Chapter 33. Pacification.

As the vessel approached the mystery object, telescopic images of it began to reveal its true nature.

"This isn't in any way, shape or form, a comet," Judy said. "It appears to be more like a moon with no signs of ice or an atmosphere that could create a coma."

"Is it a moon from our solar system?" Jessica asked. "It's definitely not from the Ort Cloud or the Keiper Belt."

"I don't think it's from our solar system," Judy replied. "Its radical angle of attack suggests it's a rogue from another star system."

"How much of threat is it?"

"It's not going to collide with Earth. It's headed to Mars, but we don't have enough data to determine if it could collide with Mars."

"Get busy getting that data," Jessica said. "I want a prediction by this evening."

Jessica got up and walked away,

"We had better get busy or our assistant commander will discipline us," Lorrie said, grinning.

They giggled.

Later that day, Jessica entered her new quarters and saw Jack sitting at his desk through the open doorway. He was only wearing a brief.
He stood up at attention when he saw her approach.

"I expect you to be fully dressed unless you're relaxing late evening."

"I apologize for being so inconsiderate."

She laughed. "You're crazy!"

The cat meowed.

They laughed,

"How's the crew handling your authority over them?" Jack asked her.

"I'm not sure. They were surprised that you promoted me."

"They'll adjust. However, it wasn't my decision to promote you. Tog got that order from Evan."

"Are you not satisfied with it?"

"Oh no, you definitely deserve it."

She stared at him for a few minutes before smiling.

"I'm not sure I can adjust to this quarters arrangement," she said, looking around as if she were surveying it.

"I am at your disposal," he said, "What would you like to change?"

"These quarters are essentially identical. How about we switch."

He looked at her for moment before replying, "I'll have the robots do that."

"I appreciate that." She paused, "This way I can watch you pass through my quarters on your way to the showers"

He smiled, "Yes, I see what you mean,"

She smiled.

Late that evening, as the rogue moon approached Mars, Judy had the information that Jack needed to make a decision.

"It's not going to collide with Mars, but it could affect it because of a near approach," Judy told him.

Jack didn't reply for a moment before he turned to Tog. "Can we achieve an orbit around Mars?"

"I have already made that possible," the robot replied.

"Why would you want to orbit Mars?" Jessica asked Jack.

"Since we're here, we may as well determine Mars' colony's status."

"Inform Houston that we'll have a status report by tomorrow," Jack told Tog.

Jack retired to his quarters which was now next to Jessica's prime location. The doorway allowed him to see her enter her quarters and sit down in one of her chairs. He went to the door and caught her attention.

"May I take a shower?"

She looked at him for a moment before replying, "You don't need my permission."

He nodded before turning around and going to a wall slot where he stripped and placed his used clothing to go to a robotic-clothes-washing device.

He entered Jessica's quarters through the open doorways and stood using a hand to hide his privates. "Tog said that Houston has not received any signals from Mars for several months. They haven't been able to contact their cameras."

She shook her head before replying, "I was afraid of that. Most of the Mars' crew were males."

"Are they inferring that they died from the virus?"

"I'm not sure that would be the case if they were vaccinated, but it's possible. That crew went to Mars before the pandemic, and someone might have been a carrier."

Jack sighed. "That sucks."

"I agree. You and Evan are the only males in NASA."

Jack looked at her for a moment before replying, "I believe that you should be the head of NASA."

She tilted her head and stared at him for moment before replying, "What makes you say that?"

"Because it's obvious that females are the majority, and you are on top of the candidate list for that position."

She chuckled. "You're nuts."

"That's possible, but Tog told me that Evan wants to succeed his authority to a female, and you are his choice."

She stared at him for a moment before replying. "When is this going to happen?"

"Probably not until we train enough of these young gals how to run a space mission. However, you now have complete control over what we do, I am now your assistant."

She smiled. "Well, it looks like you really do have to obey my every command."

"I am at your disposal."

She smiled, "Well, take your shower and we can discuss this further."

She watched him enter the shower unit and begin the showering process. This latest news was like a nuke. She liked the idea of being over him. She could think of several ways to amuse herself by dominating him, but she realized that it would be unfair. However, she could still have fun embarrassing him.

When he returned from taking a shower, he stood before her while shielding his manhood,

"Does this mean that I get to make the decisions on what we do?" she asked.

"Yes, I will do whatever you wish,"

"I think we should send down probes to make sure there isn't any survivors."

"I agree."

"You may go to your quarters," she told him.

He nodded and walked through the door to his room.

She smiled, but deep down she realized that this was not the way she wanted it to end.

After achieving orbit, the crew began the process of trying to determine if anyone was alive down there, The Mars colony consisted of seven domed habitats arranged in a circle around a shuttle platform.

"I'm not detecting any activity," Lorrie said. "Infrared scans indicate no heat sources"

"There are no signals emanating from the colony," Mary reported.

"Send down a probe," Jessica told Tog.

The female crew looked at her and then at Jack, who showed no signs of offering any orders.

Jessica smiled briefly before dropping the bomb. "I am now the director of NASA. Evan has decided to demote in my favor."

"What?" Lorrie blurted. "When did this happen?"

"It's been in the works for some time," Jessica said. She gestured to Jack. "He's my assistant, and I am in charge of this mission."

The crew was shocked, but there were some grins.

"Congratulations!" Roxie proclaimed with a smile, "We are happy that you have achieved what you definitely deserve."

"We will do whatever you wish," Lorrie said.

"Are Jack and Evan the only males in NASA?" Natalie asked.

"No," Jessica said. "Three new guys have joined, Jason West, Ted Donner and Tyler Gibson. As soon as we determine the situation down on Mars, we're going to speed back to Earth. I've been told that I will command a mission to determine what happened to a mission that went to the L2 location. There hasn't been a report from it for several months."

"Who's going on that mission?" Lorrie asked.

"You and Natalie will go. We'll have Jack, Jason, Tyler, and Ted."

"So, you're in charge of NASA but you still have to command missions," Lorrie said.

"There isn't anyone else capable of doing it," Jessica said. "None of the new females have any space mission experience."

"I guess that we'll have lots of fun on this mission," Natalie said.

No one doubted that prediction.

However, it didn't go the way they expected.