It was a block and a half but it felt so much longer. For a brief moment she considered being driven over but that was utter nonsense. Still, she messaged Cort before she left and Eela made her way out of her building feeling apprehensive. She wasn’t in as nearly early as she might have been but any hangover was well concealed.

Her knee high boots sounded on the pavement as she moved, her movement purposeful. She was dressed somewhere in the middle of her usual formal workwear: slim black trousers tucked into her boots, a black turtle neck and a emerald green brocade blazer with a pale pink and cream floral print. Her dark hair was swept up into a tidy roll at the back of her head and she wore a little makeup save for a rich burgundy on her lips.

Approaching the Tower, she shifted her bag on her shoulder prepared for the few media outlets that Cort had warned her had taken up residence. Fortunately security was keeping them a certain distance away and she wasn’t going to have to run the gauntlet through them. Still, as she crossed the street Eela stopped and took a deep breath. And then another. She could do this. It was no different than any other day… except it was. She was different.

A presence approached and Eela turned to see the calm presence of Jeannette Mathis, who gave Eela a warm smile. “May I walk in with you?”

Eela took in the Ambassador and knew without a doubt that the woman’s presence was no coincidence. How she knew was momentarily a mystery until Eela remembered the woman’s ancestry. “By all means,” she said and they simply strode through the front entrance together and that was the image the media caught.

Joining the fast moving line though security, Eela made idle chit chat to pass the time and steady her nerves. “I just got caught up on the messages.”

“I’m surprised you’re in already. I heard last night was quite the event,” Mathis said with a grin.

Eela laughed. “You and me also. But I think I was training all my life for it.”

It was Jeanette’s turn to laugh. “Should I worry about the ones who were not?”

Dasca grinned. “Nah, there were plenty of medical folk in attendance.”

They both quickly swiped through security and the guards on duty gave them both a subtle and respectful nod. Moving to the lifts, they stepped into a free one and rode up together till they reached Mathis’ floor. “I hope you have a relatively smooth day, Eela,” Jeanette said as the door opened.

For a moment the two women just gazed at each other, understanding flowing freely and Eela radiated gratitude. “Thank you, Jeanette.”

Mathis smiled. “You would do the same for anyone else, Eela.” With a bow of her head, Jeanette stepped out of the lift and carried on.

As the doors closed, Eela grinned to herself as the lift moved up to her floor. Onwards and upwards.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.