Both grays, the senior a Sergeant, bumbled into Kris's team and bounced back. What looked to be a Captain led a contingent from the main door, but they were well off. The two in Kris's face mumbled something that sounded like ''that brunette.''
''We have appointments to keep. When you have something to say, call our embassy,'' Kris said regally, turned, and was in the elevator and the doors shut before anyone in gray could recover.
''That was fun,'' she laughed.
''That was too damn close, '' Jack growled.
''That was something only I could have pulled off,'' Kris pointed out.
''And just what have you pulled off?'' Klaggath asked.
''Nothing, nothing at all,'' Kris said, demurely settling herself on the elevator couch and making sure the raincoat covered her brown uniform. One security man frowned a question at Klaggath. He shook his head firmly, and all of them took to studying the elevator door for the rest of the trip.
Once in, Abby took over, almost dragging Kris into the bathroom and barely giving her time to get out of her dress and body stocking before dunking her in the bath. ''Wash your face with this,'' she ordered, and Kris's makeup came off easily.
Kris waited until Nelly announced, ''All clear, but I had to zap the four bugs we picked up in the lobby.''
''How's Penny?'' Kris asked.
''Doing as well as you can expect,'' Abby said. ''Jack, you want to come here. She'll want to know about that message you got.''
''We got it,'' was all Jack said. Kris glanced over, but he was out of sight, so she was, also.
''Have you looked at it?''
''Looked at nothing but it since it came in. Big, bad layout. More guns than they need to arm the ships in dock. Somebody's expecting to have a lot more merchant ships available real soon.''
''Damn.'' Kris sighed, enjoying the warmth of the tub but knowing she had to get out. ''Abby, hand me a towel.'' The fluffy robe was clean and waiting for her. Jack stayed out of view while she made herself decent. Damn nice of him.
''Young woman,'' Abby said, ''you have about fifteen minutes before I want you back in that tub so I can wash your hair and get you presentable for tonight. You are not going to a ball with hair looking like it should be pinned under a greasy wig.''
''Only ‘cause that's where it was today.'' Kris sighed and told Nelly to call the Ambassador.
''Yes,'' came a moment later.
''Mr. Ambassador. I am in receipt of a very strange message concerning unlicensed weapons construction. Have you by any chance seen anything like that?''
''I don't know,'' he said. ''A long message came in not too long ago, full of plant video and the likes. I passed it to my officer for trade negotiations. I haven't heard back from her. Kris,'' his voice now a whisper as if that might reduce its digital distribution, ''I am not sure that such material is legal and in Wardhaven's best interests. If I wasn't afraid I might be destroying evidence needed to substantiate criminal charges, I would suggest you erase the message entirely.''
''That's an interesting point I hadn't considered,'' Kris said as if that was her first encounter with such a thought. ''Let me know what the embassy's lawyer thinks. I suspect I have a copy of the same message. If you think it should be destroyed, I certainly would want to know.''
''I'll keep you informed.''
''Well, my maid is telling me I must do my hair for tonight. Will I see you there?''
''Of course,'' he said, ringing off.
NELLY, GET ME SENATOR KRIEF. In a moment, the screen showed a very harried woman.
''Make this quick, I'm on two other lines.''
''Did you get a large message this afternoon?''
''I'm on two other lines with people who might be able to tell me what to make of it.''
''So I assume I won't see you at tonight's ball.''
''Oh, no. I wouldn't miss it. Most of the people I need to buttonhole will be there.''
''See you there.''
Two hours later, Kris was about ready to be there. Except, ''I guess we'll have to use your Navy tiara,'' Abby said, looking at the bare skeleton of the fancy one Mother had fallen for.
''Well, I could have Nelly use the dumb metal we have around here somewhere to re-create Mother's concoction,'' Kris said.
''I can do that,'' Nelly said, voice enthusiastic to try her hand at jewelry making.
''On second thought, let's go with the Navy tiara,'' Kris said, spotting the ten-kilogram slug of Uni-plex in one of her trunks. ''It can only change shape three times and…'' She let the thought trail off unspoken.
''If you insist,'' Abby said, sniffing at the simple silver ring the Navy provided.
''I could add some diamonds or rubies to it,'' Nelly offered.
''Enough. I'll wear the Order of the Wounded Lion. That ought to be enough jewelry for any outfit.'' Since tonight's dress was a lovely green, the blue sash and gold medallion went very well with it. Klaggath had a full team and a worried look on his face as they took the slide car to the top.
''Problem?'' Jack asked him.
''Not here, but something's happening. Units are being ordered to new nets, ones I never knew we had. Lots of them. Not many of us on the main net.''
''How close?''
''Midtown. Nothing near the station.''
''A riot?''
''Doesn't sound like it. Princess Kristine, is your computer picking up anything?''
''Nelly?''
''Nothing unusual. There's a cat up a tree and several fire trucks are trying to catch it. All but two of the news stations are covering the story. So far, the cat's winning.''
''Dumb animal,'' one of the agents snapped.
''I like cats,'' another said.
''Slow news night,'' Klaggath concluded.
Not if I and a few of my friends have any say. Kris grinned.
Kris stayed with the slide car as it went past the high exit and started to turn around, taking it to the lower station. She figured to save herself from the long walk down in these heels and avoid having her name shouted by the guy in knee britches. She should have finished the ride.
Her security detail walked right out of the car and into another equally large and no more willing to move aside set of tuxedoed security. While Klaggath and a goon twice his size tried to straighten out the gridlock, Kris stood on toes to see who the poor victim was.
''Hank?''
''Kris? Kris Longknife, is that you?''
''What are you doing here?'' Kris called over three guards.
''Not going anywhere at the moment,'' Hank Peterwald laughed. Officially Henry Smythe-Peterwald the Thirteenth on a vast array of legal documents, he had the finely sculptured beauty parents with too much money tended to give children these days. Some parents, not Kris's. He also was heir to a fortune close to if not more than Kris's, depending on which market was doing better on any given day. Oh, and Auntie Tru was real sure his papa had tried to kill Kris a few times. Father, being Prime Minister, said there was insufficient evidence to present in a court of law. All that aside, Kris had hit it off well with Hank the one time they got together with no parents on the same planet.
Kris waved and started moving some of her blockers aside. Jack growled; one of the failed attempts on Kris's life occurred the day after she and Hank had a wonderful lunch. Kris was sure Hank had nothing to do with that hit. Well, fairly sure. Anyway, in a social situation, he was nice to be around. And he couldn't kill me here in front of God and everybody.
They finally got in touching range, had a good laugh, and both said, ''So, what are you doing here?''
''Boys go first,'' Kris insisted.
''Dad has this huge pharmacy plant coming on-line. Caley Sandfire insisted it was the biggest ever and just the thing for my latest assignment. Anyway, I got here about five minutes before they closed the port. We tried to back off, but there were a half-dozen lasers backing up a very insistent port official yelling, ‘Nobody goes nowhere,' so we didn't.''