This OP was proving to me more in depth and complicated than Karina had originally thought. Made more so by Jodar’s leave. This really was a two or more person deal, but here she was on Oed V by herself, trying to track an Orion Syndicate or someone else. She’d been working to uncover several things and had come across the purposely falsified and expertly done file on Jodar. Planted years ago. Someone had been after him for awhile. Now practicality led Karina to at first ignore it. If Jodar wanted to get it all straightened out that was on him, but it wasn’t just him, it was his daughter. A little girl who’s father had been yanked away from her, who had tried to see her, to be her father, to care and provide for her. She didn’t deserve to go through that again because of lies. So, using her exceptional computer skills, her contacts, and what little pull she had, she’d tracked down the facts and fixed his record. It wouldn’t stop whoever was after him, but it gave him some standing.

That day was a non-school day, another thing she’d taken on that she wasn’t sure she was the right person for, long term. But she really enjoyed the teaching and working with the governor to build the new school. She was looking over some gathered information and, being alone in her apartment, she allowed herself a genuine happy smile. Today, they arrived today, and she hadn’t been informed. Well then, two could play at that game.

It wasn’t hard for Karina to get into their new upscale living quarters. Walking down to the secondary bedroom she slipped inside and left a stuffed sehlat on the bed along with Rondara’s new school schedule and a note telling her how impressed she was with her math report on the calculations on Protostar formation.

Inside the master bedroom was a single note: ‘Your loosing your touch if you thought you’d sneak in past me.’

On the table sat their favorite meal, inside of stasis boxes to keep it fresh. For Jodar awabancha tea and for Rondara dragon fruit and mango juice. To eat Fish fingers, custard, bacon, baked beans, bread and butter for both. Then Karina left as quietly and as unnoticed as she had entered.

Enger