hole in their plan, despite my spinning head. I feel like crying.
Adm. O’Reilly stares at me like I’m stupid. “Cadet Winters, we would not send you in if we thought you would not be successful. We have reliable intel that indicates Thell’eons are breeders.”
Did the artificial gravity just stop? My mind’s floating somewhere above me trying to swim its way through thin air toward the door. Seriously. I unclench my fists, absently wondering if feeling will come back.
‘Breeders’ is the term humans give to species whose females are not physiologically equipped to experience pleasure during sex. Yup , there are a few unlucky species in which this horrid evolutionary botch occurs.
So, if I get ESE’s thinking, the Thell’eons will be pleased to have a female, a human female, in their clutches!
Adm. O’Reilly continues, oblivious to the fact I’m near hyperventilating. “We intend to send an ‘exploratory team’ in a charger under the pretense that we’re searching for the misplaced operative, that is, if they bother to ask any questions before firing. Lt. King will pilot the velo. Lt. Lazarus will lead the team.” He pauses. “We will ‘cause’ your translocator blocker to malfunction.”
Translococator blocker? Wha—
“This will enable the Thell’eon’s auto-scanner to pick up your presence right away,” he continues, oblivious to my confusion, “and with any luck, it will translocate you aboard before attacking. Either way, Lt. King, our best pilot, will need to get the charger out of there.”
Suddenly, I fear for King, too. This is crazy, but I ask the first question, blazing hot.
“What’s an ‘auto-scanner’?”
The Commandant and Adm. O’Reilly both stare at me like I’m incredibly naïve. I’m surprised when Colonel Sato pipes up. “This is classifed knowledge: human women are actively sought by breeders. We implant a chip blocker in all women who join ESE during the physical exam to prevent sudden translocation by breeders.”
This is very disturbing news. In fact, if I’d known this, I might not have applied to the Academy. I’m equally outraged that other female cadets are unaware of this.
Colonel Sato adds, “Before our female cadets enter third year, we inform them of this unusual risk. It’s up to them whether they continue.”
Suddenly it’s so much clearer to me why there are so few women in ESE.
This is not what I signed up for. I just want to study exo-anthro. And now Command thinks we can trick the Thell’eons into abducting me so I can spy on them. I can barely process this shifting of my world. The terrified part of my brain considers alternatives: why not one of the other women, an officer, maybe? I think of Lt. Preston. Yes, she would be perfect ! I ask the question, about sending another, more experienced, female officer, out loud, without shame.
I’m rattled by King’s harsh laugh. “They chose you for a reason. Am I right, Admiral? Commandant?”
Huh?
How could such an important mission hinge on me? Nausea mounts. I can’t let this charade go on any longer. Even if the Thell’eons on that vessel believe that they just got lucky and . . . translocated . . . themselves a horny ESE cadet, I wouldn’t know how to play that out anyway. I am innocent.
“Look,” I say, but Colonel Sato grunts. “Sirs,” I start again, gruffly, staring Sato down. “I don’t have the right kind of . . . I, ah, just don’t think I have the right kind of . . . experience for this kind of thing.” I spurt that last bit out quickly hoping they will catch my drift.
M-o-r-t-i-f-i-e-d.
I stare at the table pretending I’m anywhere else. Hey, you shouldn’t feel bad . There’s no call for dignity in desperate times. An interminable silence passes. My shoulders are straining to remain so high and tense. Slowly, they descend.
The Admiral finally speaks, softly. “Cadet Winters, our top strategists believe that the less skills our operative has in this case,
Adm. O’Reilly stares at me like I’m stupid. “Cadet Winters, we would not send you in if we thought you would not be successful. We have reliable intel that indicates Thell’eons are breeders.”
Did the artificial gravity just stop? My mind’s floating somewhere above me trying to swim its way through thin air toward the door. Seriously. I unclench my fists, absently wondering if feeling will come back.
‘Breeders’ is the term humans give to species whose females are not physiologically equipped to experience pleasure during sex. Yup , there are a few unlucky species in which this horrid evolutionary botch occurs.
So, if I get ESE’s thinking, the Thell’eons will be pleased to have a female, a human female, in their clutches!
Adm. O’Reilly continues, oblivious to the fact I’m near hyperventilating. “We intend to send an ‘exploratory team’ in a charger under the pretense that we’re searching for the misplaced operative, that is, if they bother to ask any questions before firing. Lt. King will pilot the velo. Lt. Lazarus will lead the team.” He pauses. “We will ‘cause’ your translocator blocker to malfunction.”
Translococator blocker? Wha—
“This will enable the Thell’eon’s auto-scanner to pick up your presence right away,” he continues, oblivious to my confusion, “and with any luck, it will translocate you aboard before attacking. Either way, Lt. King, our best pilot, will need to get the charger out of there.”
Suddenly, I fear for King, too. This is crazy, but I ask the first question, blazing hot.
“What’s an ‘auto-scanner’?”
The Commandant and Adm. O’Reilly both stare at me like I’m incredibly naïve. I’m surprised when Colonel Sato pipes up. “This is classifed knowledge: human women are actively sought by breeders. We implant a chip blocker in all women who join ESE during the physical exam to prevent sudden translocation by breeders.”
This is very disturbing news. In fact, if I’d known this, I might not have applied to the Academy. I’m equally outraged that other female cadets are unaware of this.
Colonel Sato adds, “Before our female cadets enter third year, we inform them of this unusual risk. It’s up to them whether they continue.”
Suddenly it’s so much clearer to me why there are so few women in ESE.
This is not what I signed up for. I just want to study exo-anthro. And now Command thinks we can trick the Thell’eons into abducting me so I can spy on them. I can barely process this shifting of my world. The terrified part of my brain considers alternatives: why not one of the other women, an officer, maybe? I think of Lt. Preston. Yes, she would be perfect ! I ask the question, about sending another, more experienced, female officer, out loud, without shame.
I’m rattled by King’s harsh laugh. “They chose you for a reason. Am I right, Admiral? Commandant?”
Huh?
How could such an important mission hinge on me? Nausea mounts. I can’t let this charade go on any longer. Even if the Thell’eons on that vessel believe that they just got lucky and . . . translocated . . . themselves a horny ESE cadet, I wouldn’t know how to play that out anyway. I am innocent.
“Look,” I say, but Colonel Sato grunts. “Sirs,” I start again, gruffly, staring Sato down. “I don’t have the right kind of . . . I, ah, just don’t think I have the right kind of . . . experience for this kind of thing.” I spurt that last bit out quickly hoping they will catch my drift.
M-o-r-t-i-f-i-e-d.
I stare at the table pretending I’m anywhere else. Hey, you shouldn’t feel bad . There’s no call for dignity in desperate times. An interminable silence passes. My shoulders are straining to remain so high and tense. Slowly, they descend.
The Admiral finally speaks, softly. “Cadet Winters, our top strategists believe that the less skills our operative has in this case,
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