and then some."
"I knew they intended to kill me before they left," Christa said, "so I'm lucky to have survived. I really, really thought I was dead when Kasim shot me."
"Uh, yeah, it was a close one," Jenetta agreed. "We almost lost you. We're lucky the doctor placed you in that stasis chamber when he did and that the Dakistee stasis chambers operate the way they do."
"Yeah, he saved my life. I'll have to thank him when I get back to Dakistee."
"And Kasim really told you he was responsible for drugging Jenetta and creating you and me?" Eliza asked.
"Yup. He said he did it to prove to himself that he understood the process well enough to produce new clones."
"Then he must have been successful in deciphering the Ancient Dakis graphics before we did."
"Yes. We hadn't reached that topic yet, but he'd had months to study the equipment before Jenetta arrived on the planet. For such an intelligent person, and considering his senior position in the labor force, he would have had no trouble sneaking into the facility to study the equipment at night. I can only imagine his frustration in having to play a subservient role to the young scientists there."
"I'm going to recommend you for a commendation for a job well done," Jenetta said. "The stasis technology alone is worth everything you went through. It's going to have far-reaching benefits for the Galactic Alliance. And discovering the sleeping Dakistians will change the face of that planet, and perhaps the Galactic Alliance."
"I'd trade the commendation right now for a ticket back to the Hephaestus ."
Jenetta smiled sadly. "I wish I could. But the Admiralty Board wants you on Dakistee for a while. Don't worry, you'll get back to shipboard duty."
"Isn't that what you always told yourself?"
"Yes, but you have a friend who's very highly placed. Do this job and I'll find a way to get you on a ship."
"Okay, sis. I hadn't really considered not doing it."
"I know," Jenetta said with a smile.
"So you'll be heading back to Region Two right away?" Christa asked.
"No. I'm going home to see mom first. And I'm going to talk to the Admiralty Board while I'm on Earth."
"Ooh. See if you can get me freed up from Dakistee," Christa said jokingly.
Jenetta smiled. "The job on Dakistee is an important one. I know it's not what you want, sis, but it'll be excellent experience. When I was the commanding officer at Dixon and then at Stewart, hardly a day passed when I didn't learn something new that would serve me well later in my career. And to paraphrase something Admiral Holt once said to me, 'You need a little rounding out.'"
"Okay, but I still think I'll be bored out of my mind."
"Only if you're lucky," Jenetta said with smile.
The SC battleship Ares departed for Earth a week after dropping Christa off on Dakistee. Jenetta had accompanied Christa down to the surface and thanked the medical staff for the quick action that saved Christa's life and for their efforts in meeting the other medical emergencies following the attack at the archeological dig site. Madu, the pro tem president of the Dakistee people, was performing administrative duties on another part of the planet and so missed the opportunity to meet with Jenetta on this occasion, but Jenetta met with the diplomatic staff charged with handling public relations for the temporary government and toured the new-found facility. She also renewed her association with the Loudescott archeological staff and visited the Space Marine base at North Pendleton.
* * *
The Ares was just hours from Earth when a light chime seemed to sound next to Jenetta's left ear. It was followed by a message that a Priority-One communication had just arrived in her message queue. Already seated behind the desk in her office adjoining the Admiral's bridge, she held up a hand to silence her aide, Lt. Commander Ashraf, in mid-sentence and said, "I have an incoming Priority communication, Lori. Hold your thought for a minute."
Jenetta leaned into the area
"I knew they intended to kill me before they left," Christa said, "so I'm lucky to have survived. I really, really thought I was dead when Kasim shot me."
"Uh, yeah, it was a close one," Jenetta agreed. "We almost lost you. We're lucky the doctor placed you in that stasis chamber when he did and that the Dakistee stasis chambers operate the way they do."
"Yeah, he saved my life. I'll have to thank him when I get back to Dakistee."
"And Kasim really told you he was responsible for drugging Jenetta and creating you and me?" Eliza asked.
"Yup. He said he did it to prove to himself that he understood the process well enough to produce new clones."
"Then he must have been successful in deciphering the Ancient Dakis graphics before we did."
"Yes. We hadn't reached that topic yet, but he'd had months to study the equipment before Jenetta arrived on the planet. For such an intelligent person, and considering his senior position in the labor force, he would have had no trouble sneaking into the facility to study the equipment at night. I can only imagine his frustration in having to play a subservient role to the young scientists there."
"I'm going to recommend you for a commendation for a job well done," Jenetta said. "The stasis technology alone is worth everything you went through. It's going to have far-reaching benefits for the Galactic Alliance. And discovering the sleeping Dakistians will change the face of that planet, and perhaps the Galactic Alliance."
"I'd trade the commendation right now for a ticket back to the Hephaestus ."
Jenetta smiled sadly. "I wish I could. But the Admiralty Board wants you on Dakistee for a while. Don't worry, you'll get back to shipboard duty."
"Isn't that what you always told yourself?"
"Yes, but you have a friend who's very highly placed. Do this job and I'll find a way to get you on a ship."
"Okay, sis. I hadn't really considered not doing it."
"I know," Jenetta said with a smile.
"So you'll be heading back to Region Two right away?" Christa asked.
"No. I'm going home to see mom first. And I'm going to talk to the Admiralty Board while I'm on Earth."
"Ooh. See if you can get me freed up from Dakistee," Christa said jokingly.
Jenetta smiled. "The job on Dakistee is an important one. I know it's not what you want, sis, but it'll be excellent experience. When I was the commanding officer at Dixon and then at Stewart, hardly a day passed when I didn't learn something new that would serve me well later in my career. And to paraphrase something Admiral Holt once said to me, 'You need a little rounding out.'"
"Okay, but I still think I'll be bored out of my mind."
"Only if you're lucky," Jenetta said with smile.
The SC battleship Ares departed for Earth a week after dropping Christa off on Dakistee. Jenetta had accompanied Christa down to the surface and thanked the medical staff for the quick action that saved Christa's life and for their efforts in meeting the other medical emergencies following the attack at the archeological dig site. Madu, the pro tem president of the Dakistee people, was performing administrative duties on another part of the planet and so missed the opportunity to meet with Jenetta on this occasion, but Jenetta met with the diplomatic staff charged with handling public relations for the temporary government and toured the new-found facility. She also renewed her association with the Loudescott archeological staff and visited the Space Marine base at North Pendleton.
* * *
The Ares was just hours from Earth when a light chime seemed to sound next to Jenetta's left ear. It was followed by a message that a Priority-One communication had just arrived in her message queue. Already seated behind the desk in her office adjoining the Admiral's bridge, she held up a hand to silence her aide, Lt. Commander Ashraf, in mid-sentence and said, "I have an incoming Priority communication, Lori. Hold your thought for a minute."
Jenetta leaned into the area
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