TAZ42

==Chapter 42 - The Absolute Zero==
LCS Beacon
Explorer Vessel
Tharkad Naval Yard
Tharkad Star System
Mid-3159
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Ducal Regent and Heir Marjorie Ngo floated through the hatch.  "Dude, Sharon...what have you made?"
Sharon looked to the entry from her array of screens.  "Marjie? How the ****** did you get here?"
"um, Hello, nice to see you again, sorry I haven't written? How's your father, Marjie?"  Marjorie snapped back, "God's balls, Sharon! How in the ****** do you think I got here?? You missed Dad's funeral by the way."
"He's...dead?" Sharon was stunned.
"Yeah, he's dead. You were sent the damn message when it happened!" Marjorie was as different from Sharon, as Sharon was from Elizabeth or Amanda.  Reddish-blonde hair framing a delicate face on a long, lean body.  "You weren't there when he died, you didn't show for the funeral.  he went quietly, right on April Sixth, cause of death 'he died'.  specifically his body just flat wore out."  she waited.
"I...I must have missed the messages..."
"You think??  you stuck me with the job. You're a big-shot Admiral but, now you're also one of my citizens. One that a lot of people back home are missing...so, when I got the P-mail to report to the Archon for my swearing in. I made sure to look you up, and make sure you weren't dead or something!"
"Marjie, I'm sorry I-" began Sharon
"Save it. You were my biggest big sister and Dad loved you. I'm pissed at you and sorry isn't going to cut it...telling me where the ****** you get off blowing off family might at least help."
"Where to start-"
"By packing your things, Sharon.  I spoke with Her Majesty, you have fifteen years of shore leave accrual at three days per month...and I have you for all of it. If you think for a second you're getting out of it? That your ex-bunk-buddy Emily's going to refuse the chit? Forget it. I already spoke with the Chief of Naval Operations and she agrees with me. You're coming home, you're taking shore-leave. You're going to spend some ****** time with your family. The people you trained can handle the job and dammit. You owe me."
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==Notes from the Author: Sharon Ngo's Extended Family History==
Elizabeth Ngo had Amanda and Patrick. Amanda was chosen to be her Heir due to a little mix-up with the birthing of a pair of twins...
Amanda had Sharon with a man heretofore known as "abusive scumnugget".
Pat had kids a bit later in life, two of them, a Daughter, and another daughter.
The oldest of Patrick's daughters is Marjorie, who's just hit 45 years old.  The youngest is Marceline, who just turned 30.
Pat was Sharon's chosen regent when she was activated as LCN's CNO. While Marjie got to learn the ins and outs of the family firm as an executive. She has two sons (David and Henry) one is in his teens, the other is almost twenty, and one Daughter by a previous liaison in her teens (Clarissa, a Lawyer).  When Sharon handed over the Ducal title, it couldn't go to Pat (too old) but it COULD go to Marjorie. So, Marjie is the Duchess of Kowloon now, Head of Ngo Industries, with a ducal line guaranteed (Provided David doesn't get his silly ass killed while serving in the 171st or Henry doesn't get HIS ass killed when he graduates from Spider Moon Coast Guard Academy.
Marjorie's had twenty-something years to learn how to build and use political and economic leverage. (first as managing director of Ngo Industries, and then as both Pat's 'gal Friday' and then as his replacement in the Ducal seat.)
Marjorie has a lot of political pull and leverage, and unlike Sharon, she's got the 'civilian etiquette' necessary to discuss family matters with the Archon, whom she (like all newly ascended nobles) needs to report to for swearing in.  She hereby used that leverage to secure her wayward cousin/almost-big-sister/neglectful family member for a period not less than the accumulated unused shore leave on Sharon's record...because she can. (and being a Ngo, has the will to force the issue.).
Prior service docket:  Marjorie did her 5 years in infantry, with the Coast Guard. She doesn't suffer TDS, what she does suffer from, is a shocking amount of regular normality...and very much what passes for 'commoner values' like you don't ditch your uncle-who-raised-you-while-your-mom-was-being-a-politician's funeral.
Relatives so worried about you they're absolutely pissed off? yeah, guess what, those happen.  When those Relatives have a Ducal seat because you shoved it off on them, you have to expect consequences.
"Abusive Scumnugget" (Sharon's biological father) didn't last past her eighth birthday.  It was a very sad accident.  Patrick witnessed it himself, the man first gelded himself with a knife, and then mysteriously leaped (with damaged tendons and in incredible pain) off the edge of the Ia Drang plateau-without a parachute after Uncle Pat noticed something wrong with little Sharon (who still, even after extensive therapy, doesn't like skin to skin contact with others.)
Fill in the blanks as you will, there's a reason I won't show what SHARON goes through on a bad hyperspace jump.  (this is also one of the reasons why Sharon lived with her uncle and his family for most of her growing up, when she wasn't attending therapy.  Her mum just flat didn't notice.)
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