Samia of Fife is a character in Isaac Asimov's Empire series.
About Samia[]
Samia of Fife is the daughter of the Squire of Fife, one of the five Great Squires ruling the planet Sark. An intelligent and strong-willed young woman, Samia was considered unconventional by Sarkite aristocratic standards due to her serious scholarly interests, particularly her passion for studying the kyrt trade and the planet Florina, about which she planned to write a book.
Her journey to Florina for research was cut short when the fugitives Rik and Valona were discovered as stowaways on her returning ship. Intrigued by their story, especially Rik's claim to be a Spatio-analyst from Earth, she intervened, conducting her own interview with them against the Captain's advice. Her belief in Rik's story and her sense of justice led her to insist that the matter be taken to her father. This determination resulted in her being confined to her ground-car at the spaceport to prevent her from meeting the incoming ship carrying the captured Townman, Myrlyn Terens. In a moment of mistaken identity, she offered a ride to Terens, who was disguised as a Sarkite.
During the journey, Terens, in a desperate and impulsive act, kissed her. This incident was captured by Trantorian agents who were following them. The photographic evidence of a Florinian assaulting the Lady of Fife was later used by Ambassador Abel as leverage against her father, forcing him to the conference table. Though initially a victim of political maneuvering, her encounter with the fugitives and the subsequent revelations about Florina's doomed sun fundamentally changed her perspective, leading her to passionately advocate for the planet's evacuation and ultimately involving herself in the resettlement efforts.