Personal Log 28: 20th - 26th July, 3301 (Part Three)
16 Sep 2016Jemine Caesar
20th - 26th July, 3301 (Part Three)"Sounds like you had your first meeting with Cambrian people, Jem."
It was the next day, and I had just finished telling Sam about my interview with Bronwen and Myfanwy. "I'm not surprised they took a shine to you," he added. "Considering how beautiful you are."
Blushing, I handed him a small parcel. "I got this for you in New York." He opened the parcel to find a white T-shirt with 'ILoveNY' on the front.
"I love it!" he laughed, and thanked me with a kiss.
"So," I said, "what do we do next, Sam?"
"Believe it or not," he said, "Admiral Remi has learned from FIS that the clones are being held somewhere in the Eravate system. It's full circle for us!"
I smiled at the memory of our first meeting at Eravate. "What about John Graham senior?" I said. "We now know he stole the NTUP virus. Shouldn't we go and confront him?"
Sam shook his head. "Graham's untouchable for now, Jem. He's too influential, too well in with the government. But we could always ask Bronwen if the NTUP sample was tagged. That would be something."
I nodded in agreement and sent the question to Bronwen by k-cast, then followed Sam to the hangar deck. Once safely docked back at Cleve Hub, I put on a dress and joined Sam at The Black Hole bar.
Over drinks, we reviewed all we knew so far. I remarked that one of John's harem girls, Kelli-May Yardley, was here in Eravate. "Her address is in the harem file." I said. "I'll visit her tomorrow."
Kelli-May's story was a distressingly familiar account of a whirlwind romance, pregnancy, abandonment, illness and bereavement. John had called himself Ben in Eravate. As the two of us shared our experiences, Sam called me by k-cast.
"Jem, the clones are being shipped out!" he said. "Probably to escape being caught. Admiral Remi says that Eravate Traffic Control has tracked the transport ship heading for Independent space. The transport has EMP technology jamming a proper fix. I'm heading out to join a Navy squadron in pursuit. And Jem, they've also established that all the clones are aboard the ship... including Bekka's."
I thanked Kelli-May for her hospitality, then hurried to my ship and changed back into my flightsuit. Once spaceborne, I called up Sam on the comms panel and asked for my destination.
"They're stopped at Katuri for now," he said. "StJepan Seljan Port. A Navy detachment is keeping an eye on them."
"10-5," I replied.
"10-5?" Sam queried.
"Yes," I explained. "When I was under arrest in May, at Dirac City, I read a book about radio communications. 10-5 means 'I understand'."
Sam cleared his throat. "Er, that's '10-4', Jem," he said.
"Ah" I replied. "Well, it was a lot to take in!"
I set course for Katuri, and landed at StJepan Seljan Port a short while later.