>
> > "I should be able to send re-enforcements
> to you fairly quickly. However,
> >a replacement ship for the Hathor will take
> some time. Get Captain Lasiter
> >and his crew on R&R for a bit. I am guessing
> he and his crew will protest,
> >but they will need it, and it will give me
> some time to dig up a suitable
> >craft for them. What else do you need out
> there?"
>
> "Otherrr than that? Nothing rrreally. I think
> we'rrre getting orrrganized
> to the point of being rrready to starrrt ourrr
> majorrr operrrations. I'll
> ask the Captains, though."
>
> > "How is the sector commander being out
> there, Admiral Snellings, I
> believe
> >his name is?"
>
> "Yes. He's a fool, and a nosey one at that.
> But I've handled him; even
> got him excited about his 'duties'. He thinks
> I don't trrrust Black, but
> that's exactly what I needed him to think, so
> it's worrrking out."
>
> > "I am relieved to see that you are fairing
> well. A bit worn, but well.
> >When do you think you will be returning to
> Spacedock?"
>
> "I have to trrrain up the rrreinforrcements,
> but it won't take as long as
> the firrrst time. The trrroops I have arrre
> veterrrans now, and they can
> help trrrain. As to rrreturrning to
> Spacedock... Things have come up,
> things imporrrtant to Cait. They arrre sending
> out a scientific team as
> well as a full battalion of Caitian trrroops.
> I have yet to talk to ourrr
> leaderrrs, but it's a verrry serrrious
> situation forrr my people, and
> potentially, forrr the Federrration."
>
Lasiter was a bit concerned at what she said, "How so?"
>
> "Initial rrreporrts indicate that these arrre a
> forrrm of Caitian, sirrr.
> A genetically engineerrred forrrm of Caitian.
> They have a similarrr
> dialect, they have a similarrr social
> strrructurre to the Mikan Clan, and
> the DNA shows genetic manipulation." Her face
> showed her disgust and
> revulsion that someone would do this to her
> people. "The Kzinti we fought,
> even though they werrre rrrelated to us in the
> distant past. But this...
> Someone has turrrned ourrr people into these
> monsterrrs."
>
Lasiter said nothing at first. This changed the scope of the situation in
a major way.
"Keep me informed. I want copies on all reports that come from your
people. Send them as soon as they are written. This is now something that I
have to bring to SF Command as a whole, and to the President. "
She could tell from the facial expression and from his voice that he was
treating this as seriously as he possibly could.
{response}
"What do you think of Captain Black? How much do you trust him? How
quickly is he picking up on the nuances of Felinid war tactics? How well is
he getting along with his Klingon Counterpart?" Lasiter asked.
{response}
