The Clones of Mawcett (52 page)

The room erupted in applause again, and the noble born of Nordakia rose to their feet as one, their skin color flashing like a prism twisting in the sunlight. Jenetta was speechless so the applause gave her time to compose herself and think of something to say.

When the nobles had retaken their seat, Jenetta said, “Your majesties, I am very grateful for the honors and gifts you have bestowed upon me and my family. I am most appreciative, and I will continue to dedicate my life to your service and to the protection and advancement of all our people. Thank you, your majesties.”

With the speeches over, the guests moved to the ballroom to listen to the orchestra. Jenetta privately wondered how long it would take for dancing to become a custom if less restrictive gowns became common. In spite of the music, people crowded around the three Terran women, as close as the cats allowed, to ply them with questions about Dakistee and the original Almuth.

Following the dinner party, Jenetta, Christa, and Eliza returned to Jenetta's rooms and talked for several hours more. It was like a pajama party with the sisters that Jenetta never had as a child. For this evening, they shared the same enormous bed.

In the morning, the three women discussed the previous night's events as they ate breakfast. Both Christa and Eliza had decided to accept the Nordakian offer of citizenship. There had been little doubt that they would. It would give them the protection of a real planetary government and more firmly establish their rights as 'real beings' instead of just 'clones.'

Jenetta kept hoping to run into Minister Dtaple Gkibuke, but in the several days following the dinner party she never encountered him. She finally sent a request that he visit her. He arrived at her rooms within an hour of receiving the request.

“Minister, thank you for coming so promptly,” Jenetta said after he had been ushered into her sitting room and her three handmaidens had withdrawn.

“I am honored to have been summoned into your presence, My Lady.”

“I have a question, and I've been a bit embarrassed to ask anyone else.”

“I will answer it openly and honestly if I know the answer, My Lady.”

“The King and Queen have increased the size of my estate, but I'm afraid I'm ignorant of exactly what that means. You see, I've never been to Gavistee. Is the peninsula quite large, and how much land has been added to the million hectares I was granted originally?”

“My lady, the peninsula is quite large. If I remember correctly, it's somewhere along the lines of thirty-six million hectares.”

“That's considerable,” Jenetta said. “And how much land is now included in my estate.”

“Why, thirty-six million hectares, My Lady. The entire peninsula was owned by the crown.”

Jenetta gasped, then coughed once. If her mental calculation was correct, thirty-six million hectares was about three-hundred sixty thousand square kilometers. That was almost the combined size of Kansas and Oklahoma back on Earth.

“The entire peninsula was Royal land?”

“Yes, My Lady. Hence the name. It was intended literally when the planet was settled.”

Jenetta knew that Gavistee translated to 'Queensland' in Amer.

“The king said it was a small gift,” Jenetta remarked.

“And so it is, My Lady. Their majesties have many billions of hectares of land on both Nordakia and Obotymot. Your Gavistee estate represents, oh, roughly, just two percent of all vegetational cover under cultivation on the planet before the meteor struck; and an almost insignificant amount of the total arable land.”

“Perhaps the estate size is small to our majesties, but I'm quite overwhelmed.”

“My Lady, the return of the original Almuth will radically change our two planets. Not a single individual will remain who is not affected. We owe that to you. The king said the land is a small gift, and so it is, compared to the gift that you have given us. I believe that Obotymot will grow closer again because the priesthood can no longer be justifiably critical of their freer lifestyle. You have changed all our lives, and we are grateful almost beyond words.”

Jenetta smiled. “Thank you, minister.”

“Thank you, My Lady.”

It didn't take long for word of the King's offered citizenship to reach the G.A.C. In a special session, so as not to be outdone by one of its member planets, the G.A.C. finally passed legislation guaranteeing the rights of the seventy-nine 'new people,' and recommending that planets offer full citizenship rights to the 'new people' created from their citizens. Earth immediately offered dual citizenship to the clones of the nine Terran scientists, and Christa and Eliza. The Carver women finally had the simple recognition that they had been seeking.

A few days later, the oath of Nordakian citizenship was administered to Christa and Eliza in a private ceremony held in the palace. The King also honored Christa and Eliza by proclaiming each to be a 'Lady of the Royal House.' Jenetta had received that honor before the cloning took place, so it was only right that the two 'new' women have the title. Neither woman could share the title of Azula since there could be only one for the estate on Obotymot.

Changes began appearing on Nordakia almost immediately. In the palace, the dressmakers were worked overtime in preparing new gowns for the Queen and court. At least for the present, the lengths would remain the same, but the skirts became wide and even voluminous in some cases. At the very least, slits appeared so that it was easy to take normal steps. Jenetta, Christa, and Eliza were finally liberated from the necessity to ever again wear corsets when all new gowns were made for them, this time with the proper waist measurement.

The Queen led the reform in hair length by having her hair cut so that it only fell midway down her back. She would have liked to have cut it shorter but she was afraid that women still clinging to the old ways would have their locks shorn too high, so as not to offend the Queen by having hair nearly as long or longer.

The military immediately changed the uniforms worn by women. They weren't quite ready for trousers yet, but the skirts were shortened to knee-length, and styled fuller so as to allow a full step without restriction. The Queen privately promised Jenetta that within a year, she would make sure that trousers were part of the women's accepted uniform standards. The high-heeled boots remained standard women's footwear, however; at least for the time being. But the heel became much more stout so that they offered better stability, and therefore placed less strain on the ankles and arches. 

Asked to make a good will tour, Jenetta visited a number of bases in her new uniforms, with her hair shortened to shoulder length. The Queen hoped that Jenetta's example would encourage quicker acceptance of the newly revised regulations. It seemed to work, and the more comfortable skirts and shorter hair were adopted immediately by the women of the service. Jenetta was happy to be rid of the long hair, but before it was cut, she, Christa, and Eliza had a number of pictures taken that could be sent to Mom. They posed together in the former ultra-tight gowns with their almost floor length tresses clearly visible, and the cats at either end.

A few days after completing her tours of the bases, a message arrived from Space Command for Jenetta. As it was from Admiral Holt, she played the encrypted message in the privacy of her rooms after decoding it using the encryption codes on her personal log ring.

"Commander Carver, the battleship Bellona will be arriving at Nordakia within 24 hours with orders to return you to Higgins. I request that Christa and Eliza return with you so that they might officially be granted their Terran citizenship, if they wish it. Space Command also wishes to officially recognize their participation in the actions at Dakistee, should they return with you. I'll see you in two months, Commander.

“Brian Holt, Rear Admiral, Upper Half, Higgins Space Command Base, message complete.”

Neither Christa nor Eliza were required to go to Higgins since they weren't Space Command officers, but they did want to get their Terran citizenship recorded. The trip would be considerably quicker on the return trip than it had been on the Nordakian cruiser coming to the planet.

Chapter Twenty-Five

~ August 3rd, 2272 ~

Two days later the three women bid goodbye to the King and Queen, and thanked them for everything, especially for saving Christa. After saying goodbye to the handmaidens as they vacated their rooms, they walked to the shuttle waiting on the pad. Jenetta had already changed into her Space Command uniform, now permitted in the palace, although they had requested that Jenetta wear her Nordakian uniform or a gown for all except her last day.

The captain of the Bellona, Edward Hyden, greeted them personally at the flight bay, although he approached them slowly when he noticed the cats eyeing him warily. He had gotten to know Jenetta quite well while the Bellona was stationed at Dixon, and he was anxious to meet her sisters.

During the trip to Higgins, the three women were frequent guests in Captain Hyden's dining room for evening meals. Many of the conversations concerned tactics employed in the Battle of Vuazlee, the Battle for Higgins SCB, and the Battle for the Dixon SCB. There were also extensive discussions about the defense of Mawcett/Dakistee.

Quarters at the BOQ had already been arranged for the three women when they arrived at Higgins, and their instructions were to report to Admiral Holt's office at 0900 the following morning. Appropriate dress would be an officer's dress uniform without insignia for Christa and Eliza, while Jenetta would wear her full dress uniform. The citizenship pledge was considered a formal ceremony.

The three women caused quite a stir as they walked to the headquarters section the following morning. They'd had their hair cut in the same shoulder-length style on Nordakia, and, except for the rank, collar insignia, and medals that Jenetta wore, they appeared identical as they walked side by side.

They were only kept waiting for a few minutes before being sent into Admiral Holt's office. The room was already crowded with captains and a few commanders. Jenetta knew most of them from her time on Higgins and Dixon, but she walked directly to Admiral Holt's desk and came to attention, with Eliza and Christa on either side.

“Stand easy. Welcome back ladies. It's wonderful to see you all safe and together again. I hope that you've forgiven me my little surprise. I felt that it would be acceptable since it was such a nice surprise that Christa was alive and well.”

“Of course, Admiral,” Jenetta said, smiling. “It was a wonderful surprise to find Christa on Nordakia.”

“Good.” Admiral Holt stood up and came out from behind his desk. “The room will come to order. Commander, you may join the other officers.”

Admiral Holt administered the citizenship pledge and then shook hands with Eliza and Christa. “Ladies, I've been instructed by Supreme HQ to ask if either, or both, of you would like to enter the service?”

Christa and Eliza looked at one another and then turned to the Admiral.

“Would we have to attend the Academy again?” Christa asked.

“Again?”

“Yes sir,” Eliza said. “We have all of Jenetta's memories so it's as if we were there. We have a complete knowledge of everything that she learned, so it would be pointless to spend four years there.”

“That's not a problem. Space Command agrees and has decided there would be little use in having you attend the Academy. You would be credited with Commander Carver's education credentials including graduation from NHSA, and immediately enter the service as Ensigns. Because you are both, technically, only two years old, Space Command can't credit you with any of Commander Carver's prior years of service, even though you have her memories of it.”

Christa and Eliza looked at one another. They didn't say a word, but didn't have to. They turned back to the Admiral and said simultaneously, “Joining Space Command is our greatest desire.”

The admiral was taken aback by the unrehearsed statement, spoken with such synchronization that only one voice could be discerned. He smiled and said, “Wonderful. The room will come to attention.”