Author's Note: So, a two-shot prequel and sequel to The Place of White and Gold. This one is a slight prequel, Licinius/Justice generation-centric, and the second chapter will be very much a sequel, Galaxy/Elara generation-centric. Thanks for reading, and please leave feedback!

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Saturday, July 22nd, Year 6, 11:07 PM

State of District Fourteen, Sector One, Quarters of Licinius Astral

Conspiracy Meeting of Licinius Astral, Justice Bane, Altair Morrose, and Lance Casimir

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"What ever happened to fixing the system?"

"You can't fix this fucking system!" Licinius snapped, in response to Justice's question. "Our only chance is to fix the people are stuck in the system!"

"And what happens at the next election, we start over?"

"It's better than getting nowhere at all!"

"What if we did get somewhere?"

"We won't!"

"What if you're giving up too easily?" Justice jumped to her feet. "People can always be corrupted. You'd be taking two steps forward and one step back."

"Slow progress is better than none at all," he snarled.

"It wouldn't be none at all if you tried—"

"—And what have you done?!" he exploded. "Nothing, that's what!"

"Well, you're the one who's abandoned all of our ideals! So what about who's in charge? What about the people, the ones who suffer everyday and fight in our wars and get nothing?"

"How are we supposed to help them with the idiots in power?!"

"It wouldn't matter who was in power if the system wasn't broken!"

"That wouldn't matter if we had decent leaders!"

"And who is that supposed to be? We're never going to find your perfect candidate, and we're definitely not going to find someone for the rest of time!"

"What if we did?"

"Well, we're not."

"That's a horrible argument!"

"It was your exact argument!"

"—Both of you, stop!" Lance cut in. "Now you're just insulting each other instead of talking about the issues."

Licinius and Justice glared at each other. Altair spoke up:

"Neither of you are right. Screw the system, screw the leaders — why do we need either?"

"Because that would be anarchy," said Justice.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"There would be chaos. People need order."

"Do they?"

"Yes."

"—They need people to look to," said Licinius.

"They need a system," Justice argued.

"People don't care about the system. But ask who the Minister is and everyone knows!"

There was a beat of quiet. Licinius smirked at being right.

"What if we could get them to care?" Justice tried finally.

"Right," scoffed Altair.

"They're not going to," agreed Licinius. "Without someone in charge to get them interested."

Before Justice could respond, Lance said: "You need both. You need a combination of a good system and good leaders."

"Because that's going to happen," Altair continued mocking.

"Not helping."

Altair was quiet. Lance, too, seemed to see that his arguments were falling on deaf ears.

"The leaders will never improve if the people can't vote for them," said Justice.

"The only person we can't vote for is the Deputy," Licinius argued.

"Which is one of the only ways to become Minister!"

"Technically."

"Technicalities can be important, Licinius."

"Well, 'technically', we're a district."

"Do you want to argue about that too, now?"

Lance, in the background, sighed.

"I don't pretend to understand your obsession with helping them," said Licinius. "They deserve what they got."

Justice, irritated, only said: "We've had this conversation."

"We've had all of these conversations."

"Well maybe if you ever listened, we wouldn't have them over and over."

"You just want attention, don't you? You're all about people listening to you."

"I'm about the government listening to the people."

"Right," drawled Licinius.

"Well just because you don't care doesn't mean we all have to be ignorant."

"I don't care?"

"Your 'perfect candidate' is you! You just want power."

"I want power for people who deserve it."

"And you do? You want power for new people who are going to do the exact same things—?"

"—The right way!"

"And what is this supposed right way utopia you're hoping for?" Justice continued questioning.

"One where the blind aren't leading the blind!"

"But not everyone is blind! There are good people, there are good leaders who are never given a chance because they don't have connections!"

"Well they should learn how to make connections!"

"But they're never given that opportunity! No one is ever given that opportunity!"

"Well maybe they should learn that things aren't fair!"

"But we're trying to make them fair—!"

"—Again, for people who deserve it!" snapped Licinius.

"Why doesn't everyone deserve a chance?"

"Because the average voter is an idiot, and that is the supposed best argument against democracy!"

"Well what if they're not all idiots?"

"What if they are?"

Licinius yanked on Justice's ponytail, just to get her attention, to make her look at him. "Shut up," he snarled.

"Make me."

He slapped her, harder than she expected, and, angered, in response, she tried to kick him, which resulted in a scuffle that ultimately Lance and Altair broke up, pulling the two apart.

"Both of you, stop," Lance said again, releasing his hold on Justice, while Altair did the same with Licinius. Both of them glared, but neither made a move towards the other. "Your shouting matches and otherwise are not helping us."

"Just leave us alone," said Licinius, in a tone that made Lance and Altair back down. "Go home."

So, slowly, Lance and Altair did.

Alone with Justice, Licinius smirked. "Care for a drink of wine, Justice darling?"

She glared at him. "You're trying to impair my judgment."

"Not at all." He poured two glasses anyway and handed her one. "To the revolution?"

"Fuck you." She clinked their glasses together and they drank. Several glasses later, he tugged on her hair again and this time kissed her, and it was hateful, fiery and passionate and all of that anger finally had some place to go, and Justice remembered her first kiss, experimenting with Felicity, and years later Felicity would be killed by Justice's future husband because he had to save the rebellion, and it was all so messed up, and this was so messed up, and, after with Licinius, Justice muttered, "You broke my fucking glasses," and laughed bitterly.