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                 (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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