Chapter 11
"I can't believe the day of the prom is finally here!" shrieked Kandi. She was so loud that Princess had to hold the telephone handset a foot away from her ear.
"I know!" Princess replied, once she was sure the volume was at a safe level again. "I'm still trying to figure out my hair. I'm just not used to doing anything with it. Do you think I should put in the jeweled comb, or the engraved silver clip?"
"Definitely the jeweled comb." Kandi advised. "The emeralds go so well with your eyes!"
"But, it's on the back of my head!" Princess protested. No one is going to see my eyes and the comb at the same time! Besides, green jewels with a red dress? Doesn't that look a little… Christmassy?"
"Not at all!" Kandi assured her. "But if you're uncomfortable, go with the clip. I'm sure you'll be beautiful, either way!"
"So will you, Kandi." Princess replied. "Jason is very lucky to have you as his date."
"And Mark is lucky to have you, as his." Kandi said. "He's so dreamy. But so quiet! How'd you manage it, Princess? None of the other girls have ever been able to get him to show any interest!"
"I guess… I was just myself." Princess giggled.
"Well, whatever it was, you've snagged a hottie!"
Princess laughed out loud. She knew that Mark would be incredibly embarrassed to hear Kandi calling him a 'hottie'.
"But he's going to die when he sees you in that dress!" Kandi exclaimed.
"You think so?" Princess asked. "It's a little daring. Should I wear a wrap over it?"
"Oh, no!" Kandi urged, "You've got it, so why not show it off?"
"I don't know…" Princess sighed. She wondered if the guys were this involved in dressing for the big night.
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"What's taking you so long, Jason?" Mark asked in irritation.
"I can't figure these damn things out!" Jason muttered.
"Which things?"
Jason held up two small, gold colored objects.
"Who the hell invented these idiotic things, anyhow?"
"They're just cufflinks, Jason."
"But how do you get the damn things in? Mine keep sliding around!"
"Just put them through the hole in the sleeve."
"What hole?"
Mark sighed, reached over, and turned around Jason's right cuff, pointing at the end of the sleeve.
"Oh."
"Can you do it, now?" Mark rolled his eyes. Obviously anything more complicated than 'press the red button' was too much for Jason to handle.
"How did you learn to do this, anyhow?" Jason asked, still struggling with inserting the cufflink one-handed.
"I asked the Chief." Mark smirked.
"So, in other words, you cheated."
"I'm ready, and you're not." Mark pointed out.
"I'm ready!" Jason insisted, pulling his jacket sleeves down as far as possible, to cover his cuffs.
"Then let's get going!" Mark snapped. "I'm late to pick up Princess!"
But as the two young men rushed down the stairs, a quiet voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Mark, Jason, I want to talk to you, for a moment." Chief Anderson said.
"Uh, Chief, I'm late picking up Princess…" Mark mumbled.
"I can appreciate that you don't want to keep her waiting, Mark." Anderson smiled. "This will only take a moment. When we're done, you can use one of the Galaxy Security cars and a driver, to take you to the prom."
"Thank you." Mark nodded.
"I just wanted to remind you boys, that even though you're not in uniform tonight, you are still members of G-Force." the Chief lectured them. "I expect you to remain on your best behavior, and not engage in any activities that would embarrass Galaxy Security."
There was a pregnant pause.
"Or me." Anderson smiled thinly.
"We won't, Sir." Mark answered quickly.
"Of course not." grinned Jason.
The Chief looked at Jason suspiciously, but he appeared to be sincere. At this point, there wasn't much else Anderson could do to erase the last-minute doubts Thom Cronus had unfortunately placed in his head.
"That is all."
"Thanks, Chief!" Mark said. "Jason, are you coming with me?"
"No, I promised Kandi I'd pick her up in Sweetheart." Jason shrugged. "I'd better get going."
"Okay, I'll see you at school, then." Mark said. He was already looking forward to seeing Princess. Apparently her red dress was something else!
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With the Galaxy Security car and driver, Mark had been right on time. Now, he sat nervously in a booth at Jill's, waiting for Princess to come downstairs. Jill had apparently given her some last-minute help getting dressed.
As Mark looked up, his gaze fell upon an elegant, sophisticated woman. Her ebony curls were pulled off of her face, only to cascade down her bare back. The creamy skin of her bare shoulders contrasted with the deep crimson of her dress, which showed just enough cleavage to remind Mark of their afternoon next to Swan Lake.
The dress itself swirled around Princess' slim form, showing off her the curves of her body. Mark found his throat tightening, just looking at her.
"Uh…" the Commander of G-Force found himself at a loss for words.
"Princess…" he gasped, "I've never seen you look more beautiful!"
Princess gifted him with a brilliant smile.
"You've cleaned up very nicely yourself." she observed. "You even got a haircut!"
"This is for you." Mark said, offering Princess a single ivory rose. Carefully, he pinned it to the side of Princess' décolletage, while Jill snapped pictures from every conceivable angle.
"Shall we?" he asked softly, holding out his arm.
Princess placed her arm in Mark's, feeling as if she were walking on air.
"You two have fun!" Jill called after them, as they exited the bar.
The young couple never heard her.
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He was late to pick up Kandi.
He had started out on time, but who knew that those damn cufflinks would take so long to figure out? And then the Chief had had to have his little talk.
Jason raced out of the house, heading toward the driveway, where he had parked Sweetheart. He had washed, polished and waxed his car just that morning, so that she would look special for the prom.
Of course, Sweetheart was special. When he transmuted, she became the Spacemobile, and that was one sweet ride (hence his nickname for her). But he couldn't exactly advertise that fact, so most of the time she just looked like a battered, low-end racecar.
But not tonight.
Jason loved spending time with his car, even on tasks anyone else would have considered mundane. He had just been finishing up the final coat of wax when Keyop had come by.
"Brrrrt… going to… dreet… prom?"
"Yeah." Jason had grinned. "It's going to be a blast!"
"Droot… could I… brrrrp… come?"
Keyop had never been one to beat around the bush. He had enough trouble getting his words out, to waste the few he could actually communicate. So Jason could be excused, for not realizing how important this question really was, to the young boy.
"Sorry, Squirt!" Jason had replied, ruffling Keyop's hair. "It's just for us big kids."
Keyop hated it when anyone ruffled his hair.
"Beep… I'm big!" he had insisted, thumping his chest.
"Not big enough, Kiddo!"
Jason had cheerily walked away, forgetting about the disappointed expression on Keyop's face, until now.
Sweetheart had been used as a dumping ground by a couple of swallows.
Jason had his suspicions as to why the birds had chosen his car. Everyone knew that Keyop was good with animals. Jason cursed the G-Force Operations Officer, as he was forced to take precious time to clean his car, while trying not to mess up his tux.
Kandi was going to kill him, for being so late.
Jason turned his car into the President's long driveway, after getting clearance from the security guard outside. He screeched his tires on the pavement, nearly running over a prize-winning rosebush.
He leapt out of the car, almost bowling over an irate gardener as he sprinted up the steps to the front door, slipping in his unfamiliar dress shoes.
He rang the doorbell, using the few seconds before it was answered to straighten up the mess his clothing had become.
Kandi was bound to be furious!
But, when the petite blonde girl answered the door, she looked more nervous than upset.
"Jason, you're here!" she said, in a loud, overly cheerful voice.
"Yeah." he replied. "Sorry I'm late, but we can go, now."
"Oh, you want to come say hello to my grandfather?" she said, in the same loud, stilted tone.
Jason got it. He was about to be grilled by the President of the Intergalactic Federation. This night just couldn't get any worse.
"Sure." he said. "Let's go talk to your grandfather."
At least it was all worth it. Kandi sizzled in a strapless silver gown that clung to her body. Jason took her hand, and whispered into her ear.
"You're looking pretty hot! Is he actually letting you out of the house like that?"
Kandi turned to regard Jason's smirking face.
"Only if you impress him with your sparkling conversation." she cooed softly.
"Touche." Jason grinned.
They entered the living room, where Jason found President Kane waiting for them.
"Good evening, Sir." he said, offering his hand to the leader of the Federation.
"Good evening, Mr. Vicelli."
"I appreciate that you have given your permission for me to escort Kandi to the prom, Sir."
"That permission was not given lightly." the President said gruffly. "My granddaughter is the most precious possession I have."
"I understand, Sir."
"I don't think you do." Kane replied. "Kandice's parents were killed by Spectra assassins, when she was barely a year old. My wife died from her grief, six month later. Since that time, Kandice has been the center of my life."
"Oh, Grandad." Kandi sighed, embracing her grandfather.
"It's true." Kane continued, patting her hand gently. "But unfortunately, because of my position, you are constantly under threat yourself. Which is why I am normally reluctant to let you out of my sight, for very long."
The President turned, giving Jason a long, hard look.
"But I know that you, of all people, will be able to keep my granddaughter safe."
Jason knew that Kane was referring to his position as a member of G-Force.
"You can count on me, Sir!" he said wholeheartedly, giving a quick salute.
"I will be." Kane said grimly, releasing Kandi's hand from his.
"We won't be too late!" Kandi called, quickly making an escape, while she saw a chance.
"I'll be waiting up for you." the President reminded her.
Kandi sighed, shaking her head and rushing Jason out the door.
"What was that all about?" she asked, once they were outside.
"What was what about?"
"That salute. I would never have thought of it, but it seemed to impress him. And what was all that about him counting on you to keep me safe?"
"I guess, he just knows that no one messes with me, and gets away with it." Jason grinned.
"I guess so." Kandi replied, her mind turning to more important matters.
"Is that bird poop on your car?"
The swallows had struck again.
