A Quiet Little Chat
23 Feb 2024Andromedae
After departing from Mackenzie Relay, we set a direct course to Andromedae Research orbiting above Emarald. A quick request to dock, to Captain Rasmussen, and we were aboard. Sarah quietly followed me through the carrier. No one really paying any attention to her. I got an occasional: "Welcome home my Lord."We made it into my office to only be greeted by Captain Rasmussen. "My lord, what are your orders?" "Captain... I ..." stammering. Now, the Captain's eyes were passing furtively between Sarah and I. "I am not to be disturbed." Captain Rasmussen bucked up, looked me in the eyes and replied: "Yes, your majesty.". With the Captain's hasty retreat, I looked at Sarah and said have a seat.
It was obvious that she was overwhelmed, and I must admit as much myself.
"Sarah, I said my "mother" was Gamma-7 and you knew who that was. I could tell by your expression." Sarah nodded assent. "My actual mother was Alpha Eve-7. Do you know who that is? Another nod. Now, her expression changed. "IMPOSSIBLE! Who was your father?" Alpha Adam-12", I responded almost pleading. Again, "IMPOSSIBLE! Who raised you? Huh? How do you know these names?" she shrieked as tears began to flow.
"I was jettisoned from the Andromeda along with a Gamma and 4 Deltas towards an earthlike world." I implored. "I only learned the truth from Gamma when her incept date approached. I only knew her as my mother. To me she was simply Gamma." "My father and uncle were: Delta Uncle Delta ." I only barely remember my Uncle. He was killed by pirates when I was young. They were both huge men and spoke very little if ever."
"Impossible..." now almost a whisper of disbelief.
"I thought my father just died, but it was always so strange to me. He knew exactly when he was going to die. Gamma told me to tell him goodbye the night it happened. How did she know? I was 10 I think."
Sarah was now just staring at me. No words anymore. Just intense attention to every word I said.
"We were rescued by explorers. At first, Gamma was really to kill the young man who found us. I think she thought he was there to do us harm. I was just turning 15, and this was the first human contact other than my parents and the pirates. She screamed 'Defensive protocol Alpha-Omega' and had the man on the ground with a spear to his throat. I screamed 'STOP' and she immediately pulled back the spear and said, 'Override Alpha'. The young explorer crawled backwards revolting in fear. As the standoff continued for what seemed like minutes, I finally said 'Who are you?' 'I am CMDR Amundsen, I was just exploring this not so unexplored planet when I saw the fire from your camp.' 'You are not a pirate are you?' I said. 'No, I am from the Pilot's Federation and in service to her majesty the Emperor.' 'Who are they?" I quipped. 'Well they are... What? Wait? Who are you people?" Gamma replied we are survivors from a long lost shipwreck' 'Oh? Oh my... my first rescue!!!' replied Amundsen excitedly."
"This was the first time I heard we were from a shipwreck. It was not true, but I didn't know that at the time. Amundsen did indeed rescue us and brought us to Kamadhenu. Gamma told us both we were from a ship called Phobos. I learned later this was also a generation ship name. It is likely where Gamma knew the name. She never mentioned more. When we arrived in Kamadhenu, her majesty has seen to it that shipwreck survivors should receive a payment to start a new life in the Empire. Somehow, Gamma managed to get the payment and we integrated into Imperial society. Gamma mentioned that we should never speak of the Phobos."
"I was 15 and Gamma said to me her incept date was approaching and that we needed to speak. I had only heard that term once before. My father's death. Then the truth was laid before me. She told me that I was not her child. My mother was Alpha Eve-7 and Alpha Adam-12. She was merely servant and a clone at that. My father and uncle were also servant clones. All Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons were created to serve the Alphas. Alphas were "pure humans. All of the others were genetically modified. I was a natural born child which was prohibited. When it was discovered that Alpha Eve-7 was to have a natural, I was to be destroyed."
Sarah then started speaking, "Eve-7 managed had managed to hide the fact she was pregnant until late in the 2nd trimester. It had become too obvious to hide, and she and Adam-12 were called before the council. The pregnancy was to be terminated. She managed to prolong the sentence and get within range of an earthlike world. They had a couple of Beta servants induce her the day before the scheduled termination. A boy was delivered, and a faithful Gamma and 4 Deltas were given orders to protect the child at all costs. They were put into escape pods and launched at the unknown planet below along with a habitat module."
Sarah continued, "However this was not the end of the story. The whole ship was alerted to the escape pods being launched along with a habitation module. Eve-7 and Adam-12 were brought before an emergency session of the council. It was considered treason to launch escape pods, and compounded by the loss of a habitation module which was destined for their new home world. The council had never executed an Alpha, and in fact the Codex prohibited this. It was vital to keep them alive for genetic diversity among the Alphas. It was ordered that Eve-7 would be harvested again to ensure all of her eggs were removed, and then sterilized. the order was carried out, and Adam-12 was harvested for sperm and sterilized as well. They could continue to live and serve but would not be able to have naturals ever again."
Sarah paused looked reflectively out of the window of my office on the carrier. She got up and walked to the window. Quietly, while staring into space, she continued.
"Our parents were ashamed that they cast you into the galaxy "alone". They knew the Gamma and Deltas would try to keep you safe, but you were still alone. After some years, they approached another earthlike world. They devised a plan to have another child. Eve-7 had been sterilized, but her womb was still good. They were able to break into the cryo labs and determine where the eggs and sperm were being stored. Eve-7 had an IVF procedure performed. Again, she was able to conceive a child. Like before, it was discovered. The council again was called to session. They ordered the termination of the fetus. This time Eve-7 threatened to commit suicide if they went forward with the process. The council could not order the termination of an Alpha. The remaining castes were programmed genetically not to allow Alphas to come to harm. A stand-off ensued. After debate, it was decided that there was sufficient genetic diversity on the ship. It was decided to banish them to the planet below. Our parents were brought with a lander to the planet and marooned. They were given supplies, 2 Betas, 2 Gammas, and 4 Deltas. All had extended incept dates to allow them to serve until the expected natural death of my parents."
Sarah paused and looked back to me. " I was born on that unknown planet. The universe had changed. Our ship left Sol and there was no FTL travel. The technology was developed afterwards. Mankind expanded into the stars around our ship, but we still continued on our solo voyage oblivious to the changes in the universe around us. When I was old enough, Eve-7 told me about you. I wondered..."
"We were rescued too. We thought the people who landed in the ship were aliens. To our surprise we saw humans. Adam-12 approached them if they were from the Andromeda, and what they were doing here. The rescuers were puzzled and said they were from Cemiess, and asked if the Andromeda was the ship we were from. My parents quickly realized that that rescuers were not from our ship, and that the new ship they arrived in must be an FTL ship that they thought was just a myth. They quickly changed their story and like you said they were shipwrecked. They said the Andromeda was a scout ship which left and never returned. This seemed to satisfy our would-be rescuers. They informed our parents that they didn't have enough room for all of us. They could bring one of us, and then send the Rescue Rangers to get the rest of us. My parents told them to take me. The rescuers were reluctant and thought it would be better to rescue Adam-12 who could guide the rangers back here. My parents stubbornly persisted that they take me. The pilots brought me aboard their ship: Paridiso. They said it was named after Emerald in Cemiess which was a paradise."
Sarah then began to fidget and became obviously more serious about the story. "We were on our way to Cemiess, and we were interdicted by pirates. There was nothing in the hold and instead of letting us go, they became angry and started shooting at the ship. The crew hastily put me in an escape pod and released it. I was drifting from the ship... it was awful. System Authority vessels arrived too late. They managed to kill the murdering pirates, but it was too late. They scooped up my pod and turned me over to Imperial authorities. I was considered an orphan. I didn't know where my parents were located and was now a survivor of a pirate attack and shipwreck. I was told by my mother... our mother... never to speak of the Andromeda. I never knew why... and perhaps I will never know why. Our parents and our only connection together... the Andromeda... are lost. My ship... Andromeda Lost."
Tears were now flowing like gentle rain from both of us. I have lost not only my parents once, but twice... and Andromeda. I have a sister and her name is Sarah.
We were from the Generation Ship Andromeda.