SPECTRES Act 10 : Another Chance
17 Jun 2020Maggie Oz
After the intense action of the "hot extraction" from Harma“Where to, M'Lady?” said Nelson
"Back to Tannhauser please Cap, as quick as you can, I have to get this," I said patting my stomach "back to the clinic before it's battery runs out"
"You got it" he replied and in quick time had a high speed route plotted and we were on our way.
"Nelson, can I have a word ... in private?" I asked
"Sure, this way" he replied and led us to the small galley behind the flight deck
"The merc gave me everything, I can only presume she was telling the truth, the things she said gelled with other information I had. The best lead we have on the Federation side of thing is the delivery point, the Dynamic Biological Analysis planetary site in Lu Dongi. I guess if you start looking there and work back."
"Ah will take that on board and see where it might lead, thank you."
"I have a lead to follow on the Imperial end, but I have a suspicion that someone has used these incidents as a convenient cover" Nelson just nodded, knowing better than to press for further details on what he correctly surmised was a more personal matter.
Nelson docked us at Tannhauser, with a kiss I thanked him and dashed for the hanger and Roller Girl, I had no time to lose.
First stop was Samen. I walked as quickly as I could to James' mother's house and rapped on the door.
Ling answered "Hello Maggie" she said with a resigned tone.
"I'm so sorry Ling, I wasn't able to call you, it all happened so quick"
"That ok Maggie, Navy call me and tell me 'bout Jam"
"Yes I know, but I've got him back!"
"You go get mem'ry stick?" she asked with a growing smile
"Yes, I've got him and I'm taking him to the re-life centre now, come with me, say you will?"
She thought for a moment, "Yes, yes ok I come. Have seat I go put clothes on"
I sat with dwindling patience as she changed.
"Ok we can go now," she said, she seemed as anxious as I was.
We made our way to the spaceport and I strapped her into the jump seat.
Her eyes were like dinner plates as we launched and boosted to hyperspace.
As usual, I took a fairly surreptitious route to The Antheasia Clinic we chatted along the way.
Ling spoke of her life and her dedication to her children and the long years of slavery.
"What did you do to work off your bond Ling? Cr100million is a lot"
"HA! I top eye surgeon, I change crazy rate for work" she laughed
"Wow, that's amazing"
"It good to see Jam have enough money this tim' his self, he make good money in Navy."
"Oh ....." I wasn't sure what to say, "Ling, a Naval Officer's pay is good, James could lead a comfortable life, but it's not good enough to raise the fee."
"Oh .... oh no," she said sadly.
"I'm paying for it, Ling." I said quietly, "I've done pretty well as a Starship Commander"
"He pay you back?"
"He'll be my Husband, that's payment enough"
"HA! , You wait till honeymoon over and he start farting in bed" she cackled.
I flew in silence for a while, jumping and scooping, we hit the system and I locked onto the clinic and engaged supercruise.
"You know Ling, .... you could too," I said hesitantly
"I could too what?"
"You could go for re-life as well. You never really had a chance, did you? Most of your life was working to give James a second chance, I think it only fair you have your time too."
"OK"
"I mean I could... hang on what?
"I say OK, I love to be a GC, I got plenty more thing I want to do."
"Oh, that's fantastic! I'm so excited, we can get an EBU fitted today if you like."
"Ok, we do that, I not got much longer to live I think, too old now, too old"
We flew on for a while longer, getting closer to the clinic.
"It still take 25 years?" Ling asked
"Yes, It takes Twenty Five years for the cloned brain to get to full maturity before the EBU can upload."
"Twenty five years, OK that not so bad." she said, "I'll be pretty young girl again!"
We were on the verge of dropping from cruise when she asked "What about you, Maggie. You long time off passing away. You have to wait 25 years to see Jam again"
"I don't know, I really don't. I know when he returns it will be as if no time has passed for him. I could just have myself euthanised but I don't think life should be thrown away in such a cavalier manner.
I'll be 25 years older. Would a 25 year old boy want an 80 year old wife? Granted with Projens and Rejuves I won't look or be physiologically 80 but .... I'll also be 25 years different, will I change in that time? Will I want a 25 year old husband when I'm 80?"
"I know I would ! " said Ling with a wicked grin and a wink
I laughed .... but my concerns remained.
We docked and disembarked, Dr Maggie Turner met us in the airlock.
"Hello Maggie, so good to see you, have you got James' EBU? "
"Yes, but I ..... ummm ... swallowed it." I said
"Great idea, the perfect way to keep it safe. Come with me we can have that out of you in a jiff, how long ago did you swallow it?"
"About 6 or 7 hours"
"Yes that won't be a problem"
Don't ask ........
We sat down with Dr Turner to go over the details
"Ok Ling as James' next of kin if you can just sign off on the re-life agreement ?"
"Yes ok," Ling replied and started reading and signing on James' behalf.
"I'll be financing the process, Maggie, " I said to her, "Please charge all fees to my account"
"Yes, of course, your balance is currently ..... Cr4,987,234, 990, should keep you going a while I think?"
Although we couldn't leave our money to anyone but the clinic, there was no law against the clinic crediting future treatments out of what we left them.
Those monies were held in investments by the clinic and the returns provided a generous budget.
"Yes, it's a healthy sum. Can you arrange to add James and Ling to that account as well please?"
"Certainly. Ling, shall I make an appointment for you to have an EBU installed?"
"Yes please," she said with a gleam in her eye and a squeeze of my hand.
"Ok. Maggie, will you be the donor for James?" The clinic would use one of my cryogenically stored eggs, harvested from me at birth, to be in-vitro fertilized using James' similarly harvested sperm. This would create the zygote that would then have its genetic code rewritten to match that stored in the EBU.
"Yes of course and for Ling too if required. I think you can put James down for Ling as well. We'll worry about me some other time."
"Will you be changing from Roy?"
"Yes," I replied emphatically.
Ling was ushered away to a treatment room and I was left to my own devices for a while.
So many thoughts running through my head, especially of what I had to do now that James was safe.
"Maggie," A nurse called, breaking me out of my reverie. She beckoned me over and we went to see Ling in recovery.
The operation had gone well, of course, it had taken around 8 hours, I was barely aware of the passage of time.
"We can go home now?" Ling asked
"Yes I think so, we'll just wait for the all clear from the doctor"
A short time later Dr Turner bustled in, did some checks on Ling and nodded her satisfaction
"You might feel a little dull headed for a day or two as the implant beds in and loads, but that will pass. Any problems Comm me" she said
"Now. I'd like you both to come with me"
Ling swung out of bed and she held my arm as we followed Dr Turner to another wing of the facility.
I knew where we were going and felt a thrill of excitement.
Before long we arrived at a smallish room that was dominated by a large liquid filled tank, about human size.
On the front of is was a small receptacle into which an EBU was engaged, already at work rewriting the genetic code of the zygote.
Dr Turner waited at the door and ushered us in.
"Look Ling," I said pointing through the glass to a tiny membranous sac that was anchored to a plinth in the tank.
"That's James," I said with a teary whisper
She looked on and shed a tear as well.
I placed my hand on the glass of the tank and then pressed my lips to it, leaving a lipstick mark.
"I'll be waiting."