Whether or not she turns into a better woman I do not know... but she won't have any chance to choose for herself if we don't give it to her." There was a hint of sadness in her tone. Both of them had led a privileged life but not without limitations. There were hobbies they were allowed and ones not, professions encouraged and forbidden, dalliances permitted and others forced into dissolution. Solae had enjoyed more control than most over her destiny but she did not have the world as her figurative oyster- being a pilot and mechanic, for example, was "inappropriate" career path for a Falia.

"And you're not the least decorated," she objected, "unless you can name me even a colonel who saved the last noble able to send a warning via PEA to the empress to warn her of treason and rebellion. No? Surely you can name one who was very literally offered enough credit to buy his own planet and refused outright. Still no? How about one that was personally appointed by the empress from your former military rank. Hmmm, well I suppose that gives you an unconventional decoration, but one that will be the envy of many," she said with a bemused smile and raised brow. He might not be able to fully escape the charges of murder in his past but he would make most of the imperial forces vibrate with jealousy. His sentence was not commuted but the inherent praise in his reward could not be ignored.

"Do you want a battalion of your own?" she then asked more seriously. "If we could procure a bigger ship..," the golden-haired beauty mused aloud as she was lost in her thoughts, seized upon by a notion that was wild but exciting. "Tell me more about what you can do as a Lieutenant-Colonel. Can you recruit your own soldiers and appoint them yourself, or would you need to go through a superior officer? Or could they be assigned to you through other channels?" Obviously the duchess was already scheming a long-term solution to their security issue if they could thread through some loopholes. The largest obstacle, though, was a ship. The [i]Bonaventure[/i] was for a small smuggling crew and cargo only. They could house some bodyguards, Rosaria, and themselves, but not an army.

"Criestia, in your medical opinion, how soon do you anticipate a full recovery and return to duties given the rate of healing you have observed? And what activities could Rene [i]safely[/i] participate in without a risk to his progress? For example, do you think he could sit at a desk for a while, or should he remain in bed for the time being?" she inquired diligently. Rene might be certain he was fit for minor action but she trusted the doctor more- especially since they had been so dangerously close to losing her lover for more than two days.