A Royal Dinner

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I opened my eyes and sat up in bed. It was still dark out. I could hear the sounds of the city outside my window. I went to the window and looked outside at the street. The streetlamps cast shadowy apparitions against the brownstones. I looked at the clock on my bedside table. It was 4 AM. There was no way I could get back to sleep, so I put on some shorts and a t shirt and laced up my running shoes. If I couldn't sleep then I might as well get some exercise.

I left my apartment and jogged down the street. I wanted to clear my head and think about the message that Mary had told me. All this conflicting information. All these messages. First, I get some info about competing in this crazy intergalactic Reality Show where aliens fight to the death and then I get told that one of us won't make it. This was something that David and Colonel Nash should know right away, but I was on 72 hour leave so I intended to enjoy my time away from Blackstone.

My brownstone was in BrooklyHeights, so I ran down towards the promenade. I looked across the East River at the skyscrapers of Manhattan and thought about how far I had come. Last year, I was a junior in BenjaminHarrisonHigh School. Today, I was a Blackstone Ranger charged with protecting the Earth. At least, the city was safer. The notorious Z Gangs that had terrorized the city had been brought under control so at least people could go out at night and not have to worry about getting eaten alive. Central Park was still off limits at night though and so was ProspectPark, but the city was slowly returning to normal. The Quantum Balance of Fear and Unrest would always be higher than normal in New York City, but at least now it was coming back to manageable levels. I smiled. I loved this city the way Thomas loved London, and I would do anything to protect New York. That's why I asked to be assigned to here.

The buzzing of my razor phone caught my attention. Annoyed at having my reverie interrupted I answered it.

"Yeah."

A soft cultured voice said, "Please hold for Prince Val Tarran."

There was click and then I heard the voice of Eric Val Tarran, true heir to the throne of Orion, on the other end.

"Hello, Eliza how are you?"

"Not bad. Your highness, you do know it's four o'clock in the morning, right?"

"It is? Oh, I'm sorry. I do apologize. I'm still used to the 28 hour day of Orion. And with these time zone changes, it can be hard to keep up."

"That's all right. I couldn't sleep anyway. What can I do for you, your highness?" I said.

"You see. I never got a chance to thank you for saving my life six months ago. On Orion, it's a serious breach of etiquette for me not to thank you." The Prince said.

"Just doing my job, your highness."

"Of course. Well, I guess I wanted to ask you to dinner. Would that be acceptable?"

"Dinner. Yeah, sure I guess. I'm off for the next 3 days, so why not. Where did you have in mind?"

"Well, where would you like to go?" The Prince asked.

I blinked. Where would I like to go. Well, it sure wasn't to some fancy restaurant where I would have to dress up and eat snails or whatever the haute cuisine the Prince was used to eating.

"How about some pizza? There's a great place here in Brooklyn," I said.

"Pizza. How delightful. Yes, of course. What time shall I pick you up?"

"Six is fine. You know where I live don't you?"

"I can easily find out. I'll see you tomorrow at six."

"You got it," I said and ended the call. I slipped my razor phone back into my pocket and jogged back down the promenade. Dinner with Prince Val Tarran. I wasn't sure how to think about this. Yes, the Prince was stunningly beautiful and rich. All the girls in my high school would kill to go out on a date with him, but I was indifferent. Maybe, a dinner with an Orion Prince would be just the thing I needed to take my mind off all these messages of impending doom.

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