''Not likely it will, young lady,'' the President told her. ''Seems the fire in our communications center here on the station did more damage than they thought, even to the stuff that was still working. It's all down. They tell me they're scrounging all over Turantic for stuff they can use to get it back up.''
Which left Kris really and truly stranded here. ''Any chance I could buy a ship to take me off planet?''
''Nope. Until we can certify we've got a clean bill of health, I've ordered all shipping locked down. If a ship even powers up, there'll be a passel of guards seeing why, and if one actually managed to get away, our station gunners have orders to shoot any ship making for a jump point. I take my responsibility to the rest of humanity very seriously,'' he said, putting a hand to the vest of his tux.
Time to switch topics. ''I've been told you have an election coming up soon.'' Kris smiled.
''Yep, one month, twenty-six days. But who's counting?'' He chuckled. ''It's probably the most important election to face us since the first ship landed on Turantic. Things have changed. Humanity has to change with it, and so do we,'' he said, launching into what sounded far too much like The Canned Speech. But before Kris could stop him, he stopped himself. ''I'll be talking at a $250,000-a-plate dinner later this evening. You'll be coming by, won't you?''
''My schedule is amazingly light this evening,'' Kris told him.
''I'll look for you there,'' the President said and seemed to be ready to move on. However, a young man had stepped forward to whisper something to him. ''It is?'' the President said, and the man pointed at Kris's waist. For a moment the President seemed to really take Kris in, his nostrils flaring a bit at what he saw. ''I'm told that is the Earth Order of the Wounded Lion you're wearing there, girl.''
''Yes, Mr. President.'' Here was something Kris could enjoy.
''More often than not, that's only given out posthumously.''
''As you can see, I'm very much alive.''
''I've heard several different stories about what actually happened between the Earth Battle Fleet and the Wardhaven Fleet at the Paris system a few months ago.''
''I was there,'' Kris said proudly, ''and I heard quite a few different stories about what happened, too.'' And you're not going to hear my story from me, Mr. President.
''Very confusing situation,'' the President muttered, glancing over his shoulder at his adviser. ''Very confusing.''
''I'm sure you've heard the old saw about the fog of war, Mr. President,'' Kris replied, too proud of herself to let it drop but choosing her words carefully. ''The farther you get out on the tip of the spear, the foggier it is, sir, and at Paris, I was about as far out on the tip as it got.''
Tommy, who'd stood quietly through all this, leaned close to Kris's ear and muttered, ''And not have the damn spear jammed up your ass.''
The President apparently didn't catch Tom's words. He shook his head, repeated, ''Very confusing,'' one more time, and headed off for other hands to shake and contributions to collect. Kris, however, caught at the Ambassador's elbow.
''Sir, I've got a problem. In my day job, I'm in the Navy. I'm about halfway through a week's leave, and since I'm not headed back already, it looks like I'm not only going to overstay my leave but not be able to report my situation. Do you have a military attaché that I could at least check in with?''
''I don't know, Your Highness. I guess there are some uniform types on my staff.'' Penny, at Kris's other elbow, cleared her throat. The Ambassador glanced at her as if seeing her for the first time this evening. ''Ah, yes, I do know you. You work for me, don't you?''
''In Military Exchanges and Procurement, sir.''
''Well, you'll look after her, won't you? Try to keep her out of trouble. I've heard stories about the Prime Minister's brat, don't you think I haven't, young woman,'' the Ambassador said, softening his words with a grandfatherly grin.
If he chucks me under my chin, I'm going to kick him in the groin, Kris promised herself, but he turned and followed the President toward the political side, leaving Kris with a choice: stay with the sociables or go heel to toe with Turantic's political power. Apparently, declaring Wardhaven foreign didn't mean the President didn't want her money, even royal donations. Kris shook her head; Grampa Ray had made sure she spent a day listening to the things she could not do anymore. Joining the politicians would be throwing herself into the deep end of someone else's pool, a deep end that probably wanted her on record for things Grampa Ray was still dodging. At least among the socials she hadn't met a shark she couldn't out-gnaw.
She turned back to the party.
For the next half hour, Kris mingled. More talk of weather, how beautiful Turantic was, how nice it was to be out from under Earth's thumb, and how great her great-grandparents were back then with about half of them wondering what had gotten into Grampa Ray to let himself be made a King. The other half loved the idea. And, of course, there were the mothers offering Kris their very available bachelor sons for spousal consideration. Fortunately, few were present. Those who were ranged from gawkily awkward to boorishly forward. Kris wondered if it was too late to join a nunnery rather than the Navy.
Just as Kris was about to declare that she'd suffered enough and had earned the right to retreat back to her hotel suite, Senator Krief showed up again, this time with nearly a dozen other people. They rather deftly cut Kris out from the mob and edged her into a quiet corner with tables and chairs. ''You looked like you could use rescuing,'' Kay said.
''I could use something,'' Kris agreed.
''A drink?'' Mel asked. Kris mentioned something light and soft; the man stepped away as his wife did introductions.
''I thought you'd like to meet a few of the folks who won't be at the President's fund-raiser. Senator Kui,'' a small, white-haired man bowed slightly to Kris, ''and his wife,'' a woman in a red kimono-type gown smiled. ''Senator Showkowski,'' a large woman in a bright blue gown nodded, ''and her husband,'' an even larger man in a poorly tied white tie and tails neither smiled nor nodded but looked at Kris like he might a spider. Senator LaCross was a tall, willowy man who bowed graciously to Kris. ''And his spouse,'' introduced another man slightly shorter but just as thin. He affected a bow as deep as the Senator's.
Mel returned with drinks for all. Kris took a sip and settled herself in place. A glance around showed Jack had her agents in a semicircle that would not only protect her from stray bullets but might just block out any enthusiastic mother.
The others settled into chairs, glanced around among themselves, and said nothing.
''So,'' Mr. Showkowski growled into the silence, ''Wardhaven gunna keep us under its thumb just like Earth?''
''Dennis,'' his senatorial wife said with a frown.
''Well, that is what you all want to know. Politicians! You're afraid to ask. Well, Longknife, what's it gunna be?''
Now it really was show time. Kris sat forward. ''Not being a politician myself, I can give you a straight answer. I don't know. Why do you ask?''
''You don't know?'' Senator LaCross said.
''Hey, folks, my day job is with the Navy. My nights are pretty much full of this Princess gig. Doesn't leave a lot of time for tracking the media. You may have me confused with my father or great-grandfather,'' Kris said, all smile.
''We kind of assumed you would know what they had up their sleeves,'' Kay Krief said.
Kris raised her very bare arms. ''Nothing up mine. And I really think most politicians on Wardhaven are just as much in the dark as you are about what the United Sentients will do.''
''I find that hard to believe,'' said Senator Kui.
''You're talking about eighty sovereign planets,'' Kris pointed out. ''Each has a vote in the legislature. They aren't even sure if it's going to be a one-, two-, or three-house legislature, last I heard.''