that led to the lower level of the large room where the controllers who monitored the planetary DeTect grid were located. When he reached the console where Azeallum sat, he peered over his shoulder.
"Here's the cluster," Azeallum said, pointing to a spot on the screen. "As you can see, there's no indication that it might be a ghost reflection. It's hard and steady."
"Yeah," Caulliffyr agreed. "I wonder if they can be Space Command?"
"Space Command ships always announce their presence long before we can see them, and besides, they always use AutoTect."
"Not if they're on a mission. Since there's five of them, that could be the reason for not using AutoTect."
"But they'd certainly notify us if they were approaching the planet."
"They should, but they don't have to."
"Space Command always plays it by the book, sir. They'd notify us if they were coming here."
"So who do you think it is?"
"I don't know, sir, and that's what bothers me."
"Admiral Carver established a Territorial Guard unit composed of former Milori military units."
"But everything I've heard says they follow the Space Command rulebook as stringently as Space Command."
"It has to be one of them. There's nobody else operating warships in GA Region Two."
"Yes, sir. There's not supposed to be anyone else operating warships in GA Region Two. But if it was someone else, why would they be moving so slow?"
"I have to report this to the Commander. Continue monitoring them and advise me immediately of any changes."
"Yes, sir. Will do."
----
Chapter Five
~ February 27 th , 2286 ~
With her Admiralty Board business concluded, Jenetta settled comfortably into vacation mode. Repeated requests for personal appearances from recruitment officials were declined without discussion, and she did her best to put aside thoughts of the Yenisei until new information became available. Jenetta hadn't been home in years and wasn't going to squander the opportunity to enjoy the company of available family. As much as she loved spending every moment she could with her mom, she relished the time she now had with Marisa. The numerous vidMails they had exchanged over the years were a poor substitute for direct contact where you could say what you felt without worrying that someone might be eavesdropping on the communication. She didn't initiate any calls to schoolmates or old friends, but she didn't refuse them either. She merely tried to limit them to a reasonable conversation length and put off all requests for visits.
"Marisa and I have reached a consensus," Annette announced to Jenetta one morning at breakfast.
"A consensus on what?" Jenetta asked after she had finished chewing and then swallowed the piece of pancake she had pushed into her mouth ten seconds earlier.
"Obotymot."
"What about Obotymot?"
"We've decided to travel there for a brief visit."
"Wonderful. I think you'll enjoy the trip. Do you want to go when I leave here or travel independently?"
"We might as well go with you. It appears that neither daddy nor Richie will be home for at least a year, so we want to go now. And this way you can show us around."
"I've never been to the estate."
"But you've been to the planet, right?"
"Not since '67. I'm happy to say that the face of the planet has changed dramatically since then. When I was there, the air was full of the dust and dirt kicked up from the meteor strike. The vegetation had died from lack of sunlight and the erosion of the soil was making the situation worse. The surface never got brighter than a sort of twilight, even at high noon. It took years of low-altitude scrubbing with air filtering and moisture release to clear the air, and then more years to get crops growing again."
"Then this will be your chance to see it as well," Marisa said. "The more I think about it, the more excited I become. What's the weather like on the estate right now?"
"From the reports, I would say our estate lands are like central California. It never gets bone-freezing
"Here's the cluster," Azeallum said, pointing to a spot on the screen. "As you can see, there's no indication that it might be a ghost reflection. It's hard and steady."
"Yeah," Caulliffyr agreed. "I wonder if they can be Space Command?"
"Space Command ships always announce their presence long before we can see them, and besides, they always use AutoTect."
"Not if they're on a mission. Since there's five of them, that could be the reason for not using AutoTect."
"But they'd certainly notify us if they were approaching the planet."
"They should, but they don't have to."
"Space Command always plays it by the book, sir. They'd notify us if they were coming here."
"So who do you think it is?"
"I don't know, sir, and that's what bothers me."
"Admiral Carver established a Territorial Guard unit composed of former Milori military units."
"But everything I've heard says they follow the Space Command rulebook as stringently as Space Command."
"It has to be one of them. There's nobody else operating warships in GA Region Two."
"Yes, sir. There's not supposed to be anyone else operating warships in GA Region Two. But if it was someone else, why would they be moving so slow?"
"I have to report this to the Commander. Continue monitoring them and advise me immediately of any changes."
"Yes, sir. Will do."
----
Chapter Five
~ February 27 th , 2286 ~
With her Admiralty Board business concluded, Jenetta settled comfortably into vacation mode. Repeated requests for personal appearances from recruitment officials were declined without discussion, and she did her best to put aside thoughts of the Yenisei until new information became available. Jenetta hadn't been home in years and wasn't going to squander the opportunity to enjoy the company of available family. As much as she loved spending every moment she could with her mom, she relished the time she now had with Marisa. The numerous vidMails they had exchanged over the years were a poor substitute for direct contact where you could say what you felt without worrying that someone might be eavesdropping on the communication. She didn't initiate any calls to schoolmates or old friends, but she didn't refuse them either. She merely tried to limit them to a reasonable conversation length and put off all requests for visits.
"Marisa and I have reached a consensus," Annette announced to Jenetta one morning at breakfast.
"A consensus on what?" Jenetta asked after she had finished chewing and then swallowed the piece of pancake she had pushed into her mouth ten seconds earlier.
"Obotymot."
"What about Obotymot?"
"We've decided to travel there for a brief visit."
"Wonderful. I think you'll enjoy the trip. Do you want to go when I leave here or travel independently?"
"We might as well go with you. It appears that neither daddy nor Richie will be home for at least a year, so we want to go now. And this way you can show us around."
"I've never been to the estate."
"But you've been to the planet, right?"
"Not since '67. I'm happy to say that the face of the planet has changed dramatically since then. When I was there, the air was full of the dust and dirt kicked up from the meteor strike. The vegetation had died from lack of sunlight and the erosion of the soil was making the situation worse. The surface never got brighter than a sort of twilight, even at high noon. It took years of low-altitude scrubbing with air filtering and moisture release to clear the air, and then more years to get crops growing again."
"Then this will be your chance to see it as well," Marisa said. "The more I think about it, the more excited I become. What's the weather like on the estate right now?"
"From the reports, I would say our estate lands are like central California. It never gets bone-freezing
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