They were four decks down and four hundred meters away when the heavy-set girl named Sarah woke up. Jeet sat her down and clamped a hand over her mouth. He whispered,"Be silent. We're trying to rescue you." Rose said as she set one of the Thena's down,"Let's get them dressed and up to speed. You, put these on. You, put these one--No this isn't negotiable! We are on an enemy vessel. The Erhlutian vessel,Sekmet, in fact. Both of you girls were kidnapped. Thena, you were duplicated with an Altha-Krommium artifact device so you are a duplicate at an atomic level with this girl. Get dressed and do what I say if you want to live." The Thenas glared at each other in shock and disbelief. Jeet helped Sarah up and into a shirt, trying not to stare. She cleared her throat and asked in a whisper,"Can I ask a question?" Jeet smiled at her,"You just did,y'know. Go ahead." She said,'Last this I remember was having sex with Afora and my master,Broo, the Asuran, and with Thena, Afora's 'new girl-friend'. Was that virtual reality, or was I going to be copied,too?" Rose snapped,"It was a form of virtual reality to program Thena and make her more malleable so they could convince the copy to be used by them. They break the original and the copy would be usable like that,too. A simple, diabolical programmer trick." Jeet said,"That explains the quickness of waking. No drugs!" TWL said, looking down a spur of the maintenance corridor,,"The fire crew isn't moving. We'll have to go around. The other way seems clear. King hasn't found any blockage!' The Thenas pointed at each other and exclaimed,"She's the fake!" Rose snapped,"NO ONE, living or dead, can tell the difference! Only the Altha-Krommium could and they're all dead!" Rose walked over and put a small cut vertically on the forehead and another mark on the other's forehead horizontal. She pronounced,"YOU are Thena-DEE, and you are Thena-DOE. You are closer than ANY twins born to any mother. You have the same finger prints, genes, memories and BRAINCELLS! You ARE the same person. We'll sort this out later, just follow my orders for right now. Understand?" Thena-Dee and Thena-Doe nodded, looking uncertainly at the other's mirror. Rose said,"Jeet,Bring up the rear. TWL will take point until we join up with King. He shouldn't have gotten so far out of sight. Agreed?" He laughed,"The urge to command is so strong? Fine. the view's better from back here,anyway, but I couldn't volunteer that earlier." Rose rolled her eye. He said,"Would it be easier if I talked like a pirate?" She shook her head and motioned him to follow. Sarah laughed, then covered her mouth. He smiled at her and winked with a smile. They climbed another deck down and cut out-board to port another few hundred meters. Rose exclaimed,"I just located SUNSHINE! She's forward of us about a hundred meters in a SHUTTLE in a hangar-bay!" Jeet said,"WHO didn't believe in Toxic's ability to rescue herself, EVEN in another form? Damn, that's quick, even for HER!" Rose held up her hand,"Wait... I'm picking up another machine-life radio transmission. Very faint." She walked over to a ladder down into the ship."It's an Asuran 'F'-DOLL! In the brig. She's like Willow! The Erhlutians are planning to use her against the Asurans with the Duplicator. She saw what happened with Toxic in Sunshine form." Jeet said,"We can't leave another sentient in their hands. The Duplicator is toast. Now so is she! I can go to the Brig, spring her, and make it back quicker than anyone else. Make it back to the particle-door spot or to 'Sunshine'. Better that I don't know, in case I'm captured." Rose said, "She might have valuable military data. Be careful." He smiled,"Take care on my team! Be back in a flash!" He slid down the ladder, out of sight. She said to the Thenas,"Remember that sight,in case he doesn't make it back." They stopped squabbling after that. --To be continued!--