relate historical events learned earlier in the day.
By dinnertime, Jenetta's brain ached. The worst part of the day had been the protocol session because the internal workings of the palace seemed to make it a world unto itself. The second worst part of the day had been receiving her new hair, because she either kept sitting or leaning on it, or it was getting caught on, in, under, or around things. Having very long hair requires a discipline all its own.
For the first week, Jenetta would take her meals in her suite, but thereafter her presence might be required at formal dinners. Vronnesa, Znanna, and Tkusa served Jenetta's dinner and steadfastly refused to join her at the small table. They just stood around her, waiting until her cup needed refilling, or she needed a napkin, or, anything. She understood that this was the way things were done in the palace, but being unaccustomed to such behavior, she was uncomfortable.
She filled up quickly due to the tight constriction of the corset, and the dishes still contained most of the food when the handmaidens cleared them away. To pass the evening hours, the handmaidens took turns reading Nordakian poetry to Jenetta, so when it was time to go to sleep, Jenetta was feeling quite sleepy.
The_Clones_of_Mawcett
Chapter Six
~ October 13th, 2269 ~
“This is unprecedented, Edward!” Doctor Zhang shouted angrily, while waving his arms in emphasis as they stood in the underground chamber. “To make a monumental discovery like this and not inform the rest of the planet's scientific community for four months is unconscionable!”
Although roughly the same age as Doctor Peterson, Doctor Jin Wei Zhang was quite his opposite in appearance. Peterson is tall, while Zhang is barely five-foot two-inches; and where Peterson is lanky, Zhang has a roly-poly body from too many years of easy living and rich foods in his role as museum curator and funds raiser.
“I'm sorry, Jin,” Doctor Peterson said, “but you have to stop looking at this purely from a scientific perspective for a moment.”
“How else am I supposed to look at it? You're part of the scientific expeditionary party, and your contract requires you to immediately inform the rest the community if you make any significant discoveries. I'd say this is kilometers above significant.”
“I wanted to inform you, Jin, but we felt it better that we wait until we knew what was going on in the complex. Then, when the clones emerged, we were faced with a whole new dilemma. We still don't know if the machinery is trying to shut down, or if it's making more clones. We felt that secrecy was best.”
“More clones?” Zhang said, his face reflecting horror. “You think that it could be creating more?”
“We have to face that possibility.”
Zhang was quiet for a few seconds, then said calmly, “You should have notified my office. If I hadn't stopped here for a routine inspection, I still wouldn't know about any of this.”
“We were afraid that if the news got out, every scientist on the planet would drop whatever they were working on and beat a path to our dig immediately. You must keep this discovery a secret, Jin, until we figure out how to disable the equipment.”
“I'm not sure I can do that. My shuttle crew has been associating with your team members so they probably know everything by now. I'll do my best to keep it from spreading too far, but I must notify the board of directors at the expedition museum headquarters on Anthius.”
“If you report this to Anthius, the entire galaxy will know within a fortnight.”
“I'll impress upon them the need for utmost secrecy.”
“Humph!” Dr. Peterson replied. “They couldn't even keep the route of our artifact convoy secret.”
* * *
It was still dark in the room when the three handmaidens arrived to awaken Jenetta in the morning, but that was quickly rectified as Vronnesa and Znanna pulled open the draperies to reveal a bright, warm sun in a cloudless blue sky. Jenetta couldn't
By dinnertime, Jenetta's brain ached. The worst part of the day had been the protocol session because the internal workings of the palace seemed to make it a world unto itself. The second worst part of the day had been receiving her new hair, because she either kept sitting or leaning on it, or it was getting caught on, in, under, or around things. Having very long hair requires a discipline all its own.
For the first week, Jenetta would take her meals in her suite, but thereafter her presence might be required at formal dinners. Vronnesa, Znanna, and Tkusa served Jenetta's dinner and steadfastly refused to join her at the small table. They just stood around her, waiting until her cup needed refilling, or she needed a napkin, or, anything. She understood that this was the way things were done in the palace, but being unaccustomed to such behavior, she was uncomfortable.
She filled up quickly due to the tight constriction of the corset, and the dishes still contained most of the food when the handmaidens cleared them away. To pass the evening hours, the handmaidens took turns reading Nordakian poetry to Jenetta, so when it was time to go to sleep, Jenetta was feeling quite sleepy.
The_Clones_of_Mawcett
Chapter Six
~ October 13th, 2269 ~
“This is unprecedented, Edward!” Doctor Zhang shouted angrily, while waving his arms in emphasis as they stood in the underground chamber. “To make a monumental discovery like this and not inform the rest of the planet's scientific community for four months is unconscionable!”
Although roughly the same age as Doctor Peterson, Doctor Jin Wei Zhang was quite his opposite in appearance. Peterson is tall, while Zhang is barely five-foot two-inches; and where Peterson is lanky, Zhang has a roly-poly body from too many years of easy living and rich foods in his role as museum curator and funds raiser.
“I'm sorry, Jin,” Doctor Peterson said, “but you have to stop looking at this purely from a scientific perspective for a moment.”
“How else am I supposed to look at it? You're part of the scientific expeditionary party, and your contract requires you to immediately inform the rest the community if you make any significant discoveries. I'd say this is kilometers above significant.”
“I wanted to inform you, Jin, but we felt it better that we wait until we knew what was going on in the complex. Then, when the clones emerged, we were faced with a whole new dilemma. We still don't know if the machinery is trying to shut down, or if it's making more clones. We felt that secrecy was best.”
“More clones?” Zhang said, his face reflecting horror. “You think that it could be creating more?”
“We have to face that possibility.”
Zhang was quiet for a few seconds, then said calmly, “You should have notified my office. If I hadn't stopped here for a routine inspection, I still wouldn't know about any of this.”
“We were afraid that if the news got out, every scientist on the planet would drop whatever they were working on and beat a path to our dig immediately. You must keep this discovery a secret, Jin, until we figure out how to disable the equipment.”
“I'm not sure I can do that. My shuttle crew has been associating with your team members so they probably know everything by now. I'll do my best to keep it from spreading too far, but I must notify the board of directors at the expedition museum headquarters on Anthius.”
“If you report this to Anthius, the entire galaxy will know within a fortnight.”
“I'll impress upon them the need for utmost secrecy.”
“Humph!” Dr. Peterson replied. “They couldn't even keep the route of our artifact convoy secret.”
* * *
It was still dark in the room when the three handmaidens arrived to awaken Jenetta in the morning, but that was quickly rectified as Vronnesa and Znanna pulled open the draperies to reveal a bright, warm sun in a cloudless blue sky. Jenetta couldn't
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