TGoaW-149

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==Chapter 149 - The Glow of a Worm inside a Child's Eye==
"So now that you've well and truly...
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...kicked a hornet's nest, Liz, what's next?" Arthur passed her a brown glass bottle and an opener. "Are you going to resign from civil service?"
"Yes." She cracked the lid, "I am going to do exactly that. Victor could draft me for five years, and So! I have, as of this morning, August 18th, 3067, served my five years of indenture and can go about my business as a free woman."
The party was slowly, pleasantly, milling forward.
"What does that look like?" he asked, "I mean, I'm kind of stuck where I am..."
"You know that nice man who's been my bodyguard for about a decade?" she said, "Nathan?"
"Yeah. The ex-Clanner."
"Yeah...I've decided to keep him. You're invited to the wedding, and if you don't bring a date, I will have my staff find you one."
"I waited too long, didn't I?"
"yes, you did." she told him, "Don't wait any longer. Penny wouldn't like it and I know I don't. You've had five years to mourn, we've done huge things in that time, it's time for you to pull up your man-pants and find someone new...preferably, someone who I won't want to rip the eyes out of when I meet her. There's that nice young Leutnant-Commander from 7th Fleet? she might be a good match, or maybe the Taurian Trade delegate who's been giving you eyes since the reception started."
He unconsciously straightened. "She's...you're sure?"
"Listen to me, Arthur Andrew Steiner-Davion, you will go over. You will walk up to that young lady, you will get her attention, and you will hit on her. If not, I'm going to do it for you and embarrass everyone." Elizabeth said sternly, "So don't think I won't just because you're my social superior and one of my oldest friends. Remember-she could say 'no', but she might say yes and at least that way you'll have a reason to hang a sock on the door of your suite in the Palace!"
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---(The End)---
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