IMP17

==Chapter 17 - Important People==
The Royal Palace
Tharkad City
Tharkad System
Lyran Commonwealth
September 3097
[Archon's ball...]
The trip to Gagnon's resulted in something that would end up needing to go into a storage unit when Amanda returned to the Coast Guard, as the mess-dress uniform came with extras.
So many extras.
The brimmed cap had decorative leafwork in the cap-badge, displaying branch insignia and a single vertical silver bar of rank, which matched with braidwork on her sleeves which also denote rank, along with the collar pins.  Dark blue trousers with a black vertical stripe along the outer seam denoting space service, stripes on the mid forearm-one for each year since technical enlistment, and the medals rack.
She wasn't the most medaled person in the room, but aside from a handful of older personnel and chaperones, she had the most foreign service and combat decorations, including an Expeditionary Service-Clan Homeworlds ribbon, a wound medal, and citation of service medal with three clusters denoting combat against deep space naval opponents. As well as a trefoil medal with three clusters indicating combat with thermonuclear ordnance (and surviving such).
She carried a crowbar with her as well, on a loop on her buff white harness kit, where a swagger stick might be carried by a more senior officer. A not so subtle multilayered reminder of her heritage, her family's past, and how the Lyran Commonwealth Navy put paid to the Word of Blake under the command of Kowloonese.  She also wore the crest of the Kowloon Coast Guard Academy-Spider Moon, the crest of which was simply an Orcinus Orca over a moon with a spideweb pattern in the background in silver over black.
Gagnon and Laura had worked out something that was low-effort to maintain for her hair as well. By cutting it much much shorter on one side, and layering it to drape over her right ear. Thus displaying her earring as if it were simply a decorative ornament, instead of an earned medal in and of itself.
Irena's uniform for this was actually a bit less complicated. Being a standard LCAF mess Dress tunic and jacket over pressed trousers with academy rag, medals, (this time mostly peacetime, and reflecting how many more medals are awarded in the LCAF than in the Coast Guard for...well, everything) but she had to settle for an officer's walking stick instead of a chromed crowbar.
The pair were swallowed up in the crowd of young noble officers attending. Most of whom had far more elaborate, and at times, non-regulation uniforms and outfits.
Amanda's mother stood out at these things as a young noble. By wearing somber, simplistic black business attire but, Amanda found she was standing out as well. That was even with the wearing of a martial costume.
Her short hair, light makeup, (almost nonexistent) and lack of superfluous awards. As well as which awards she was wearing, guaranteed it.
"I might as well have worn the skinsuit and ship's boots." she muttered.  
"They're staring because you're pretty and exotic." Irena told her, "Also because you're with me...or that's what I tell myself." the New Capetowner flashed a dazzling smile, "Koren! over here!!"
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