"Darling, you must know at least half our guests will be spies."

"Theonia, it's rude to call them spies on this planet. Thracians call them the press."

Her Slavic smile always won any arguments, "Sorry Senator Harry. You shouldn't have married a daughter of New Moskava."

The couple's twins arrived from the stairs that went up to the residence. Senator Harry Hanson looked up and motioned for them to come down, and they reluctantly approached. Bryan and Ryan, who were at 16 a pair of the youngest of the Gemini Soldiers liberated during the Corporate War, were not thrilled to be here. There were many more interesting things for teens to do during the week-long celebration of the end of the Rim War than a stuffy old press conference.

Theonia and Harry were filled with a huge swell of pride in the boys.

Harry said, "Thanks for being good sports about this. I know you hate this kind of thing. How is your buddy Jeff?"

Bryan said, "It's important, but I hope we can get back to the Ski Lodge soon."

"Jeff is pretty nervous. He wants to get back, too," Ryan shrugged, "You would think he had never been on a holovid before."

Theonia said, "Some people don't like having their pictures all over the galaxy. Do we know who the interviewer will be?"

Harry said, "Jessica Sang, Landing City Times."

"Ohhh... an actual serious journalist," Ryan cracked.

Bryan smacked his brother and said, "At least our pictures won't end up on the teen boards like last time."

Harry's personal assistant chimed and said, "The News conference will be ready in the Mesa Room in fifteen minutes."

"Call your friend. We need to start now."

The two teens quickly disappeared back up the stairs.