Personal Log 29: 27th July to 2nd August, 3301
17 Sep 2016Jemine Caesar
27th July to 2nd August, 3301 (Part One)The clone transport ship still lay docked and powered down in StJepan Seljan Port. As Sam and I waited, a recorded message arrived from Bronwen Jones. It was very terse and to the point.
"Samples not routinely tagged until after theft. Can't help you anymore. Please leave me alone."
I decided to call Rudolphus to update him on what had happened since I saw Caz on Earth. When my call went through, I was surprised to hear a female voice answer.
"Wait, please," she said. "I will see if my master wishes to talk to you."
After a few moments, Rudolphus spoke. He told me he'd been doing some more charity work. "It has cost Hudson a small fortune and some ships," he said, darkly.
I gave him my account of recent events and concluded by saying that Sam and I were now following the clone transport ship. Rudolphus astutely commented that two people travelling together can sometimes form a romantic attachment.
"You are right, Rudolphus," I said, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable. "I... Sam and I are lovers."
Rudolphus made no reply.
There was no sign that the clone transport ship was going to move anytime soon, and the long wait made me restless. Sam kept himself busy by liaising with his Navy contacts, so I took on an easy delivery job from the bulletin board, hauling biowaste to the next system, Mopayane. A short time later I returned to Katuri with a hold full of beer for Shiras Port. It was here that my lateral port thruster decided to malfunction. I managed to land safely, but the thruster would need a replacement part.
"Sorry, Miss," said the outfitter's technician. "We've none in stock. I'll have one sent over tomorrow." That would just have to do.
Then Sam called. "Jem, the clone ship is on the move! They're jumping to Grabrigpa, and the Bekka clone is definitely aboard. I'm following with the Navy task force in case they try to make a quick second jump."
Cursing my luck, I told Sam I'd join him as soon as my ship was cleared for take-off.
Next day, as soon as the thruster was repaired, I got The Last Thing spaceborne and contacted Sam for a destination update.
"The Ba Po system," he said. "Mullane Mines starport. It looks like things are getting serious, Jem. The crew of the clone ship has just realised they're being followed. I think we're going to have trouble!"
I plotted the course and engaged my FSD. It was a nightmare dash of about ten jumps for me to reach Ba Po, and I prayed to Gaia that I would not be interdicted before I reached Mullane Mines.
Throughout the trip, my comms panel relayed Sam's tense voice amid the noise of what was clearly a desperate firefight:
"Here they come!" ... (men shouting) ... "I've got your six!" ... (distant screams of children) ... "They've brought the clones out of the ship" ... (gunfire, more screams) ... "The bastards! They're firing on the children!" ... (shouting, screaming, shots) ... "I can see Bekka! She's trying to defend the others" ...(gunfire) ... "Bekka's been hit! She's down! Cover me!"
I listened, horrified, unable to do anything but hurtle on towards Mullane Mines.
"Gaia, please don't let her die!" I begged, blinking away tears.
Heart pounding, I dashed through the station entry slot and dropped onto my allotted pad with a careless thump.
"I'm in, Sam! Where are you?" I called.
"We're outside bay 24," he answered. "Hurry!"
Without waiting for the ship to complete its powerdown cycle, I opened the hatch and ran as fast as I could.
*****
By the time I reached bay 24 the fighting had ended. Several men lay dead on the deck. Navy troopers stood guard, pulse carbines held ready. Two troopers were shepherding a large group of children towards a waiting transit car. And in the middle lay Bekka, or rather her clone, cradled in the arms of Sam Hodkin.
"Bekka!" I cried, running toward her.
"She's OK, Jem," said Sam. "She tried to protect the smaller children from the gunfire, and took a few shots in the legs. Medics have been called."
Sam made way for me to hold the little girl. I had to remind myself that this was not my daughter. The real Bekka had died more than six months ago, but the child I now held to my breast was in every way her exact double.
"Mama?" she said, weakly.
"Yes, my darling," I said. "It's mama. Ssh, you're safe now."
Sam touched my shoulder. "She was very brave, trying to help the other children like she did."
Bekka smiled. "I helped them. Just like you brought me up to do, mama."
I turned to Sam, puzzled. "What does she mean?" I whispered. "How can she possibly have the real Bekka's memories?"
Sam shrugged. "There's a chip on her neck. Maybe some kind of memory transfer?"
The medics arrived. I gave Bekka up to their care, and soon we were on our way to the station medicentre. In the transit, Sam told me that some of the clones had been artificially aged, and that they had managed to steal a ship and escape.
"We've also captured the pilot of the clone ship," he added. "No doubt he'll be interrogated soon."
When we reached the medicentre, Bekka was immediately whisked away to surgery. Sam and I waited, and presently a doctor appeared.
"The patient's legs are badly injured," he told me, "but we can sort those out quite easily. However, we have found another wound, at the base of her skull. It's possible she may have some brain damage. We're prepping her for a scan now. There's nothing you can do for now, so go and get some rest. We'll keep you informed."
I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach.
After checking into a room, Sam sent a report to Admiral Remi. I undressed and lay quietly on the bed, lost in thought. The door buzzer suddenly broke the silence. I sprang up towards the door, then realised I was naked, and grabbed a bedsheet to wrap around me. Sam opened the door to the visitor.
"Is Miss Jemine Caesar here?" a man's voice asked.
"Yes!" I said, stumbling desperately across the room. "Yes, it's me! I'm Jemine Caesar." Then I saw that the man was a Station Security Officer, his face set in a grim expression.
"I've been sent by the medicentre, miss," he said. "They were treating a girl, Bekka, for a head injury. I understand she is related to you in some way. I'm afraid I have some bad news."
I started to tremble. "No... please... no..."
"Bekka was being prepared for a brain scan," the officer continued. "There was a massive cerebral haemorrhage. I'm afraid she didn't make it through. It was very quick, there was nothing they could do. I'm very sorry, Miss."
I didn't notice the officer leave. I collapsed onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I held her in my arms, Sam," I howled. "Now I've lost her for a second time. It's not fair!" Sam lay on the bed beside me, offering a consoling arm. I buried my face in the pillow, and cried myself to sleep.
I drifted through the next day, July 29th, in a daze. Idly, I flicked through Frontier Forum, the Pilot's Federation social media site, and accepted a friend request from Reija Bones. She said she'd called herself Reija after Reija Verulainen, a gorgeous celebrity on LHS 3447-A5. I'd never heard of her.
The following day Sam contacted Admiral Remi for a debriefing session on what had been codenamed Operation Neverland. Sitting to one side out of the way, I listened as the admiral supplied the final details.