The Clones of Mawcett Read Online Free PDF Page B

has definitely changed, and I've grown almost six inches in height. I'm a couple of inches taller than you now.”
“Those aren't the only things different about you,” Kerrey said, flicking his eyes downward for only a millisecond.
Jenetta sighed, grimaced, and said, "Yes, my chest has grown quite a bit also. It's a lot more uncomfortable when I exercise, and some people tend to be rather distracted by it.
“You can always have them reduced through surgery,” Kerrey offered.
“The doctors tell me that I shouldn't attempt that until my body stops changing, but it'll be eight to ten years before all the cells in my body are completely rewritten. It's also been suggested that perhaps my body won't allow it to remain altered. My altered DNA immediately begins to 'repair' any changes to the new genetic 'blueprint'. I guess time will tell. I just wish I wasn't so darn hungry all the time. Perhaps once I finish growing…”
 Kerrey glanced down at the two food trays and nodded in understanding if not total sympathy. Many adults would love to be able to eat everything they desired without worrying about packing on extra pounds. “I missed you following our battle with the Raiders at Vauzlee. The Captain brought a Commander over from the destroyer Asuncion to replace you here as acting first officer after he appointed you captain of the Song.”
“Really? How long after I departed?”
“Almost right away. Commander Ashe arrived on the afternoon following the battle, just several hours after you reported that you had the situation under control over there, and that the Song would be able to travel to Earth under its own power. At first, the guy was pleased as could be at being appointed acting first on the Prometheus. That was entirely understandable. But once he learned that you, a mere Lieutenant Commander, and a recently promoted one at that, had been posted as captain of a GSC heavy cruiser, he never stopped grousing about it. He kept offering to take over for you.” Kerrey chuckled. “The Captain finally came right out and told Ashe, on the bridge— in front of the entire watch— that if he wasn't happy onboard the Prometheus, the Captain would arrange for his immediate return to the Asuncion. I don't think he ever again suggested that he replace you on the Song, but he never stopped grumbling about it. I believe the Captain missed you all the more because of it, and I'm sure that he was really glad to see that guy return to his own ship after we reached Mars. I know I was. Ya know, I'd use John for a first name instead of Jack, if I had his last name. I'm sure I don't have to tell you the nickname the crew had for him. I'd love to see the captain's evaluation of his performance while he was aboard. I'd bet anything that 'pestiferous' is in there somewhere. I'll give ten to one odds that he retires still a commander.”
Including the word 'pestiferous' anywhere in a performance evaluation, even in a seemly innocuous sentence that appears to praise the officer, could be the kiss-of-death to a career in Space Command. Every bureaucratic and military organization has certain 'code words' to warn others about a problem without really saying something directly. The officer's present commanding officer would have to write an especially glowing recommendation to erase the stigma if Gavin had really used the word in a performance evaluation.
Jenetta grinned. “It's funny. He was desperately trying to get to the Song, and I was wishing I was on the Prometheus.”
“Seriously? Were things that bad on the Song?”
“No, no, it wasn't bad at all. The crew was fantastic and things really came together once I made the temporary appointments to replace the bridge crew killed during the battle. It's just that I think of the Prometheus as my ship. I know every square meter of him and I've been in love with him since I first laid eyes on him. I think that I'd rather be the second officer of this ship than the captain of most