Dutchess Zonia did not plan to stay at the Festival of Rings long. The official programming went until 3am and the unofficial programming likely lasted until after breakfast.

But Zonia knew if she stayed too late, she would be required to take an amnesia shot, and she needed to remember everything that would happen at the King’s Feast.

While it’s called the King’s Feast, the custom is for the King to arrive at the end of dinner for a quick toast. Political elites and the people who pay for their lifestyles fill out the King’s dining room, which was filled entirely with the Queen’s artwork.

“This newest piece is especially gauche, no?” Zonia overheard a dark matter energy tycoon whisper to the Governor of the Slion planet’s southern region. The golden statue showed a miner in motion, holding their digging laser above their head as if they were about to strike something hard.

“I’m not an art guy,” the Governor replied, glancing in Zonia’s direction. “But I do appreciate that the Queen takes working people seriously.”

“You’re joking, right? The Queen takes her reputation seriously. A close friend of mine owns an emerald mine here and she lets them do whatever the fuck they want.”

The Governor’s face began to tense and redden, which Zonia found fascinating. Why was a regional Governor from a different planet offended by an allegation of the Queen’s hypocrisy? Based on the Governor’s public persona, he seemed militantly anti-monarchy.

Zonia had a little over three hours to find out.