I helped put it together, after all.I helped put it together, after all." I laughed. "It's nice to hear your confidence. I remember you as a new Captain of Engineering, almost bald at the end of a mission because you'd been pulling your hair out." She smiled. "It took a few decades, but yeah, I feel a lot better now." "Still play?" I asked, putting an odd stress on the second word. "Still got the key to my heart?" "Right here," I said, tapping my shirt. We smiled the knowing smile of the centuries. "It's good to know you're still you." "Well, I've still changed a lot. But yeah, I need the release now more than ever. Oh, you didn't answer my question." I thought about our conversation. "Oh, about Nyss? No, she's going to be on second shift. She got a commander's rank respective to the head of Medical. Who is head of Medical, anyway?" "Dunno. Like I said, haven't checked that part of the roster. All I've met is the primary bridge crew and my engineering staff." "What do you make of Captain Argent?" I asked. "She's big." I laughed. Etta Argent, in my assessment, has to be the most muscular human female I've ever met. She stands exactly two meters tall, and standing in front of her is like standing before a brick wall. She's also a very sweet person. And, in both Josh and Ian's opinions, a damn fine captain. She'd better be. They had decided to give her the ship of the line. "Oh," Kathy continued. "A couple of things you might like to know. Karri's going out with the exo team." "Karri Waltonan?" "The one and only. Or is that 'two and only?'" "It's 'one,' and don't ever make that mistake. She's gone through a lot. Building her was a mistake I've regretted for a long time." "From your letters, I thought you liked her." "I love her, Kathy, she's a sweet person, but what I did was wrong." "Why?" "Kathy, Karri isn't like you and me. Beyond Dolphins and AIs and Tellakelvars, Karri is alien. Most people want to know the name of her 'other' body, as if the two were seperate. |