Maragana Girl
Copyright 2004 by EC
EC's Erotic Art & Fiction - http://www.ecgraphicarts.com/
EC's deviantART collection - http://caligula20171.deviantart.com/ 

(warnings: judicial corporal punishment, forced public nudity, sex between adults, 
references to drug use, references to violence)

Chapter 29 – The Summer of Life

In spite of all Dukov's efforts, the Party of the Duchy faced a huge obstacle 
countering the barrage of advertising on television. The TV ads were aimed at 
unsophisticated voters who were unaccustomed to seeing a well-organized 
television advertising campaign. As long as the ads stayed on track, it looked like 
the Greater Danubian Progressive Party would still win, although perhaps not by 
as large a margin as they would have liked.

At the end of the second week of November and only a week before the election, 
the foreign advisors of the Greater Danubian Progressive Party made a mistake 
that cost their candidates any chance whatsoever of winning. It was a 
miscalculation that political scientists would analyze for years as a case study for 
failed political consulting. The consultants decided to target Vladim Dukov's son 
in personal attacks, and in doing so turned a likely electoral victory into certain 
electoral defeat. 

The foreign advisors were elated when they found out about Vladik Dukov's 
public penance. They abandoned their attacks against Vladim Dukov's past and 
instead decided to concentrate on humiliating Vladik. They filmed him as he 
walked naked around the music store complex with blueprints in his hand and a 
collar around his neck. There was public discussion of the shame he had brought 
upon Vladim Dukov and on the police department. There was an ugly incident at 
the music store, as a couple of reporters aggressively approached a terrified 
Tiffany Walker as she was working at a cash register. The store’s owner, Vladik, 
and five naked male employees confronted the reporters, broke their cameras, and 
threw them out the door.

Reporters contracted by the foreign advisors then tracked down both Vladik's ex-
fiancée and his ex-boss, demanding to know why he had resigned and why he no 
longer was engaged. Both the woman and the police official were incensed at 
having rogue reporters approach them about someone else's personal issues. 
Vladik's ex-fiancée, in particular, was furious that any reporter would be 
interested in what she considered a private matter. She was a hard and proud 
woman who would never forgive him for what he had done to their relationship, 
but she considered the matter closed when he resigned from the National Police. 
The use of their personal problems to further a political campaign was an attack 
on not just his honor, but also hers. It was a violation of the most basic Danubian 
value about the sanctity of personal relationships. Such people had no right to win 
an election.

She approached Vladik's ex-boss to discuss the inquiries. It turned out he was 
equally incensed, for very similar reasons. Officer Vladik Dukov had resigned to 
protect other people in the National Police. He had resigned honorably. The 
matter was closed as far as the National Police was concerned and not open to 
further discussion. Vladik's Section Chief suggested that he and the young woman 
jointly file an official complaint with the High Priest at the Temple of the 
Ancients. 

The High Priest gladly accepted the complaint, because it gave him justification 
to take action. The clergy already had been offended that public penance, which 
was a personal matter between the priest and the sinner, would become a political 
campaign issue. Maybe such things are acceptable elsewhere, but not in Upper 
Danubia. As the sun set behind the National Cathedral, the High Priest, 
surrounded by other members of the Clergy, issued an official condemnation of 
the entire campaign of the Greater Danubian Progressive Party. He considered an 
attack on penance as an attack on the Church itself and on the fundamental 
concept of personal redemption.

The Church condemnation handed the election to Vladim Dukov and the Party of 
the Duchy. A condemnation was a very serious matter for many voters, especially 
among the rural constituents the Greater Danubian Progressive Party needed to 
win the election. It took the foreign advisors several days to understand how 
seriously their campaign targeting Vladik Dukov's penance had offended 
traditional Danubian values. The Danubian press also turned against the 
"Progressives", its traditional journalists angered by the strategy of using rogue 
reporters to promote personal attacks. Maybe such things were acceptable in other 
countries, but not in the Duchy.

Vladim Dukov already sounded like a Prime Minister in the final televised debate 
with his opponent. Rather than try to critique his opponent's campaign, the ex-
Spokesman again took the opportunity to lay out his plans for the future. He made 
it clear the Party of the Duchy under him would be very different from the Party 
of the Duchy that had existed since World War II. 

Following the debate, "Socrates' Mistresses" performed the final concert of the 
campaign in the Plaza of the Ancients. In spite of Dukov's likely victory the next 
day, the group was neither proud nor triumphant. Instead they were very reflective 
and somber, realizing the seriousness of the new phase in Dukov's life and the 
professional sacrifices they needed to make to assist his campaign. Eloisa sang in 
her usual forlorn manner. However, for the night's final song, she stepped back 
and turned the lead microphone over to Kim. To the surprise of the audience, Kim 
did not perform her favorite song, "The wall that divides my soul", but instead the 
English rendition of "A question I cannot answer".

The election held the following day was a rout for the "Progressives". Not even 
their most pessimistic advisors for could have dreamt the party would come in 
third, losing not only to the Party of the Duchy, but also to the coalition of 
dissidents. Vladim Dukov's party won 58% of the popular vote, leaving him in 
complete control of the next Cabinet. The humiliation for the foreign political 
consultants was absolute. They quickly checked out of their hotel rooms and were 
out of the country even before the official vote was completely counted.

Dukov's victory speech was low-key. He gave thanks to his supporters, to the 
members of "Socrates' Mistresses", and to the owners of the Socrates Club and the 
city's various music stores. He then thanked the people he had worked with over 
the years: Spokesman Havlakt and his other co-workers, various judges and top 
police officials, and the leaders of the Party of the Duchy who had placed faith in 
him. Finally, he thanked his own Spokesman and university professors from many 
years before, the people who had helped him focus his frustrated political energies 
into his future career with the Danubian court system. 

----------

Tiffany viewed Dukov’s victory with very mixed emotions. On the one hand she 
was glad to see him elected, but on the other hand Dukov’s win frightened her 
because she couldn’t see how Vladik would want to stay with her now that he was 
the son of the country’s Prime Minister. However, the morning after the election 
Vladik Dukov had a huge surprise for Tiffany. He invited her to go with him to 
see his father's swearing in ceremony. 

In spite of their friendship, Tiffany was stunned that Vladik wanted to be seen 
with her at such a public event. At first he justified the invitation by arguing he 
felt very uneasy having to appear collared and naked in public by himself, and her 
presence would make him look not so much out of place. Vladik then checked 
himself. That wasn't the reason. He wanted her to go with him...well, because he 
wanted her to go with him. Maybe this time, with Tiffany, he could simply tell the 
truth. He struggled to express himself in English:

"Deevonay, I say you come with me, because I want. That why you come. I feel 
myself good when you with me, so you come please?"

"You...like...really want me to come? You're really not...like...ashamed to be with 
me?"

"Why I shame, Deevonay? I no better you." Vladik struggled to find the words to 
express himself, a task twice as hard because of his limited English vocabulary. 
Finally he faced her with the truth "Deevonay, you, me, we...we two start new. 
You no drug no more, I no police no more. We live life new. That what priest say, 
that why I wear collar. Kimberly, she say, maybe good thing I no police no more, 
because I no worry no more...no worry about the other people. Only think me 
happy, no other people. And Kimberly say, and I know true, I look at woman...I 
look at you, Deevonay...and I think...maybe you the right woman...."

Tiffany became quiet as tears started flowing down her cheeks. 

"I...I don't know what to say, but...you can't fall in love with me...I mean... your 
father...he's now Prime Minister...and...people would laugh at you...and I...I'm…I 
mean…that ‘honor’ thing you guys have here…I don’t have it…"

"Deevonay, I now ask, what you think me? What YOU think me?"

"Vladik, if it was just me...I mean, I really like you...you're the best guy I've ever 
gone out with. That's not it. It's just..."

"You, me, we got time, much time. I no worry people laugh. I worry you come 
with me see Father in Parliament. Very important you come. I need you come."

Finally Tiffany nodded. She gave Vladik a teary smile and hugged him hard. 
Time...yes, she and Vladik did have time. Maybe time would heal her after all. 
Perhaps there really was something to Kim's promise of "maybe even a family".

Vladik Dukov and Tiffany Walker stood together with the owner of Danube 
City’s main music store and his other employees during his father's victory 
speech. Their bare bodies and collars totally made them look out of place in the 
otherwise well-dressed crowd. While everyone else saluted they had to drop to 
their knees. There was no real shame in that, however. He was performing 
penance and his companions were convicted criminals. It was the way things were 
done in the Duchy. The naked men and women standing in the crowd of Dukov's 
supporters simply were fulfilling the protocol and duties of their positions in life.

----------

Dukov took the Prime Minister's sash from the caretaker Prime Minister. The 
Temple's High Priest gave a brief benediction, and then the Chief Justice of the 
Danubian Supreme Court saluted the new Prime Minister. Dukov saluted back, 
then turned to salute the thousands of spectators.

"DOC-DOC DANUBE!"

The crowd saluted back and roared its support:

"DOC-DOC DUKOV! DOC-DOC DUKOV! DOC-DOC DUKOV!"

Prime Minister Dukov lost no time getting down to business. He left the stage to 
enter the National Parliament with his hands full of folders, legislation he planned 
to present as soon as his cabinet was sworn in. 

However, as he stood at the Prime Minister's podium, the vision of the collapsed 
dam from the Rika Chorna Reservoir filled his mind. Protecting the lake's 
watershed was the first priority of his government. Even before his cabinet was 
sworn in, the new Prime Minister issued several emergency edicts to safeguard 
the forested hills overlooking the lake. He spoke with anger and force, making it 
very clear that any foreign business wishing to exploit Upper Danubia's natural 
resources or its people would have to look elsewhere. 

----------

Dukov's election removed an immediate financial threat to "Socrates' Mistresses", 
by placing them out of reach from anyone wanting to sue them for breach of 
contract. Kim's old sentencing judge became the new Minister of Justice. One of 
his first announcements was to declare that no lawsuit against any Danubian 
entertainer by a foreign company would be permitted in a Danubian court. During 
his first press conference he stated: "I will personally prosecute any foreigner 
entering our territory to harass our citizens under Item 2, article 3 of the 1968 
Professional Harassment Decree. That law carries a minimum five-year sentence. 
Furthermore, I will personally issue an arrest warrant for any foreigner who 
attempts to harass one of our entertainers in a foreign court." 

The Minister of Justice made good on his word. The following week Danubian 
embassies infuriated some of the world's most influential music executives by 
sending official letters to their corporate attorneys. The letters contained arrest 
warrants and extradition requests for the members of the legal team who had 
confronted Kim for violations of Item 2, article 3 of Upper Danubia's 1968 
Professional Harassment Decree.

A couple of nights after the election Eloisa's old high school group decided to 
have dinner at the Socrates Club. Everyone, with the exception of Tuko, who still 
was at the National Police Academy, was present. For the first time, Tiffany and 
Vladik sat at the table at the invitation of Kim. There was much good cheer that 
evening, the band members happier than they had been at any time since the 
euphoric day their sentences ended. Later in the evening Eloisa reflected to the 
group that it felt good to have her clothes off again and just relax in a familiar 
setting, a comment to which many band members agreed. Sergekt then made a 
comment that it looked like the band was starting over, their foreign contract 
breached and the group unable to perform outside Upper Danubia.

"I've been thinking, maybe the foreign contract wasn't such a good thing for us. 
Did we really need all that money? Kim and I already have enough to build a very 
nice house and still plenty left over to put our kids though school. Do we need 
even more? Now we have the chance to go back to who we really are. We can 
return to our roots and do what we want to do, not what anyone else wants us to 
do. We can sing what we want to sing, and chose where and when our concerts 
are going to be. We're going to do it right this time, as Danubians."

There was a toast, as Kim mulled over the statements of both Eloisa and Sergekt. 
Finally an idea came into her head. She addressed the group.

"Does everyone still have their criminal's collar?"

The question surprised her friends, because it seemed to come from nowhere, but 
everyone in the group still had their collars. Danubian ex-criminals rarely got rid 
of their collars, given the importance of the device in their lives and in forming 
their characters. Kim's purpose became clear with her next statement.

"Then I want to go back too, completely back. We started performing as 
criminals. Our first listeners were criminals. That's how we got our inspiration. 
Now here's what I want. I want our next concert to be in this club, where we 
started. Then, we'll perform just like we did last year, wearing our collars and 
nothing else. I want us to practice that way as well, wearing our collars and 
nothing else. Whenever we get together to do any band business, we'll wear our 
collars and nothing else. Whenever we get interviewed, we'll wear our collars and 
nothing else. Who we really are is not a bunch of rich kids performing in 
Barcelona and Paris. Who we really are...is Danubian criminals. I want to make 
that our trademark."

The idea was a bit unusual; to return to performing in the nude when it was 
neither necessary nor expected, but the other members of the group liked it. Yes, 
go back to the very beginning, start over, write new songs, perform for the Duchy. 
The group's foreign fans would be welcome to travel to Upper Danubia to see the 
band's new concerts, but would see them as naked ex-criminals. The most 
important part of Kim's proposal would be frequently returning to the Socrates 
Club for the inspiration needed to write new songs. 

"Socrates' Mistresses" had come home.

----------

Two days later Tiffany became an important asset to Dukov's Ministry of Justice 
and Ministry of Public Health. Dukov called Kim into the Prime Minister's office 
in the National Parliament Building to ask about Tiffany's knowledge of 
methamphetamine. Kim stood at attention in her formal white dress and saluted 
the new Prime Minister; in spite of the fact she still was living in his house and 
having dinner with his family every night. Once her formal gesture of respect was 
finished, she answered his question in Danubian.

"Prime Minster, I believe Criminal # 98946 has extensive knowledge about the 
production of methamphetamine, as well as knowledge of other drugs such as 
heroin, pharmaceuticals, and on-line prescription drugs."

"Another question, Apprentice: do you think she knows how to obtain these items 
on the Internet?"

"Yes, Prime Minister Dukov, I believe she does."

"Very well, Apprentice Lee. Then you and Criminal # 98946 will be able to 
perform an important service to our country. Please bring Criminal # 98946 to this 
office at 15:00 this afternoon. I will have the head doctor from the National 
Hospital Chemical Addiction Rehabilitation Program present, and also the Vice-
Minister of Health and two court recorders. I would like Criminal # 98946 to 
share whatever knowledge she has about methamphetamine with us. Once we 
have completed interviewing her, I will ask that she go on-line in our presence 
and instruct us about the availability of drugs through the Internet. I plan to use 
the information to update our drug laws."

Kim saluted. "I will obey your command, Prime Minister. I will bring my client to 
this office at 15:00 today and ask her to assist you to the best of her ability."

Kim and Tiffany showed up at the National Parliament Building at 3:00 in the 
afternoon. Tiffany felt very uneasy as she walked naked among Upper Danubia's 
most important leaders, but she was a criminal performing a public service and 
that was what was expected of her. As she and Kim entered the Prime Minister's 
office, Tiffany dropped to her knees and nervously put her forehead to the ground 
while Kim stood at attention and saluted. Tiffany was scared being pulled out of 
her regular life, even more so because the Prime Minister was her lover's father.

Once Kim had saluted, Dukov ordered Tiffany to stand up and take a seat. He 
offered her some tea and poured it for her himself. Once he passed her the cup he 
got down to business, asking her what information she could provide him about 
methamphetamine and any other drugs she had used. The debriefing of Kim's 
client was the beginning of Dukov's plan to mount a huge anti-drug effort, before 
the problem had a chance to take hold in his country. 

It turned out Tiffany knew three separate recipes for making methamphetamine. 
She knew about several on-line suppliers of psuedoephdrine, iodine, and 
glassware. She knew about suppliers of ecstasy and LSD. She knew about 
concealment methods. She was familiar with on-line chat groups. Finally, she was 
able to analyze herself and her friends in the US, giving her listeners a perspective 
on why persons like herself started using drugs in the first place. The scope of 
Tiffany's knowledge on the topic was impressive. Both Kim and the Prime 
Minister realized she was precisely the source of information Dukov's 
government needed to begin comprehending the scale of the threat facing the 
country.

Tiffany spent two weeks in the Prime Minister's office, being de-briefed and 
teaching investigators from the Health Ministry and National Police how to look 
up Internet suppliers. The Danubian officials were taken aback by the scale of the 
challenge facing them. In the end, the naked criminal sat next to the Prime 
Minister at his computer and taught him how to access the chat sites. After a very 
short time Prime Minister Dukov and several of his Vice-Ministers had acquired a 
working knowledge of the world that had destroyed so many young people in 
other countries. Finally, at the end of her debriefing, Tiffany returned to her job at 
the music store, but with the expectation she would come back every so often to 
answer additional questions or give advice.

Over the next several months Dukov and his Ministers used the information from 
taken from Tiffany and several other drug addicts to grill police officials, 
pharmacy workers, and customs agents about the measures they were taking to 
protect Upper Danubia. By the end of the year the Ministry of Health and the 
Ministry of Education had an effective drug education program in place for high 
schools, while new laws and customs screening procedures targeted imported 
pharmaceuticals. The entire process began because of the contribution of Criminal 
# 98946.

Prime Minister Dukov treated Tiffany with respect and made it clear he 
appreciated the information she could give him. The only protocol he expected 
from her was standard criminal's kneeling when she greeted him and when she 
said goodbye. Apart from that he conversed with her in a completely normal 
manner, which in turn boosted her own self-confidence. He expressed his 
gratitude by giving her an official commendation and forwarding a request to the 
Danubian Supreme Court to cancel the last five of her 34 remaining switchings.

Tiffany's service to his father's government encouraged Vladik to discuss the 
possibility of a relationship with her to his parents. He fully expected his parents 
to vehemently oppose any relationship between himself and the American 
criminal, but they seemed to be able to accept Tiffany, if not exactly approve of 
her. Maritza felt guilty over kicking Vladik the night after he resigned from the 
National Police and realized the need to give her son some space in his life, while 
Dukov saw Tiffany as a damaged person but with huge potential.

The elder Dukovs opened the opportunity for Vladik to talk to them about his own 
life, and what had gone wrong. He explained his need to attempt to find out who 
he really was on the inside, instead of trying to meet other people's expectations. 
Tiffany was an important part of that journey of self-discovery. She was a deeply 
flawed woman, but she and Vladik seemed to match each other's needs.

Dukov's only advice was that Vladik take his time with Kim's client. He needed to 
give her time to stabilize her life and re-build her character before becoming too 
serious with her. To that Vladik responded:

"Father, I am in the same place in the path of my life as Tiffany. I am rebuilding 
my own character and finding myself. I think both Tiffany and I are going to need 
a lot of time. Things will go slowly for us, because both of us have such damaged 
souls."

The following Sunday Victor Dukov and his wife prepared a formal dinner for 
Vladik and Tiffany. Following the traditional custom, Vladik would sit at the 
table of Tiffany's guardian, even though that guardian was his own uncle. When 
Tiffany found out about the impending dinner, she approached Kim to ask her 
what was going on. Kim explained the meaning of the custom and its importance. 
Then she added:

"At some point you'll probably be coming over here, to Prime Minister Dukov's 
house, or he may have you go over to the Prime Minister's Official Residence, if 
he decides to move there with Maritza and Anyia. Anyhow, if that happens, you'll 
need to understand you and Vladik will have a commitment to each other."

Tiffany did not know how to react. She couldn't believe how quickly her life had 
changed in the short time since she saw Kim holding up those two dollars at Dirty 
Grampy's. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a strand of her long hair 
draped over her chest. She realized another change was necessary. If she was 
going to do that formal Danubian dinner thing, she had to fix her hair. Kim 
volunteered to help her client with braiding. Over the next hour Tiffany learned 
how to arrange her hair according to Danubian tradition.

----------

The next month passed peacefully for Kim and her friends as the weather grew 
colder and the days shorter. They studied, they reunited at the Socrates Club, and 
they prepared and practiced new music. Relieved from the pressure of satisfying 
anyone except themselves, the group experimented with more modern instruments 
and different themes for their music. Over the following year they would try out 
new music at the Socrates Club, and then perform to a packed Danube City 
concert hall about once every three weeks. 

"Socrates' Mistresses" would remain enormously popular throughout Europe. 
Foreign fans came across the border by the trainload to see the defiant group of 
Danubians and buy their CD's, the band's mystique only increased by the fact they 
had decided to return to performing as naked criminals. There were differences 
from the previous year, however. The variety of music had increased, and some of 
it had a sharper edge to it. When their performances ended the band's members 
always took off their collars, held them up, and then bowed to the audience 
instead of kneeling. When asked about the gesture during an interview, Eloisa 
responded.

"The way we perform, and the way we end our concerts, symbolizes the path of 
our lives. We began singing as sentenced criminals, but now we are free and 
making our own choices. How we present ourselves is to show our fans who we 
really are, where we came from, and perhaps where the paths of our future will 
take us."

----------

Vladik Dukov continued working peacefully at the music store throughout 
November and December, still planning to enter the military academy in January. 
However, just before Christmas his plans changed when his ex-fiancée entered his 
workplace with a large package in her hand and asked to speak with him. Vladik 
was amazed she actually would come looking for him and uneasy about having to 
confront the woman he had so badly dishonored. However, it was obvious she had 
something important to tell him. He wondered about the package, then noticed she 
was wearing engagement jewelry that must have been given to her by another 
man.

The naked man and the well-dressed woman withdrew to one of the store's small 
recording studios and sat down. Vladik's ex-fiancée handed the package to 
Vladik. When he opened it, he saw it was his police uniform. She then addressed 
him in her usual cold, proud manner.

"Vladik, last week I spoke with your priest and prayed at the Temple. I realized 
many things about myself, and my path in life. Those issues are my concerns, 
things you have no right to know because of what you did to me. However, I 
realized something else. It was wrong of me to destroy your police career. You're 
a good police officer and an asset to our nation's security. I have no right to take 
that away from our country, regardless of how I feel about you personally. 
Yesterday I spoke with your section chief and asked him to let you return to duty. 
I explained you resigned because of me, but I didn't give him any details and I 
expect that you will not, either. He seemed very happy and made me wait so he 
could have your clothes packaged and brought up to his office. It's quite clear he 
wants you back"

Vladik was dumbstruck. He took the package. His ex-fiancée stood up and put her 
hand on the doorknob.

"Vladik, I want you to understand I'm doing this for the Duchy, not for you. I hate 
you more than I think you can imagine. But, apart from the National Police, I...I 
suppose I'm doing this for myself as well." She touched her hand to her new 
engagement necklace and continued. "As you can see, the Ancients have blessed 
me with another relationship. Before I commit to him I need to find peace with 
myself and make peace with you."

Vladik stood up, wanting to thank her, but she quickly slipped through the door 
and shut it in his face. He decided not to try to follow her.

Vladik sat down with the package. He pulled out his hat and looked at it. 

Vladik thought about the challenges that lay ahead, now that the path of his life 
was restored. His thoughts wandered not to his ex-fiancée or even his restored 
career, but to Tiffany. He now realized he loved Criminal # 98946, and had every 
intention of staying with her. Marriages between police officers and criminals 
happened occasionally, so the possibility of Vladik formally marrying Tiffany 
was real. There would be some difficult challenges for Vladik’s future with the 
American, but whatever those challenges might be, he was determined to 
overcome them.

In the meantime the once-and-future Officer Dukov needed to finish his 
immediate assignment at the store. Once he finished his commitment to Kim's 
employer he would return to the Temple and request permission from the priest to 
end his penance.

----------

Kim and Sergekt finally settled on a day to get married. They decided to hold the 
wedding on December 27th, half way between Christmas and New Year's Eve. 
The date gave the people in their lives a chance to attend, including the 
increasingly busy Prime Minster and his family.

Kim spent the days before Christmas with her sister and parents, showing them 
her life as a singer, as a student to become a Spokeswoman for the Criminal, and 
as a future Danubian citizen. Kim was elated finally having her parents in Danube 
City. The Lees got to see all of the capitol's major tourist attractions, including 
several areas of King Vladik's Castle normally off-limits to the public. Kim 
showed them the university and the Temple of the Ancients. Unfortunately she 
had to skip showing her parents the music store and the Socrates Club. They 
weren't quite ready to see Kim in her work uniform and her singing costume. 

A couple of nights before the wedding Kim and her friends took Cindy to the 
Socrates Club for a pre-wedding celebration. While Cindy once again partied 
naked at the club with her sister, her future brother-in-law, and their friends, 
Vladim and Maritza Dukov invited Mr. and Mrs. Lee to have a state dinner at the 
Prime Minister's Residence. In spite of the elegant surroundings, Dukov quickly 
put the elder Lees at ease. For a night he could take a break from being Prime 
Minister and return to his old role as Kim's Danubian guardian. The Lees and the 
Dukovs exchanged stories about their daughters Kim and Anyia. Dukov's 
conversation allowed Kim's parents to understand their daughter much better and 
laid the foundation of a new relationship they would have with her as an adult.

----------

The wedding itself took place in the main prayer chamber of the Temple of the 
Ancients. Given Dukov's role in Kim's life, the wedding came close to being a 
state ceremony, with everyone in her life present. The Prime Minister and his 
brother were present with their families, as were the members of "Socrates' 
Mistresses" and their families, Dukov's secretaries, Spokesman Havlakt and his 
grandchildren, and the staff of both the music store and the Socrates Club. Tiffany 
and Vladik stood together, he in his police uniform and she in her collar with her 
hair done-up properly.

In spite of Dukov's role in Kim's life, he merely was a spectator at her wedding. 
Presenting her to Mrs. Dolkiv was Mr. Lee's responsibility. Mr. Lee approached 
the moment with much trepidation, regretting that he had allowed so much time to 
pass by without really getting to know his daughter properly. Now she was 
slipping away, soon to be the wife of another man and the citizen of another 
country. Kim noticed he was trying his best to hold back his tears as he presented 
her to Sergekt's mother. There would be time for Kim and her father to re-
establish their relationship, but it would be a relationship between to adults, no 
longer a relationship between father and daughter.

Kim and Sergekt exchanged their vows and turned to face their friends and family 
members. Kimberly Lee now was Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna, the wife of Sergekt 
Dolkivna. Until she graduated from college, Kim would be known as Apprentice 
Lee-Dolkivna whenever she appeared in court.

To close the ceremony, Eloisa and the other three back-up singers, for once 
wearing traditional dresses, performed a song Dima had written in honor of his 
best friend and his fiancée's best friend. The song was titled "The summer of my 
life".

Dima's song alluded to the passing of springtime, a period of excitement and 
hope, but also of hard work and struggle, a time when Kim and Sergekt had to 
form their characters and determine who they were as people. That first phase of 
their lives was completed. Now life's second phase had come, the time to apply 
the lessons and hard work of the springtime to better enjoy the summer. It was a 
song of sadness and hope, an accurate depiction of the couple's past and the future 
they had yet to enjoy.

As Kim and Sergekt held hands and exchanged glances, they knew Dima and 
Eloisa could not have come up with a better gift. The women of "Socrates' 
Mistresses" were celebrating their friends' journey through time and the beginning 
of the summer of their lives.

