personal6

8

December 31, 2999

Federated Suns

Crucis March

Cholis

Brinestorm

Carroll Davion milled in the crowd at the Duke's estate, having been invited to attend the Millennial celebration that House Alliz had somehow thrown together after canceling the yearly affair sponsored by the Mortens. She and the other guests stood on the grass in the courtyard sipping alcoholic drinks of a large variety, and at least the Duke had brought a proper liquor cabinet with him from his visit to New Avalon…which seemed to be making him quite popular amongst his guests right now.

There were a couple hundred of them smashed into an area that would be hard to comfortably suit half that number, but brushing elbows with other people on New Year's Eve was part of the Federated Suns' custom that hadn't been lost on the edge of the Periphery. Carroll glanced up at the countdown clock suspended on a tower so all could see it, noting they only had two minutes and twelve seconds left until midnight…which was local midnight, for all the planets were in different positions and setting the clocks to one unified time wasn't reasonable for such occasions, though they still kept their calendar synced across the lightyears.

As she walked around aimlessly, trying to make polite conversation and do her diplomatic duty, she kept wondering what was going on at the Estate, for they were still going to have a very big party there…one that she was missing out on do to this tiny affair. Tiny in size and scope and company, but at least it did have alcohol.

"Excuse me," a man said, coming through the crowd to face her with an ingratiating smile. "I don't believe we've been introduced yet. My name is Henry Alliz. The Duke is my cousin."

"Hello, Henry," Carroll said with a practiced smile she could whip out even when she was bored to tears…which wasn't far from her current mood. "Carrol Davion."

"That I know," he said with a chuckle. "We're honored to have a member of House Davion at our party. I hope you enjoy the fireworks."

"Fireworks?" she asked skeptically. "How did you get any? They aren't made on Cholis."

"We brought the very finest with us from New Avalon anticipating the celebrations. All of Brinestorm is in for a treat."

"Very thoughtful after your cousin canceled the expected ones."

Henry waved off the insult. "My cousin was the last person in our House ever expected to be appointed to a political position of any kind. I still don't know what possessed Ian to give him this Duchy, but I can assure you the rest of House Alliz is taking this matter seriously and intend to care for this Duchy as it deserves. This is not a figurehead appointment as far as we are concerned."

"Such high praise for your cousin. He must be quite flattered."

"He's a military brat, pure and simple. That talk you had with him opened his eyes to his, say, inadequacies. He won't be speaking again in public without thorough coaching."

"Out here on the edge of civilization, having a military brat as Duke isn't the worst thing. His predecessor was as well and he adjusted over time to become quite competent. I'm sure the First Prince had good reasons for appointing him."

"Unfortunately I know my cousin quite well. I assure you, there are no good reasons," Henry said with laugh that got half of one out of Carroll as the last few seconds ticked off the clock. "If I may be so bold, would it create an incident if I stole a traditional midnight's kiss from a Davion?"

Carroll frowned at him, then stole a glance around seeing that all eyes were on the clock and not them. "Seeing as how I don't think I'll be around for the next one, I'll permit it," she said a moment before a loud gong sounded and the fireworks immediately started to shoot into the sky from nearby.

Henry leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the lips, then pulled back so to not indulge. "Happy New Millennium, Ambassador."

"The same to you," she said, raising her half-filled glass in salute, then washing it down as the fireworks continued to go off in intricate patterns noting their quality…all the while, over the horizon she could see just a touch of colored blasts rising far higher into the sky, enough that Brinestorm could see them over the kilometers of distance separating city from Estate.

That was the Morten party, and when it came to displays of dominance, it seemed Stephan did indeed have the bigger stick…by a wide margin.

Carroll stayed at the Duke's party for another twenty minutes, after which the fireworks ended and everyone started to depart. She took the long drive back to the Estate with her chauffer seeming to hit every bump in the road on the way…but then again, she was probably more drunk than she realized.

What was in that wine anyway? They must have distilled a whole vineyard to get her this drunk after two small glasses.

By the time she returned to the Estate her head was pounding…only for her to realize when she opened the door that it was the fireworks outside that were still going on with repetitive booms that were vibrating the glass as much as her head.

She looked at her watch, seeing it was 2:16 am. Normally they cut off these things at 2.

Carroll decided to go up to the main house rather than her guest suite and went in…with the security guards knowing her by sight and not bothering to even acknowledge her as they scanned the perimeter with their eyes seemingly extra hard given that their ears were distracted.

And probably numb at this point if this had been going on since midnight.

Carroll made her way through the house, which was seemingly deserted, and up to the roof terrace on top, finding a host of familiar faces that she easily blended in with, no faking required here.

Stephan found her a few minutes later and pulled her off to the side near the railing. "You're drunk."

"I am not…that much," she said with a giggle. "It was the one thing the Duke's party had that yours does not. I still wish I'd been here though. How much longer are those damn fireworks going to last?"

"You don't like them?"

"They're the biggest I've ever seen, and loudest. I like them all right."

"They're going to keep going nonstop until daybreak."

Carroll's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"This only happens once in a thousand years, my dumb little Davion. Why not make it memorable?"

She pointed a finger at him. "You're only saying that because I'm drunk."

"Drunk is the equivalent of dumb," he pointed out.

"Don't use such big words around a drunk woman," she said, overplaying it a bit. She still had her wits about her, even if they were dulled a bit. "And you showed up the Duke quite well. We could see your display from his Estate."

"He's the one that canceled the fireworks."

"He brought his own."

"Did he?"

"You didn't know?"

"I didn't. At least the people in the city got something then," he said, his voice extra loud to be heard over the constant booms.

"I even got a kiss from his cousin at midnight."

"But not him?"

"No. That would have been inappropriate with his wife. His cousin isn't married."

"Well then, if you'll allow me, considering your drunk and I can't think straight with all this noise, to maintain my one-upmanship?"

"A Morten kiss a Davion?" she asked, mock shocked. "I think the planet would crack in two, but you're welcome to find out."

Stephan bent down to kiss her lightly, but she wrapped a hand around his head and held him firm, making it last far longer than expected. When she finally came up for air he was just shaking his head and smirking.

"You are so drunk right now."

"Then you better find me some caffein if I'm going to last until morning. Fortunately I'm my own boss and can sleep in as long as I want."

"These people have an understanding boss as well," Stephan said, grabbing her by the elbow and guiding her through the crowd towards their non-alcoholic beverage center and picking out the highest caffeine content drink they had…called Fizzalicious…and cracked open the can for her.

"You'll regret this tomorrow, but it'll help keep you awake for the next few hours."

Carroll took the can and spilled a little on her dress, but seemed to ignore it as she gulped a third of it down. "Tastes horrible."

"You've still got alcohol on your pallet. The combination is probably horrible."

"So you're saying the answer is to wash it down?" she asked, not waiting for an answer before gulping the rest of it and spilling quite a bit more on her face in the process.

Stephan grabbed a napkin from the nearby table and wiped it off her, taking some makeup along with it. "You are truly pathetic right now."

She belched, suddenly embarrassed, then started laughing so hard multiple people began looking, because the closest ones could hear her over the fireworks.

Stephan shook his head and pointed down slightly at hers. "This is why we banned alcohol."

Susan emerged out of the sea of bodies like a shark moving through a school of fish and caught Carroll up in a big hug.

"You made it after all!"

"I didn't realize it was going on until morning."

"It is?" Susan asked, looking to Stephan.

"For the big kids anyway. It's about your bedtime, isn't it?" he mocked.

She stuck out her tongue at him and turned back to Carroll. "Did he give you a kiss yet? He's already handed out a dozen or more."

"I got mine," Carroll said with a smile. "I hope you don't have any camera crews around."

"Nope," Stephan said. "This is a private party for the Estate. No media allowed anywhere."

"As it should be," the Ambassador said, finding a bin under the table to throw away her empty can as she grabbed a new one, popped the lid open, and started guzzling.

"Taste any better now?"

She nodded, still drinking.

Steven turned to Susan who was smiling ear to ear. "She is going to be in pain the likes of which you have no idea of in 12 hours. I'm assigning you as nursemaid."

"What about my bedtime?" she scoffed.

"You can have a sleepover at her place. Or keep her here. I'm serious, Suzy."

"Looking after my best interests?" Carroll interrupted, but Stephan ignored her.

"Got it, Captain," Susan said, stepping arm to arm with her fellow blonde and saluting.

"Enjoy yourself," Stephan said to Carroll, then pointed at her can. "Don't drink more than 3 of those. Better to stop after that one. I learned the hard way a long time ago."

Carroll glanced at Susan. "I'll have to confer with my escort on that one. I'm starting to like the taste now."

Stephan leaned down and kissed Susan on the forehead, then whispered in her ear.

"Don't let her fall over the railing. You're not used to being around drunk people. They lose their balance very easily."

"She's safe with me," Susan promised, then Stephan nodded at Carroll and meandered away to speak with someone else. After he got out of earshot Susan turned her eyes back on Carroll excitedly.

"Did he really kiss you?"

"His idea too."

"Yes!" she said with a small fist pump.

"Yes what?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all."

Carroll starred at her for a long moment. "Do we need to have a talk about Davion/Morten political reality again?"

"No, I memorized it the first thirteen times," she complained. "He doesn't kiss people he hates. Trust me."

"It's just a tradition, Susan."

"If…you…say…so…" she all but sang as she wobbled to and fro.

"You are impossible," Carroll said, grabbing hold of her arm. "Does this party have anything more than fireworks?"

"You know it does."

"Then guide me, oh wise one, for I have succumbed to the evils of alcohol and can trust my judgement no longer."

"Then let's start with the hayride," Susan said, steering her away from the beverage table, but not before she snagged a third Fizzalicious to take with her.

"You have hay?"

"It's just a saying. Poor farmers probably used hay. We have seats, and you can't hear yourself anywhere over the ride through the paths. The fireworks are launching from everywhere."

"Who needs to talk. Let's party!"

"My god, you are drunk aren't you?" Susan said, now just beginning to catch on…