Chapter 25

The flesh pressing got very old and very quickly. The biggest single reason for that was because everyone in the room was, more or less, familiar to Kent. While even a small colony was a big place, this one, was not so big that the elite and celebrities were not well known by everyone. A good number of them did not even bother to flaunt their status at all. People’s attitudes tended to differ in smaller communities and, unlike back on Earth, their leading citizens didn’t get mobbed like they were royalty.

The one person that Kent found the most interesting was also the single biggest surprise. That was mostly due to his age, although, his attire for this event could best be described as under dressed. The guy actually had on a T-shirt that was painted to look like a jacket and tie. He was also very young, practically a kid by Kent’s way of thinking. He was also busy with his phone and quite frustrated with it.

The guy told the little party of Rangers that walked up to him, “I can’t get my stupid phone to work. I paid good money for this thing and it should work anywhere.”

Kent nodded up and around the room as he told the boy, “it’s a security measure. You have the German’s to thank for that. They’re jamming any wireless communications on the grounds.”

Barbara listened to that and suddenly her mind shifted gears, “how are their radio’s working? For that matter, I’ve seen the Governor’s staff using their phones.”

Kent only shrugged, “encrypted key probably. I don’t know, that was never my thing.”

The kid in the T-shirt said with disgust, “well that is kind of my thing. This should be working.”

Barbara gave a bemused smile, “and here I was thinking that your thing was burgers, Mister King.”

Shannon’s eyes opened wide, “you’re Foo King?”

The guy shook hands with everyone and Shannon almost did not want to let go of the boy’s hand. He practically had to snatch to get it back. Then Kent had to ask, “I know you probably get asked this a lot Mister King but, do you really spell your name with the two oh’s, like on your signs?”

“Yes,” the kid replied. Then after he let that sit there for a moment he went on with, “I do get asked that question a lot.”

Barbara became extremely polite and ushered her people along quickly. As they walked away she could not stop Shannon from saying it, “that was just so Foo King great!”

Her mother bared her teeth and in a loud and aggressive sounding whisper, Barbara chastised her child with the single most effective word in her arsenal, “SHANNON!” Barbara waited for her chance to whisper to Kent, mostly because she considered him about the only other adult in their party, “if for no other reason than that right there, I hate that guy.”

Barbara returned to pleasant when they reached the next little clump of guests. She saw one particular reason, in this new crowd that made her want to be anything but cordial. She kept her smile anyway. Barbara introduced her two Agents to the most prominent member of the crowd first, “this is the US Console to our world. This is Ambassador Whitman and,” Barbara looked at the other faces and said “I’m afraid I don’t know all of you.”

After the burly looking, bald headed ambassador, with the southern drawl shook hands he then nodded too the guy on his left, “this here is Gary Moss. He’s my Chief of Staff. You might remember him Barbara, you know, from that Christmas deal over at the consulate last year.”

Barbara got a strange look and asked, “not the guy with the lamp shade?”

Moss did not appear to have that much of a sense of humor. He quickly shook Barbara’s hand and said, “afraid not. I’m the guy that in processed your knew boss. How’s Jake working out for you?” Then Moss looked around and said, “I haven’t seen him. Is he here?”

Barbara was pretty sure that the guy wasn’t. She had not seen him since yesterday but, that’s not what she said, “I’m sure he is Mister Moss. There’s just so many people here I just don’t know where.”

Whitman commented, “I’m sure the Major will turn up. He’s like a bad penny.” He laughed that off even if Barbara got the idea that the guy was serious. She also could not help but note how the American officials seemed to make a point of calling him ‘Major’ when Jake was pretty insistent that he was no longer an officer in their military.

Of course, that was not something that Barbara was willing to even bring up with Jake, let alone with the other Americans. She ignored it and the comment made by Whitman. Barbara was too busy concentrating on being diplomatic here. She played the card she was planning on with this particular group, “and this is Agent Amy Hiller. She’s one of our hero’s and, I think you would be most interested to know that she’s also just like Chief Agent Barton.” Barbara almost choked every time she was forced to call Jake, “Chief.”

Whitman shook hands with the young girl and asked her, “why is that little missy?”

Amy only nervously shrugged and looked to Barbara. With another smile Barbara explained, “well Agent Hiller, here, is not just from American ancestry. She was actually born an American citizen, on Earth in fact.”

Whitman’s eyebrows arched. For some reason he looked to Moss who displayed no particular reaction. Then Whitman jovially said, “well it’s good to know the ole red, white, and blue is trooping on. So where are you from little lady?”

Amy looked to be like someone who was on the spot. She had not really been all that thrilled in having to meet all these people and, as far as Barbara was concerned, it just figured. The girl had never exactly been a social butterfly. The term that came to Barbara’s mind was, “a notorious wall flower.”

At least Amy held her own well enough here even if her nerves were showing, “um, Pennsylvania. My parents migrated here when I was in junior high, so,” she tried to play it off with a smile, a swaying head, and the best cute smile she could muster. “I’ve kind of thought of the Arch has my home ever since.” Amy topped it off with a nervous look that was just begging for acceptance.

Whitman gave it to her, “nothing wrong with that agent. We’re a nation of immigrants and your family is just carrying on a long tradition.”

Kent groaned until he got several different looks from several different people. None of them were particularly pleasant with Barbara’s being the worse. So, Kent turned his smile back on. He had never heard a company line so over used as the one that Whitman just did and it was hard to hold a straight face.

Fortunately, someone a little more diplomatic stepped forward and took Amy’s hand. This guy, even compared to the ambassador, looked quite comfortable in his formal wear. He had neatly kept dark hair and some very penetrating blue eyes. He did not shake Amy’s hand but, instead, he gently raised her fingers and kissed the back of her hand before saying, “well I think our guest of honor is carrying on the proud traditions of your colony and, does her service a great credit.”

Amy fluttered. Barbara was not so impressed. Her eyes narrowed and she asked, “do I know you sir?”

Whitman gestured with his martini hand, “Barbara, this here is James Garner Colson. A sorry piece of work if there ever was one.”

The man turned his attention to Barbara but she was not about to let him kiss her hand. She made it plain she would stick to shaking and he obliged her. As they did, Barbara said, “James Colson as in… Benthic Petroleum James Colson?”

The man gave a polite smile and said, “well on Earth we’re not Benthic anymore. We’re actually a lot of different things but, here,” he waved around the room as if it were the entire planet, “it’s good old Benthic, like back in my grandfathers day.”

Whitman snorted a laugh and said just before taking another sip, “you mean more like your great-great-grand pappy’s day.”

The man was quite smooth as he replied, “something like that but who keeps up?” The man then turned his attention right back to Amy, “and I do so look forward to seeing you receive, what I am to understand is, a very well deserved reward Miss Hiller.”

Amy gulped, “thank you.” She did not say it but the words, “I think” certainly seemed to be implied at the end of her sentence.

The other guy stepped up at that point. Barbara did not bother hiding her disgust either. She had no more diplomacy left for the man even when he was smiling and politely commented, “I too and looking forward to this justly deserved honor. I have no doubt that,” he went on and looked directly at Barbara, “this would most likely end that business about someone wanting to shut down your station? Would you not agree?”

It was Colson who said, “forgive my manners Agent Reilly. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with Mister Conner O’Rouke? He’s the president of the Canadian Businessman’s association.”

Barbara did not bother to shake hands or smile, “yes me and Mister O’Rouke are quite familiar with each other.”

Conner only smiled and Barbara hated it every time she saw it. Colson, on the other hand, laughed and said in a joking way, “well good. Saves time and my condolences Miss Reilly.”

Barbara played it up as the joke it was intended but, she was dead serious when she replied, “you have no idea Mister Colson.”

Whitman came back with, “what’s this about shutting down your station, Barbara? I hadn’t heard anything about that.” He then specifically gave Moss a quick, ‘eat shit’ glance.

“It’s nothing Ambassador,” Barbara made sure she looked at Conner in passing when she replied, “someone made an offer on our property but, it seems the offer was withdrawn.”

Whitman raised his martini, “hope that’s what you wanted.”

Barbara glanced down at Shannon and then back to the Ambassador, “remains to be seen, Charles.”