Chapter 22 - Finals week
The Danubians departed Chicago late Saturday afternoon for Washington. There was a brief formal ceremony at the university marking their departure, followed by an unceremonious trip to the O'Hare Airport and a quick flight to Washington. In the US capitol there would be no official welcome from any Administration officials. The Danubians would go straight to their country's embassy for an official dinner, then spend one day touring the US capitol before Dukov gave his presentation on Monday. Immediately after the National Press Club appearance, there would be an overnight stop in Ottawa before the flight to Europe.
Cecilia was very sorry to see the Danubians leave Chicago. Although she had only talked three times to the Prime Minister, she felt a real affinity towards him. She enjoyed watching him as he spoke and interacted with his US hosts. She especially liked the way he interacted with his fellow government officials, people who until very recently had not been his subordinates, but rather his co-workers. Apart from the mandatory exchanges of salutes, there was absolutely nothing in Dukov's behavior indicating that he saw himself as superior in any way to the other members of his delegation. In fact, when speaking to Alexi Havlakt, Cecilia could tell that Dukov addressed him with a great deal of respect and that he relied on the older man's insight to supplement his own.
The members of the Foundation and even some reporters marveled at the modest demeanor of the Danubians throughout their visit. The only luxury they afforded themselves during the entire trip was a day of sightseeing in Washington DC, and even that was simply because it was a Sunday and there really was very little else for them to do. As for where they stayed, that would be in the Danubian Embassy. The Prime Minister had no desire to spend money on hotels if it was not necessary.
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Cecilia wrote at length to Kimberly Lee about Dukov's visit and the impression the delegation had left on her. She asked some questions about Alexi Havlakt and asked Kim to fill her in about the historical site in Sumy Ris. She also thanked Kim for the CD's for Jason's grandmother, mentioning that she already had sent them by overnight mail to their final recipient earlier in the week.
The online relationship between Kimberly and Cecilia took off after Dukov's visit. Cecilia wrote extensively about her current semester at the university and her studies to major in economics. Kim responded by talking about her own studies and the overall lifestyle of the members of "Socrates' Mistresses". The band still was producing music, but now that they no longer could sing outside of Upper Danubia, its members had decided to pursue other careers and keep singing as a hobby.
"I think that's actually helped us a lot, because last year, when we were touring, I was seeing the beginnings of tension between our members over money and musical direction. I know that when our contract got canceled, Dima (my singing partner's husband) was happy about it. He didn't want the money. What he wanted was for us to sing what we felt, and he thought that the contract and the touring and the pressure were starting to get in the way. It wasn't fun any more. Now we're back where we started, at the Socrates Club. I think it's a lot more enjoyable for all of us, because singing is our chance to get together and escape from our other responsibilities in life."
Cecilia was aware that whenever "Socrates' Mistresses" sang, they always performed in the nude. The band's website had several uncensored pictures from recent concerts which clearly showed the five singers wearing nothing but their criminal collars while on stage. Performing as criminals had become the group's trademark: it was where they had started and what they had returned to. That decision by the popular group had influenced how Danubians looked upon criminals in general and how people currently serving sentences saw themselves.
The music originating from the Socrates Club had become more influential than ever and a source of real national pride among the Danubians. The Danubian music scene was becoming popular throughout Europe and it seemed that Danube City was well on its way to being an important destination for tourists interested in buying CD's and attending concerts. Hotels and concert halls around Danube City were full to capacity, so much so that some of the concerts were moving to provincial towns. "Socrates' Mistresses" could count on any concert they gave to be sold out, so, even with their international contract canceled, they could not complain about the income they received from their singing.
The online conversation shifted to Upper Danubia's criminal justice system and Kim's goal to become a Spokeswoman for the Criminal specializing in representing convicted foreigners. Kim was able to answer Cecilia's questions about the Danubian system and the country's unique way of punishing criminals. She wrote at length about her ambition to follow in Vladim Dukov's footsteps and pursue a career in the Danubian courts. She already was in her third year of studies at the Law School at the National University in Danube City and recently had been certified as a Court Apprentice in Full Standing.
Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna explained that in the Danubian judicial system the Spokesperson for the Criminal took the place of both the public defense attorney and the parole officer in the US system. The Spokesperson was an extremely important position, because the moment a suspect was placed under arrest, he or she was placed under the legal custody of a Spokesperson, who had duties and rights similar to those of a parent of an underage child. The Spokesperson presented the suspect in trial and explained the case from the suspect's point of view. If the suspect was convicted and collared, it was the Spokesperson's responsibility to ensure the client was gainfully employed, living a lifestyle that would ensure no further criminal activity, and properly adjusting to the harsh conditions and demands placed on the convicted criminal's daily life and activities. The Spokesperson had final say over anything a client did or decided.
