The Old Mine

13: Crystal Tech

                   Recke sat down and clicked on the cube. Ocea came on full of smiles "Hi Recke... he's not done screaming at Easton."

                   "What... and none of you are recording it for me." Recke laughed

                   "Cute..." she giggled "You're cute. Anyway, I have good news, I have been permanently added to your team." She did her best impression of Brick making Recke laugh.

                   "What going to happen to Easton's career."

                    Ocea let out a quick, quiet giggle "One guess" she smirked, trying to hide her pleasure in his misery "Anyway I'm your emergency back up, and..." she smiled, happier than she had been in a long time "I am next in line to be allowed to breed." Her smile broadened "That is after they verify the current candidates are actually pregnant."

                    "Congratulations," he smiled "Have you decided who?"

                      "Yeah," Ocea blushed "Actually... I've got my eye on Bret." She winked. "Of course Easton is pissed about that too but..."

                     "With the issues he is having plus his attitude problem and his tendency to react with jealousy and greed I would recommend staying away from him for now." Recke smiled, doing his best to keep quiet about the other things he knew about Easton; including the fact that his prized genetic would most likely not pass on to a child because of how he acquired it. "Among other reasons...Basically, if I were you, I would avoid Easton."

                   "What aren't you saying?" She raised her eyebrows hoping to get the truth out of him.

                   "No comment." Recke grimaced.

                    "It does matter anyway." She shrugged "He's a little busy with all the retraining that he's now having to take, so he is really not an option."

                   "I suggest you ask your parents, remember they would like to betroth one of their kids and your siblings have rejected that..." he laughed as she clearly understood.

                     "And by doing so I gain favor... they have clout, I like how you think."

                     "May I interrupt?" Brick came into view "Hello, Recke."

                     "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go talk to my parents." Ocea left, closing the door right behind her... they were alone now.

                     "A couple of things first son... one; that was amazing that you got her to do that, the happier her parents are with us the better it is for me. You will be getting a bonus for that. And second... I owe you an apology. I have been tough on you... sometimes cruel." He took a deep breath "Clearly your way of doing things is worth acknowledging; for you to not figure it out completely but succeed anyway" He laughed "It says there is something to your theory of listening to your instincts. You are constantly repeating the words ancestry... like something about that is nagging at you." He chuckled "It's our belief that you need to be protected and learned from, not retrained."

                    "Glad to see those annoying classes will end but I would like to keep being taught by Cal's father, her family has taken me in, told me to call them mom and dad."

                      "I'll make sure the paperwork is done for that...and about Cal..." he got serious "As to the rest; I did as you have hinted at and looked deeper into Cal's ancestry."