As the orchestra swung into a more modern tune, Lady Kirbyson returned to her guards waiting by the door. Lord Tavi vanished quickly in search of less stressful partners.

“I think trouble is brewing,” Radhya told her men. “Felina and Noel are whispering together in a way I don’t like.”

“Maybe you are a bit jealous of his paying her some attention,” murmured Padr.

Radhya gave him a withering look. The conspiring couple soon joined them.

“Oh my dear, oh my dear,” began Lady Felina excitedly, “Noel and I have the most perfect plan. You two are to be contracted after the big race tomorrow.” She clapped her hands.

“What!” yelled Radhya, “I don’t think so!”

“But my dear, he is ever so perfect a match for you. He would advance your status two hundred points. And he loves you dearly.”

“Princess for one, Noel Barone loves only a profit. He wants what he can make from me. For two, I can take care of my status myself. For three I am far too busy to take a spouse at this time,” spoke Radhya in a tightly controlled voice.

Lord Barone stood smirking behind the Princess.

“Oh pooh,” she replied, “I am single digit status and if I decide to order you I can, and I shall, or you will lose all status and go down to freedman rank on every world in the Commonwealth. Noel will have your property in compensation. I cannot believe you would be so foolish.”

“You would remove my status because I don’t wish to contract on your command?” questioned Radhya aghast.

“Why yes. It is our royal wish.”

“I could fight this in the courts, with the proctors,” argued Radhya. “I will simply ask my father to make it a royal command from the king. No court will deny him. You will lose.”

Radhya turned her back and thought furiously for a few minutes. She breathed deeply. Will and Padr were looking at her in alarm. Max, holding Kung’s leash, looked almost ready to panic. Radhya touched each man on the arm in turn. She stood looking into Padr’s blue eyes.

“Well what is your answer?” demanded Princess Felina.

Radhya answered coolly, “Milady, it is in no way I want to go against your will, but doesn’t every woman dream of her contract day as being very special. Even the freedmen make a special celebration for their weddings. You know what we woman want, a fancy gown, cakes, parties, family, flowers, the ceremony itself. Doesn’t every little girl dream of that?”

Felina clapped her pudgy hands together. “Yes, yes of course.”

“But milady,” continued Radhya, “if I contract tomorrow, my family isn’t here; there would be no special gown, flowers, cakes, parties or any such wonderful things. I do not want to share my special day with a major horse race either. I would need a decent interval to prepare. Isn’t the preparation at least half the fun?”

“Oh yes, yes,” cooed Lady Felina. “Noel, you wicked boy, you told me she wouldn’t be sentimental about such things and yet look how dismayed she looks at the thought of not having them.”

Barone replied, “Forgive me, Princess, perhaps I don’t know Radhya as well as I thought. How romantic to think about getting to know her better. Would a month from now be acceptable?”

Both Radhya and Felina looked at him in horror.

“Oh no. These things take many months to get just right; sometimes even more than a year,” said the Princess.

“I know,” exclaimed Radhya,” I have absolutely the most perfect idea!”

“Do tell!” begged Felina.

“I was planning to apply to host the status review. I am sure your highness could get the status review committee to choose Pleasant as the review site, and if so, I could have a contract day after the review. The entire aristocracy would be there. Why your royal father could escort me to the podium. A fantasy for any girl. And I would be so grateful too if you could help me plan the entire thing, your taste and style is known far and wide.”

Princess Felina glowed with pleasure, giving Radhya a suffocating hug.

“How perfect, how absolutely perfect!” she sighed. “Two years is just enough time to plan such a contracting. Moreover, your status can be all settled the day before. Yes, it’s perfect.”

Radhya interrupted, “that is of course if my status does not exceed Noel’s, on my own merits. Then the joining would be of no benefit to me at all.”

Everyone laughed. “Of course, my dear. We couldn’t have you contracting beneath you, could we? But tomorrow, you must commit and exchange betrothal presents. Yes?” questioned Felina.

“If Lord Barone wishes an unwilling fiancé and if it is your wish milady,” answered Radhya.

“I cannot thank you enough Princess,” interrupted Lord Barone. “By myself, I could never get her to agree.”

Radhya gave him a sour look. “I can’t guess what you want for a betrothal present. Perhaps something to make something larger?”

“Delicately put, my Lady. You could give me no greater pleasure, and your pleasure too, no doubt,” said Noel.

Bowing to the royals present, Radhya headed for the door. She muttered under her breath as she went up to Dave, who was at the entrance to the foyer.

“Dave, see that everyone is comfortable. They can drink and dance as late as they want. See them all to bed and close things down for me. I have to go home. Don’t let anyone follow me, especially that odious Barone.”

“Yes, milady.”

She strode across the foyer and out into the night. The air was cooling compared to the funk inside. The Milky Way spread a chequered carpet overhead, making it bright enough to walk without a light. Around the track, moonflowers glowed with a cool white radiance adding their offering of light to the night. The Lady went very quickly, and the men had to hurry to keep up. Max slipped the leash from Kung who bounded ahead.

On the trail to the house, it was darker, much darker. The woven branches intercepted the light from the sky overhead. A fair piece down the trail, Kung let out a warbling yowl. A violent snort exploded just ahead as the people halted. A huge shadowy body bounded off the trail.

“Milady,” Padr caught her arm.

She touched his hand. “It’s okay. Kung scared it away. Giant red deer, very cranky. They don’t usually come onto the trail. We are safe from it with Kung, but watch out for dire wolves. They hunt the deer, and I don’t control most of them. They would eat Kung in one bite.”

They hurried along more quickly, as close to running as Radhya could get in the long gown. The gates loomed darkly in front of them, sparkling faintly with electricity.

“Padr, I want you to plant moonflowers along the path when this race is over.”

Padr nodded at her as she pressed the touchpad and spoke to the gate. Reading her genetic code and voiceprint, it silently glided open. On the other side, she shut and sealed the gate again. They sped on.

At the house, Radhya flew up the stairs, straight to lab two. The bodyguards followed while Kung greeted his mother and sisters.

“Will, assist by going to the archive file and getting Barone’s DNA code. Padr mix my unzipping cocktail and reduce it to a tablet. Max, I need the rezipping cocktail, 300 ml. Make it taste very bad.”

Geo came in as Radhya got to work. In a hard, tight voice, Radhya outlined the disaster at the ball. Shaking his head, he shuffled off.

Radhya, Padr, Max, and Will worked all night. Just before the sun rose, they examined their efforts, a small white tablet, a very large purple capsule, and a bottle of thick, blue liquid. Radhya packaged them carefully in a colorful box with a red ribbon.

“The first race is at noon. Get some sleep. I’ll see you downstairs at 11:00,” Radhya told the men.

As the men all stumbled off to sleep, Radhya used her wrist comp to talk to Geo. She arranged for him to handle the preparation for the race and told him to get Aninya to oversee breakfast at the visitor’s center, the light buffet lunch at the track and the final banquet for the evening gala. Then Radhya stumbled off to her own bed for a couple hours of sleep.