”Annie blushed. I knew she wasn’t used to compliments—it was usually Susan, with her lean body and long legs, who got all the attention when the...y were together. Jack offered me a drink and topped up Tom and Annie’s glasses. It was like every other dinner party I’d ever been to. The main topic of conversation was the upcoming general election. Not the politics, heaven forbid. That would have been far too interesting. We talked about the media coverage instead, and how the campaign seemed somehow. Ann looked over at her partner. “So, we wait them out?”“Shut down all our repair procedures. We don’t want to do anything that their sensors might pick up.”After a slight pause, “Affirmative. Repairs shut down. But our shields are still up. Do you suppose...”Arlene let out a soft sigh. “Theoretically, the shields project nothing, and I sure hope that is still true underwater. Otherwise, we’re in for a world of hurt.” Then changing the subject, “What about Icky?”“Cold restart, remember? It takes. ” He said pointedly, referring to their previous disagreements. “Isn’t that what the video is for?” Tegan chided him dismissively.“I mean in person.” Jackson brushed the insinuation aside, making no attempt to deny it.“What is it about showing me off that got you going, anyway?” Tegan asked, leaning forward to mirror Jackson’s body language. “Was it about your friends seeing what you got to have, or about humiliating me?”“I dunno.” Jackson said, taking a sip of his drink. “The idea just seemed. "Weren't you going to contact the Gray One next, if you couldn't get itopen?" I asked. "You could ask him if sending magic through the portalwould work." I will," Taylor said, "after I rest a few minutes."We caught the tail end of the puppet show, and then the party broke up.Some of the women who didn't live in the palace went home with theirhusbands or brothers; others returned to the women's quarters with us,and we wound up in Serenikha's parlor, all except Taylor who said shewas going to.