Kris Longknife: Resolute by Mike Shepherd

Author:Mike Shepherd
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-11-11T01:04:51+00:00

12

Kris paused just inside the ballroom to orient herself. The huge room was organized with dinner tables to her left, a dance floor to the right. A small orchestra played background, but looked ready for dance music later. The place smelled of pride and confidence . . . oh . . . and hard-earned money.

Kris was not announced; Chance was too egalitarian for that. Still, heads turned in a spreading wave as word raced through the hall. The campaigner in Kris put attendance at about two thousand. The blue dress uniforms of a hundred Greenfeld officers were bunched protectively in six clumps Kris suspected represented ships. Whether or not there was safety in numbers, there surely was comfort.

While she and Jack came down the steps to the main floor, Kris spotted a large congregation of locals in full dinner dress around Hank and his captains. The locals’ heads joined the general turn toward her. Hank ignored her.

No doubt, he did not appreciate the drop in attention. Into the silence he said, “Greenfeld will have no truck with royalty and the tax burden it adds.” It might have been better argued by someone who didn’t so obviously hold his present position by birth. Maybe Kris should have worn her Navy uniform to better show the balance between hard won and easily given.

No, the reaction she was getting as a princess, from Hank, from that little girl, and from about everyone in this hall was well worth the extra weight of the tiara on her head and the delightful pleasure of satin swishing around her legs. Yes, tonight was definitely worth putting on stockings.

As per Father’s early-taught instructions, Kris tried to circulate quickly, passing from one group to another with only a few words spoken or a quick smile. The men in black tuxes or white dinner jackets, the women in dresses as colorful and light as Kris’s wouldn’t let her. Many had fathers or grand-mothers, younger brothers, kid sisters, or older sons and daughters of their own working on Kris’s station or the Patton. Everyone on Chance seemed to be related or know someone working in Station Security or the Museum or something topside. Kris thanked them for the assist and that seemed enough of a toll for her to be passed on to the next small knot.

Shortly, one of the young ladies in formal tails and white bow tie appeared at Kris’s elbow with a glass of soda water and a suggestion that dinner was ready to be served if “Her Majesty would kindly take the seat prepared for her.” Kris saved the girl from a mortal case of embarrassment by not pointing out that only King Ray merited the “Majesty” . . . she was just a “Highness”.

The room followed her move to their chairs. Hank was slow at getting the word, or maybe he intended for his six officers to be the last ones standing. Kris did note that they were eating at tables as far from hers as physically possible without knocking out a wall.

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