Valentine's Resolve (Vampire Earth 6)

Had this whole place buzzing like a beehive. Not that I've seen one".

"Really? Go up to the old airfield. I heard a bunch in the engine housing of one of those big jets".

"I guess they keep bees in some of the agro areas Outside, but on my vacations I usually just go to the river".

"Why were there all-night sessions? Trying to get other areas to join in?"

"State handles that. No, we were upholding the legality of the operation pending".

"Pending what?"

"Restoration of constitutional civilian authority".

The meal arrived, a couple of fried, sliced tomatoes, a few French fries, and a breaded something about the size of a small sausage. Two big pint glasses came with it, thick with something that looked like a strawberry milk shake.

"Here's to it", Valentine said, lifting a glass. He tried a sip. It tasted like someone had tossed ice and old newspapers into a blender, then added a little syrup.

"Takes some getting used to. I'm told the flavoring is strawberry".

Valentine waited for the "Not that I ever had one", but it never came.

The server was already long gone, arguing at another table that Representative Mowbrarun's credit wouldn't buy a shot of pickling juice.

"What's really in it?"

"Mostly fiber-powdered vitamin supplement. It leaves you feeling full, anyway".

Valentine tried the fried whatever, mostly ground-up bean paste and gristle, he guessed. Ducks went on: "I never get invited to the good parties anymore because I still support the military, as does the senator".

"Who else is going to get rid of the Kurians?"

"Oh, I don't mean the Resistance. Everyone supports that, especially Senator Bey. Well, almost. Our military.

They're supposed to be out there getting food for us, but a lot of people think they're keeping it for themselves".

"Speaking of the senator..."

"Oh, just a second. We can't talk about him or your operations just yet. I was hoping you might have a valuable or two up in your locker you could donate to the Winter Harvest fund. Also, Senator Bey has a reelection court date coming up, and lawyers are expensive. Even a small donation will help him win his case and keep supporting the people of Oklahoma in their struggle".

Valentine knew a demand for a bribe when he heard one. At least the fries were tasty, thanks to the salt.

"What's the senator like?"

"He's wonderful. A real American success story out of the good old days, you know? Bunting and John Philip Sousa and all that. A son of one of the tunneling engineers. But he broke out of the father's-footsteps stuff and started standing for selections young. He represented himself at his first selection and the judge was so impressed by his rhetoric, he became a representative from Third District. He caught the eye of the SecDef, and got a position on the Resistance Approbation staff. His press conferences were really something, I think I was nine when..."

"There's a press here?"

"Of course. All the big newspapers still exist... of course they only come out on Tuesdays, which is good news, Fridays, which is bad, and Sundays, which is all analysis. I've got a copy of the Times here...".

She extracted a single sheet of folded newsprint. Four "pages" of close-set type under a banner, front-page headline:

PALMETTO-BERGSTROM

INVESTIGATION WIDENS

Possible Cabinet Involvement

Vice President Declines Comment