"Well, it certainly is nice to see you," the president said as she shook her hand. "Even though I would've thought Mr. Dewall would stop by himself. I'm not inclined towards taking things personally, but I can't help but wonder..."
Katherine smiled, shaking Salas' hand once more for the cameras before the two women retreated into a private meeting room. "Well, he extends his apologies," she said finally. "As you can imagine, he's a very busy man, but he wouldn't be too busy to meet you if I had not insisted on coming in his stead," the State Secretary explained. "It's just so nice to see a woman in power that I had wanted to congratulate you personally.
Erica smiled and nodded. "Well," she said, "if everything goes well, the same might happen to you soon."
Osborne shrugged. "Ah, they'll never vote for a woman," she said. "And if they did... even that bitch Hopkins had a higher approval rating than I did, so... I don't think I stand a chance."
The Vandurian president looked at her thoughtfully. "Yeah," she said after a long pause. "I had to compromise on a lot of levels to get into this office," she sighed. "Stuff like gay marriage, for instance. You wouldn't believe how many votes you can get from the right if you're showing reservation for gay people. Sometimes, you have to sacrifice the little things for the greater good."
Katherine began to laugh, sounding a little bit forced. "Yeah, tell me about it," she replied. "I had to eat a lot of shit after my husband fucked all those sluts in the Palace..."
"Oh, there were more than one?" Salas asked surprised.
"Pfff," Osborne spouted. "You wouldn't believe. The dumb bitch Sizemore was just the only one not smart enough to keep her pie hole shut. Well, she got what she had coming, and me and my husband had reached an agreement. You know, for the greater good."
Salas sighed. "Ah, I can certainly feel with you," she said, smiling warmly at the American woman.
"I was hoping you could," Osborne replied, touching her arm gently.
For a moment, the two women just stared at one another, the silence in the room was deafening while the air almost crackled with electricity. Finally, Erica asked cautiously: "Are you saying what I think you are saying?"
"Madame President," Katherine Osborne smiled, "I think you know why I'm here."
Erica stood up and looked at her silently, then nodded sternly. "Take it off," she said quietly, almost whispering, looking into Katherine's pale blue eyes. Then she turned her back to the Secretary of State, quickly walking to the only door of the room and opening it just a crack. Her private guards were positioned outside, two young female soldiers that looked like they came straight from the military academy.
"I shall not be disturbed, under any circumstances," she hissed to the short young woman positioned at the side of the door. "Is that understood."