They were drinking alcohol with the meal, so there was a fair share of giggling and glasses tinkling while they talked."How soon would you need me Mic...ael? Stacy and I want to go out this week. I don't want work to get in the way of life ... or vice versa," I said."Well said, son ... sorry Danny—I didn't mean son but ... you understand don't you?" Sure don't be so worried about how you talk to me when we're all together. When Stacy and I pick a date to be married ... why don't you two double. Ace is the highest, then King, then Queen, then Jack.”“But the Queen should be the highest rank,” Holly protested, cocking her head at him.“If it was based on Betelgeusian hives, yeah, but it’s based on the human feudal system. There are also Jokers, but don’t worry about those right now.”“So the goal is to find the highest value card?” Holly asked, Harry shaking his head.“No, you have to have what’s called a hand. A hand is a combination of cards, and some hands have more value than others.. .Jack sat back, grinning, his arms around us, mauling my left nipple and Beth's right for the waitress's entertainment, and let me work. "Are you married, Honey, or do you just wear that ring to keep the flies away?" I asked. "Where's your old man?"The waitress flicked a transparent glance at Jack before replying, "God knows. Technically, I'm still married -- but it's only because I can't find him to serve papers. He hasn't done nothing for me for a while..." You ever wonder why all black. I have an identical deal with the Terran government for the territory I sold them. I can’t imagine needing more money than that. If I do, I have all the minerals from twenty-three planets and two asteroid belts, and tens of thousands of solar systems in multiple galaxies to choose from if those planets run out of easily accessible minerals.”“What do you plan to do with the rest?” Fleet Admiral Teryawe asked, motioning to all the territory that would remain unclaimed.Shrugging, I replied,.