''But King Ray is—'' Dennis Showkowski began.
Kris cut him off. ''Has no veto power, no authority to propose legislation. He controls nothing but his own words.''
''But I thought that making him King would mean all of the policies he advocated for the Society of Humanity would be carried over into the United Sapients thing.''
''Sentients,'' Kris corrected and shook her head. ''Listen, the only real reason for making Grampa King was to take my family and its money out of U. S. politics. Did my father resign as Prime Minister of Wardhaven? No. Does anyone on Wardhaven call him Prince? Not twice.'' Dad had blustered and flustered and gotten the Prince thing dropped. Kris had tried, to no avail. ''Truth is, no one knows what any of this stuff means. You pay your money and you take your ride,'' she quoted one of her father's favorite sayings. ''And if you want to have a say, you get on board soonest before everything gets settled and bureaucrats are saying, ‘But we've always done it that way.' ''
That brought a smile from the legislators around her.
''So you're saying that King Ray ain't going to force his Wardhaven Treaty on this United whatever thing,'' Dennis said.
Kris took a deep breath. This was something she knew Grampa Ray's thinking on. ''I have heard Grampa Ray say that he thinks it's time for us to do more exploring. The Iteeche War came from a lot of problems. We met the aliens when human pirates stumbled on their fringe planets run by their lawless ones. Humans and the Iteeches will never see eye-to-eye. I think Grampa Ray is all for a licensed, organized scouting of near Rim space. We're six hundred planets. Humanity has to expand faster now. Earth was wrong in trying to slow us down.''
''You're sure that's his view?'' Senator Krief said.
''Yes.''
''But, as you say, he has no authority to enforce that view,'' Senator Kui said, smiling softly.
Kris shrugged. ''You know my Grampa Ray.''
''Yes,'' came from several Senators.
''Now, if we could just hear it from him.''
''Message him,'' Kris said. ''I'm sure he'd agree with me.''
''Can't. Can't message anyone,'' Dennis exploded. ''I've got contracts to fill. Can't ship my goods. Can't tell anyone I'll be late. Can't tell them when I'll ship! Damn, this is a mess!''
''This situation is already disrupting business,'' Senator LaCross said. ''My contacts tell me layoffs will start tomorrow. Once that hits the news, panic will not be far behind.''
''And there are already rumors that the Ebola outbreak followed by the comm fire is just too much of a coincidence,'' Mel Krief said, glancing around the group. ''Way too much.''
Kris certainly was in agreement, but what she knew she would not share here. ''What makes you say that?''
''The competition between our neighbor Hamilton and us has gotten almost cutthroat of late. And the last year or two, there have been rumors of what you might call dirty tricks. Ship Captains that were supposed to deliver here but took a bribe to take a long cut and deliver late. Certain containers that got off-loaded there instead of here. You know, the stuff that aggravates but never rises to a level of legal action. Then their legislature lowers taxes on certain properties so their business can out-compete us. And last month they slapped a tariff on our wine,'' Mel said, shaking his head. ''Every week, it's something new. Heaven only knows what they're doing now.''
''That's what I'm afraid of,'' Dennis growled.
''So there's bad blood between you,'' Kris said.
''Yes,'' Kay agreed, ''and with the end of the Society, you can't forget that in the bad old days, these kinds of things were settled with warships and armies.''
''How could we forget with ‘A Flag for Black Mountain,' this summer's runaway hit?'' Senator Kui said.
''Bet your Grampa Trouble doesn't know he's the idol of half the kids on Turantic,'' LaCross said.
''Knowing Grampa Trouble, I doubt he'd like that.''
''So you see,'' Kay said, ''we really need agreements on trade, a central court to handle disputes and very quickly, some public health regulations, and doctors to clear up this quarantine.''
''Why don't you legislate them yourselves?'' Kris asked.
''I don't often agree with the Tories,'' Kay said, ''but we can't just declare ourselves healthy. Everyone has to agree we are, or any ship that stops here won't be able to stop anyplace else. The breakup of the Society came way too fast for us.''
''Not fast enough for me,'' Dennis spat. ''Well, maybe we didn't think all of it through, but we had to get rid of Earth.''
''Yes, we rid ourselves of Earth, but what have we taken on in its place?'' Kui asked.
No one had an answer for that. And three matronly women were bearing down on the circle of Kris's guards, one with a tall wisp of a son stumbling along in tow. ''I see I must get back to my social responsibilities,'' Kris said, standing.
''Did I mention my son?'' Senator Showkowski said, only half smiling.
''Send a photo,'' Kris said, turning to Jack. ''The sooner you get me to the slide car, the less likely I'll kill someone.''
''Your wish is my pleasure,'' her Security Agent replied.
Kris surfed through several mothers with a smile and a wave. She was making good time for the car when the lights blinked. WE HAVE TAKEN A POWER HIT! ALL SECURITY IS DOWN
Nelly's report was overpowered by Jack's soft order: ''Down!''
Kris began to stoop, her right hand going for her automatic, but Penny had other plans. Kris's legs were taken out from under her as the Navy Lieutenant did a leg sweep. Kris twisted around as she fell, still reaching for her gun as Tommy did what she had so often dreamed of.
The young man settled atop her. His arms went out to gentle his landing, a familiar smile on his face.
Then he shook as the first dart slammed into him. Shock replaced the smile as another spasm marked a second hit. By the third, his face only showed dismay.
Kris quit fumbling for her gun and grabbed for Tom, trying to break his fall, bring him down gently beside her. But now Penny collapsed on top of both of them. Jack shouted for someone to get the shooter. Everywhere there were screams.
Kris ignored them all, trying to hold Tom's head, console him, ease his pain, but Penny was still trying to cover her and getting in the way. ''Damn it, woman, can't you see Tommy's hit.''
''But I'm not,'' Tommy said.
''Yes you are,'' Kris snapped.
''Well, yes I am, but I think this coat stopped them,'' Tom said. ''But you can keep holding me if you want.''
''We're supposed to be protecting her,'' Penny growled.
''What is happening here?'' Kris almost screeched.
''Penny said this coat should stop anything short of heavy artillery,'' Tommy said, ''and I guess it did.''
''Can I get up yet?'' Kris asked no one.
''Just a moment more,'' Jack said, back still to Kris. Around her, four of her Agents had formed a wall, guns out, facing out. Through their legs, Kris saw a wide empty space, then more people milling about. Two agents, Inspector Klaggath with them, were now backing their way toward Jack, guns out, eyes on the crowd.
''We did not get the shooter,'' Klaggath said.
''Central,'' Jack said, ''do you have video on the shooter?''
Kris didn't hear the answer, but Jack's rare use of profanity told her it must be negative. ''Can I get up?''
''Agents, stay alert. There may be another shooter or that one may come back,'' Jack ordered. While Klaggath kept his team facing out, Jack helped Kris up, then Penny and Tom. ''Let's get to the elevator,'' he said tersely.
Kris found that her knees were more wobbly than she wanted to admit. One arm around Tom, the other around Penny, she made best speed for the exit. Once in the slide car, she collapsed into the couch, then pulled Penny and Tom down beside her. Both had developed a fine case of the shakes. Kris took the moment to pull three-millimeter darts from the back of Tommy's dinner jacket. ''Hardly even tore the fabric,'' she said, trying to laugh but managing only a hoarse echo of one.