(Karra goes through
the protocol that takes place during the
inauguration of a new president of Sirius, in
this case her father. We learn about some of the
dignitaries to be addressed and the protocol
that would be expected. )
Karra: hello.
Russ: hello love.
Karra: okay, first things first, the
20th.
Russ: uh-hmm.
Karra: let me do a quick bit of
conversion here, okay. Could you make
it by one o'clock your time?
Russ: p.m. or a.m.?
Karra: it would be in the morning.
Russ: p.m.
Karra: no that would be a.m.
Russ: oh a.m. So after midnight.
Karra: correct. Directly to Sirius for
the inauguration. You'll have a five
minute period to get there, can you do
that?
Russ: yeah.
Karra: okay, if you leave earlier
that's better, we can spend some time
together. I don't have to worry about
clothes for you because you will do
that yourself. Okay, if you fade out
again that's fine, the formal dinner
starts about an hour and a half after
that. If you are there, you are there,
if you're not, you're not. There will
be a dinner place next to me for you.
Actually, it will be across the table
from me.
Russ: okay.
Karra: okay? And we will go through
the greeting line and then we will go
to the announcer and the announcer
will announce us to the main room. It
will be Madam President and then you
will greet her husband and then it
will be Mr. Prime Minister...ahh Mr.
President and First Lady, very much
like on your planet and then it will
be the Chancellor of, I suppose it
would be the equivalent to the
exchequer.
Russ: the what?
Karra: the exchequer, money.
Russ: oh the banker?
Karra: well in charge of....
Russ: oh finance minister.
Karra: kind of.
Russ: Treasury Secretary.
Karra: kind of.
Russ: okay. Combination of such.
Karra: yes, it's a combination of
quite a few things actually.
Russ: okay.
Karra: and then it will be greetings
to the primary secretary........first
secretary.
Russ: do they have wives?
Karra: yes, their wives will be
present but they will not be greeted.
Russ: oh.
Karra: they don't hold any office.
Russ: okay.
Karra: and then you will be presented
to....what is her title? She is the
head of the house, she's in charge of
running everything within the
residency. The offices, the banquet
facilities, the dining rooms, the
deployment of staff, the secretaries,
everything. In fact she probably has
more power in the house then my father
does.
Russ: wow.
Karra: what she says goes. It's her
job to make sure everything runs
smoothly in the house. She is in
charge of making all the appointments,
she is in charge of dealing with all
problems. It's her job to make sure
everything runs smoothly so she has a
very important role however, she is
the last person on the line. So she is
primary secretary.
Russ: okay.
Karra: and she is greeted as Madam
Secretary and it's always been a woman
that's held that position.
Russ: hmm.
Karra: she's only 600 years old so
she's held it I think for about 300.
Russ: and she'll do the same for your
father?
Karra: correct.
Russ: okay.
Karra: it is a lifetime position.
Russ: hmm, okay.
Karra: or until she becomes or feels
that she is incapable of doing the
job.
Russ: alright.
Karra: so don't upset her when you go
and visit.
Russ: I won't.
Karra: okay? And of course there is
Gonzo and you don't call her Gonzo.
Russ: no.
Karra: she is referred to.....
Russ: Madam First Lady.
Karra: no, she is referred to as my
lady or Madam.
Russ: I like my lady.
Karra: and when you are presented to
her, you take her hand and kiss it.
Russ: okay.
Karra: okay? It's very important.
Russ: no problem. What about primary
secretary?
Karra: primary secretary? You don't
take her hand, you just nod to her.
Russ: okay.
Karra: even though she is probably the
most powerful person in the house, she
does not rank in that line very much
in the way of respect although she
gets a lot of respect of because of
who she is, what she does.
Russ: right. So I nod at everybody but
Gonzo.
Karra: correct.
Russ: who I take her hand and kiss it.
Karra: correct.
Russ: that's easy.
Karra: you can shake their hands if
you so desire. You do not shake the
first secretary's hand.
Russ: okay.
Karra: if you wish to shake people's
hands, you are welcome to.
Russ: no high-fives?
Karra: no high-fives, no give me five
on the low, it is very formal Russ.
Russ: I know.
Karra: okay.
Russ: I got it covered.
Karra: I hope so.
Russ: of course darling, I would not
embarrass you as Madam ambassador, you
know me.
Karra: if I have to stay in your mind
and nudge you, I will do so. This is
very important for me.
Russ: I know that love and I will be
very much the perfect first
husband...or I mean ambassador's
husband.
Karra: this is my first formal affair.
Russ: well everyone seems to be pretty
understanding anyway if I start fading
out.
Karra: uh-huh, I hope so. Now, I've
seen Kiri's dress.......
Russ: uh-huh.
Karra: and it's fine by me.
Russ: okay. I'm not worried about it.
Karra: no I'm not worried about it
either.
Russ: I mean if dad already said okay
then that's fine.
Karra: yes, in fact I wouldn't mind
one like that. In fact I have a better
chest than she does, I would look
better in it but that's between Kiri
and myself.
Russ: of course.
Karra: but I would never wear a skirt
quite that short. It is formal, it is
acceptable but it is a little short.
My skirt will be longer. Hers starts
at the knee and works up, mine's
fuller. That's because I hold rank,
she doesn't, she can get away with it.
Russ: okay love.
Karra: I wouldn't also wear something
that frilly either.
Russ: hmm.
Karra: okay.......
Russ: should be fun.
Karra: yes, very fun.
Russ: yeah, right. I'll be a nervous
wreck.
Karra: hey, we have a few days.
Russ: true.
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