Chapter 34
“You did a fantastic job, Commodore.” Supreme Commander Lumbardon said formally as he presented Garret with the Republic Star Cross. The monstrosity of a medal hung from Garret’s neck on a red ribbon and was far too garish for his taste. The lights of the holo-cameras were nearly blinding and Garret did his best to ignore the media that had been invited to the award ceremony.
“Thank you, Supreme Commander.” Garret replied to the older officer who had been his mentor for that one summer break during his training at the Academy. Garret had just finished presenting similar medals to the commanders of the various ships and several Marines from the force that had followed him on what was officially being termed ‘the destruction of numerous pirate bases’. For this event, he’d managed to talk those that were Atrix Guards into wearing Republic uniforms. The fact that several of them were obviously purple-eyed clones didn’t seem to be remarked on too much.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the Republic, it is through the valor of heroes like these that the Republic will continue to triumph over those who would betray us.” Lumbardon said as he stepped up to the podium and addressed the media.
“Admiral, what happens now?” One of the reporters shouted as Garret stepped back amidst his officers. Billy was nearby with a similar Star Cross around his neck. Marja Lars and Toshiro Ito were the only two Speakers who were here at the ceremony, standing on the far edge of the crowded dais.
“For the present, we will continue the blockade of the traitorous systems.” Lumbardon said evenly, without betraying any emotion. “Plans are underway to begin planetary assault operations if they refuse to surrender before we are ready to execute those plans. Commodore Atrix has accepted responsibility to develop those plans using the brilliance he recently showed in eliminating four pirate bases being used by the traitors to stage raids on our shipping lanes. With them gone, we will be better able to focus our forces on the enemy”
“How long until the invasion takes place?” An enterprising reporter asked and Lumbardon chuckled.
“Please, you should know that we won’t tell our enemy what day to expect us, but let’s just say that he has at least two standard months to make his decision or we will carry out our attacks within a year.” Lumbardon said with a bit of humor, but the reporters were busy recording his words, not paying attention to his humor enough to laugh.
“Where did all the ships come from that Commodore Atrix used in his assaults?” A female reporter with long blond hair asked in a serious tone. “There have been pictures of them in orbit and none of them match any ships known to be in service. O’Leary shipyards has claimed that they did not build them, although several appear to be of similar design to the ships they build.”
“The Republic has long prepared for emergencies such as these.” Lumbardon answered cryptically. It had been decided that for now, the exact secrets of the bolt-holes should be preserved.
“If I may.” Toshiro Ito said as he stepped forward from the edge of the room. Lumbardon nodded at him and stepped aside, allowing the Chief Speaker of the Deliberatorium to take the podium. “During the Great War with Earth, the Deliberatorium planned for the worst, and secret bases were established. In these bases, supplies and ships were stockpiled to be activated and used in a dire emergency. These special reserves were activated by order of the Deliberatorium shortly after the traitors made their move, and have now been brought into play.”
That was a little too much of the truth, and just enough to misdirect the exact nature of the bolt-holes belonging to the Great Houses. Garret let out a breath as Ito’s words seemed to mollify the reporters. Well, most of the reporters.
“Are these the same bases that were used by Leonev’s people to attack Republic shipping lanes?” A male reporter asked sharply.
“The bases used by Leonev’s factions were not Republic bases.” Ito answered and Garret had to suppress a smile at the statement. It was truthful, but less than accurate and Ito had saved the secret of the bolt-holes.
“Chief Speaker, are you proud of your son-in-law?” A female reporter asked, changing the subject.
“Who wouldn’t be proud to have such a fine warrior amidst his family?” Ito said with a proud tone and Garret found his cheeks wanted to blush, but they didn’t.
“What about the concerns expressed that this union of three very powerful houses – Ito, Lars, and Atrix – will prove to be harmful to the Republic?” Another male reporter asked.
“If I may.” Garret said, stepping forward and nodding to Ito as the man stepped aside. Garret turned his most charming smile on as he gripped the sides of the podium. “I know the question was addressed to the Chief Speaker, but as Speaker for House Atrix, I think it is important that I raise my voice here and now. It is true that I was raised in House Lars, that I am Speaker for Atrix, and married to a daughter of House Ito. Our three Houses are friends, and as I look forward to a future where I will soon be a father, I find that I often worry about the future we will leave our children.
“The Republic is more than a few Great Houses, or even the Minor Houses.” Garret continued. “The Republic is also more than the ideals on which it was founded. It is a living, breathing organism founded and fed by the dreams, hopes, and desires of its entire people. Three Great Houses being as friendly as we are, or being related by marriage, blood, or bonds of childhood can influence, but never destroy the great Republic we serve. As to us having a secret agenda we’ll use our influence to force on the Republic, I would remind you that in the end we are just three in number, even if we did have a secret agenda. On many things, Atrix, Ito, and Lars are in agreement. We agree to provide a strong common defense for the Republic, to ensure the laws of the Republic guarantees the rights of all its citizens, and to preserve a place where the dreams of humanity might reach fruition. Those are things we do agree on, there are more we don’t agree on, just as with any other three Houses you might choose to name.”
“What areas don’t you agree with House Lars and House Ito?” The blond reporter asked with a smile of her own. Garret really didn’t want to go into this now, but he’d opened that door.
“One of those areas would be the legal treatment of clones.” Garret answered and saw the surge of their bodies and recorders towards him.
“Are you saying the Republic mistreats clones?” A male reporter asked.
“Look at my own past.” Garret answered. “I was raised in a Great House, but before it was known that I was a genetic replica of the original Garret Atrix, I was treated the same as any other clone. When the Great War ended, the military sold my contract to a pleasure house where I was legally bound to provide sexual services to that pleasure house’s customers. Even if I hadn’t been sold, I’d have been expected to serve a twenty-year contract with the military before I could decide my own fate. Now, because it was discovered that I had special genes, I’m now accorded the full equal of any other human and able to determine my own destiny. Even if I had not chosen to revive House Atrix, I’d still have been free to choose my own future. To me it doesn’t make a lot of sense just because I don’t have purple eyes and do have ninety-nine point six percent of the same genes as any other human, but still ninety-nine point four percent of the same genes as any other Republic clone, I am somehow magically empowered as a full human in the eyes of the law.”
“Are you saying clones should be allowed to determine their own future without any thought to those who paid the cost of their being gestated and educated?” The blond reporter asked with a slight frown.
“Did your parents require you to be a reporter, Gospedena?” Garret asked her with a smile.
“That’s different.” She replied instantly. “My parents conceived me, cared for me, raised me, had me educated and let me choose my own career path when I was old enough. How can you compare that to how a clone is raised?”
“The State pays for clones to be conceived, born, and educated, does it not?” Garret asked her and she frowned. “Why should the Republic expect its children to not be able to choose their own careers in life?”
“Clones are created for a specific purpose, designed from the genetic level on up for that particular purpose.” Another male reporter stated. “Your examples do not match up, Speaker, or should I call you Commodore.”
“I’d change clothes if I could real quick.” Garret said with a smile. “I’m speaking as a member of the Deliberatorium and Speaker for House Atrix. As for my examples not matching up, it is a little difficult for them to match exactly. The fact is that clones are usually given specific gene patterns for certain purposes in life. One thing I’ve always found odd is that so are the majority of children conceived in Great Houses and Minor Houses, as well as any family able to afford gene manipulation. How many of you here were conceived the natural way, through sexual reproduction and how many from artificial insemination after your genes were manipulated?”
“You don’t expect us to really answer that question do you?” The blond reporter asked. “It’s obscene to ask if I person was genetically manipulated like a clone or conceived naturally.”
“Thank you for making my point.” Garret smiled at her and she frowned.
“What do you mean?” She asked back with a frown.
“You consider a legitimate possible comparison between you and a clone to be obscene.” Garret explained. “If there was no belief of clones as being second-class citizens of this Republic, then there would not be such revulsion in your voice at the comparison. Here’s another question for you, and I don’t expect you to provide an answer, but rather I hope all of you here, and the fourteen billion citizens of the Republic might consider. Clone embryos are fertilized in a special process from the genetic data of the clone template. A true born egg is fertilized by sperm from a true born male and the egg of a true born female. In a great many conceptions right now in this Republic, the ova and sperm are taken from the parents and the fertilization takes place in a Petri dish where scientists can use chemicals and other technology to manipulate the genes of the embryo. The same is done with a clone embryo. Let’s say the clone embryo isn’t treated to give it purple eyes, but the true born embryo is given the treatment. Then the clone is placed in the womb of a true born woman who later gives birth to the clone while the true born embryo is grown to birth in a gestation chamber. Twenty years later will you be able to tell without a deep genetic scan which is the clone and which is the true born? Think on that, people.”
“Will you be introducing legislation to change the treatment of clones?” The first male reporter asked quietly, in an almost subdued tone.
“First the opinions of people regarding clones must be changed.” Garret said. “My first concern is the welfare of the Republic, my family, the men and women of Calos, and those who depend on me for their employment and livelihood. If it becomes possible to make positive changes in the laws of the Republic regarding clones, I will make such an attempt, but not at the expense of my first concerns.”
“Thank you, Speaker Atrix.” Lumbardon came to his rescue. “Now, I do believe we gave you folks a little bit longer than expected, so thank you for coming and have a good day.”
“Do you really believe we disagree when it comes to the rightful treatment of clones?” Marja asked as they left the reporters behind. She sounded genuinely concerned.
“I was just practicing the guile of my father-in-law.” Garret smiled. “Publicly House Lars hasn’t pushed for more clone rights since the Clone Recognition Act, so you might very well be opposed. Since I’ve never asked, I just let myself assume that we had different opinions. You might of course choose to enlighten me on your real feelings if you wish.”
“You are becoming a crafty young man.” Marja laughed as the tension line on her forehead relaxed slightly.
They continued to walk down the hallway of the Fleet Headquarters and entered a lift that took them two levels down. Billy had gone off with the other officers for a reception on the main level of the HQ while Garret went with his mother, his father-in-law, and Lumbardon to the Supreme Commander’s offices. They passed several senior secretaries working busily at their computer stations and entered a well-appointed office that had worn leather furniture, a massive desk made from a tree native to Peladon called sorsen.
“Would anyone care for a drink?” Lumbardon asked in a tired voice as he undid the buttons on his formal black dress uniform. Garret sat down on the leather couch that creaked at the weight from him and his mother while Speaker Ito sat in one of the nearby armchairs.
“Tea, if you have some.” Marja said politely as Garret took off the garish medal and folded it before putting it on the couch next to him. Having expected her request, a tea tray was waiting on a corner of Lumbardon’s desk and he brought it over to a small coffee table in front of the couch, pouring four cups. Garret fixed his tea with some cream and sugar before taking a sip. Lumbardon sat down heavily in the other armchair and looked at the wall above Garret’s head.
“Can you be ready in six months?” Lumbardon asked Garret.
“The fleet has other, more experienced planners for this, don’t we?” Garret asked him with a bit of nervousness.
“Yes, but if the numbers you gave us are accurate, your forces, your ‘militia’ will form the core of the planetary assault force.” Lumbardon replied with a frown. “We can’t afford to wait longer than that. Your victories have given us time, and better public sentiment but I have to admit that with few exceptions, the reserves from the other bolt-holes are not proving as big a boost as we had expected.”
“Why is that?” Ito said. “I know my own bolt-hole will be sending a battleship and two escort carriers to the front lines in the next few weeks. You told me yourself that they are integrating with active duty forces in a satisfactory manner.”
“So long as they remember they fight for the Republic first.” Lumbardon’s voice was bitter as he shook his head. “You know I did not know about these bolt-holes until you informed me of them yourself. They were a surprise, but what we have learned about the forces from them are even more of a surprise and an unwelcome one at that. We thought Leonev was replacing his Republic clones with true born crews, and he was to a point, but many of his forces came from the bolt-holes of the Houses that supported them. It is not just Atrix or Lars, but all of the bolt-hole clones that are more loyal to their sponsoring House before the Republic. Do you not see the danger in that?”
“We see the danger.” Marja said with a frown. “In hind sight, we might have established them differently, but we did not and now we have to use the tools that we have at hand.”
“So long as their House remains loyal to the Republic, it is not a problem.” Garret said cautiously, still not fully comfortable being a part of this ‘privy council’.
“I would not worry about your Atrix forces, or even the forces from Lars and Ito.” Lumbardon said slowly. “All of you have long traditions of supporting the Republic before even the interests of your own Houses, but what if one of the other Houses decides the Republic is a threat to their own interests? Now that we have used them, and the Houses understand the loyalty of those troops are to them first, how many will fall to the temptation to use them for their own good?”
“The Houses must guard themselves.” Ito said firmly and Garret looked at him to see a determined look in his father-in-law’s face. Garret turned the man’s words over and over in his mind, analyzing them.
“The bolt-holes are too valuable as an emergency resource.” Marja said softly. “The Empire may have opened an Embassy on Calos, a Republic world, for the first time in our history, but that does not mean that they will remain peaceful. Garret has informed us of their plots to sway the people of Calos to their favor, believing they can gain the world by popular referendum instead of through force of arms. What if they succeed there and try it again on another world?”
“They will not succeed on Calos.” Garret said firmly. “They might have if the world had gone even another year without Great Houses there, but already we are preparing to recognize three Minor Houses from that planet. I made some mistakes there, but the Earthers haven’t capitalized on those mistakes and the public opinion of the people sways back to the Republic.”
“They might always use our distraction with this rebellion to seize the world by force of arms and there is little we can do to stop them.” Ito stated.
“Without help from the bolt-holes, you mean.” Lumbardon corrected him and Ito nodded. “I see the point, but I still cannot escape the thought that these bolt-holes endanger the principles on which the Republic was founded.”
“That is why the Houses will watch one another and take action if a House misuses the loyalty of their clones from the bolt-holes.” Marja said in full agreement with Ito.
“What say you, Speaker Atrix?” Lumbardon said. “Despite what you said out there, you know that where your three Houses march in agreement, the rest of the Deliberatorium will follow. What if, for example, three such powerful Houses as yours join their forces and threaten the others? Even combined, the other Houses, all thirty-eight of them would have a rough time overcoming the fleets you could command. With even partial support from the regular military, they could have made Leonev’s attempted coup a reality.”
“That is a good point, Admiral.” Garret said quietly as he thought the problem through. “I believe in the end that the bolt-holes could present a danger, but that is nothing compared to the danger presented by outside forces and outright rebellion like that led by Leonev. He is not a member of a House.”
“But he did get four Houses to follow him.” Lumbardon cut down Garret’s argument with a simple statement.
“No matter what safeguards we set, the Republic will always face threats from men like them, and from men like those that lead the Empire.” Garret said in a somewhat firmer tone. “We are able to contain them, and eventually defeat them because of the bolt-holes. I do believe most of the bolt-holes have proven to not be self-sufficient over the years, have they?”
“True, although they were given more resources than most Houses would admit.” Lumbardon said with a shake of his head. “That resulted in ten to twenty percent more ships than we expected there, except in the case of the Atrix bolt-hole. How did your conservators manage to sneak so much more material there?”
“They didn’t.” Garret replied honesty. If he couldn’t trust those in this room, he couldn’t trust anyone. “The Atrix bolt-hole is situated on a planet that had a pre-existing colony.”
“What?” Ito exclaimed with a look of shock on his face. “Where?”
“I will not share where at this time.” Garret said in a firm voice. “Nor, I expect, will you find your daughter any more willing to share the secrets of its location. She has been there, though, and seen it with her own eyes. One of the lost colony ships, the Nina was badly damaged and managed to enter orbit of the planet. The planet is on the upper end of the scale for naturally habitable, but the surviving colonists were decimated by plagues. An Atrix exploration team found them before the war started. Their genetic work there helping the survivors of the colonists led to many of the genetic advances used in clones and others to protect them from chemical and biological warfare.”
“They kept this secret?” Marja almost sounded outraged. “How much of this would Timat have known? He promised he kept no more secrets.”
“I doubt he knew anything about it at all.” Garret said, not having thought about that before, but realizing he should have. “Not even the Atrix conservators knew the full story of the bolt-hole, and they only received the information shortly before Laura Atrix died. With the presence of the colony, and the protection from the planet’s natural pathogens, the colonist population has thrived and quintupled in the last sixty years. Add in the teams sent to support the bolt-hole operations, and the thousands upon thousands of clones produced there, the entire operation is really self-sufficient. If I wanted, we could even export raw materials to the Republic and make a profit. There are also technologies that have been developed there in the last sixty-odd years that we can make much use of, militarily.”
“You are very lucky.” Ito said with a shake of his head. “We spend billions over decades to support our bolt-hole, and will spend billions more in future decades. Where did all the money go that was to support your operations?”
“Most of it was used as it was supposed to have been, but the supplies sent to the bolt-hole were just stockpiled.” Garret answered.
“Which supplies?” Lumbardon asked, leaning forward with a look of intense interest. “You may not know, but we are beginning to face shortages in key areas.”
“The planetary system has several asteroid fields, two of which contain healthy amounts of citeesium ore.” Garret answered partially. “They actually mine more than they use for the ships produced there and stockpile it in warehouses against possible future needs.”
“Where there’s citeesium ore, there’s ore for the fuel we need for our ships.” Lumbardon said with a penetrating look.
“Yes, there’s refined and raw ore for fuel as well.” Garret answered. “There’s also silicates and lenses stockpiled that increase raw damage from our lasers with very little adaptation necessary.”
“You see what I mean?” Lumbardon snapped to Ito. “Even Atrix, and I’d never doubt Garret’s loyalty to the Republic, but even Atrix sits on valuable resources from their bolt-holes when they could be of use to the Republic.”
“That’s not quite fair, Admiral.” Garret said sharply before Ito could respond. “You know about it now.”
“I should have known about it before!” Lumbardon fumed and Garret stared at him for a long moment.
“When?” Garret asked him. “Should I have blared out these secrets over wave-fold broadcast so that someone could decode the encryption? Why don’t we send our battle plans out the same way?”
“You’ve been here for two days.” Lumbardon parried verbally.
“When have we been alone in a room with just these people here?” Garret asked. “I trust Lars, I trust Ito, and I trust you. Do you not remember mentioning we’d discuss sensitive issues about force deployments after the ceremony? I figured the bolt-holes would come up then, and when I knew who was going to be in the discussion, I knew I could safely share this information. You want to know something else, House Atrix has purchased three heavy lifter cargo ships that will be crewed by Atrix Guards, the local name for the Atrix Militia. These heavy lifters will be ready to ship whatever stockpiles we have available and are needed by the Republic.”
“How much are you going to want for them?” Lumbardon said cautiously.
“Market rates, no more.” Garret responded. “Admiral, before you complain, these materials were mined by good people who deserve some return for their labor.”
“No arguments from me on that score, son.” Lumbardon said with a wave of his hand. “I just worried for a moment you’d try to gouge us. Forgive me, I should not be so suspicious.”
“Your suspicion is good for the Republic, old friend.” Ito said softly, and with pride. “So long as men like you keep the Houses in check, the bolt-holes will not be the problem you fear they could.”
“What if we sent in GeneCorps techs?” Lumbardon asked with a sigh. “They have done a good job with the clones here, keeping them loyal to the Republic.”
“I would not trust any of those scoundrels in my bolt-hole.” Marja said with a frown. “I mean to launch an investigation into GeneCorps operations at the next session. Something there smells rotten, and I will root it out before it affects the Republic like Leonev, or worse. We depend on clones for our armies and our navies and as good as our bolt-hole forces are, I hold no desire to live the rest of my life there fighting a hopeless fight.”
“You think GeneCorps would try something like that?” Lumbardon’s eyes widened.
“I don’t know what to think, but I imagine the worst as you do.” Marja answered. “If any in GeneCorps are abusing their powers, we will find them and deal with them.”
“You could try sending GeneCorps to the Atrix bolt-hole.” Garret added as he remembered the first time he’d seen Devin and Davin, being taken out of a cabin on his ship after having been beaten nearly to death by GeneCorps techs. “I have seen their work, if you remember. The GeneCorps techs would be executed within a week.”
“Your clones would kill them?” Lumbardon asked in a tight voice.
“No, Baron Ferdinand, the leader of the local settlement would arrest them and have them executed for treating a human being the way GeneCorps has been known to ‘discipline’ clones.” Garret answered stonily.
“Why would he have any involvement in clone G&E?” Marja asked.
“On Atrix Prime, there is no distinction made in the education of children, whether they are true born or clone.” Garret answered and a look of understanding appeared in his mother’s eyes. “It’s like how you raised Billy and I, mother. Side by side, they learn, they play, and they decide their own future.”
“It works?” Toshiro Ito asked with genuine curiosity.
“They’re human children.” Garret said with a shrug. “There’s always a bully on the play ground, a super-smart geek who gets picked on because he or she is smarter than the rest, and there’s always lazy students, but they make no distinction between clone and true born for the most part. Some clone children choose to be miners in the asteroid fields. There are even a few of them who are working as scientists, and one is a geneticist. True born children often choose to be soldiers, or sailors, or fighter pilots, or to stay home and have very, very large families.”
“That’s where your little speech came from.” Lumbardon said forcefully.
“Some of it, but the seed of the idea is something I’ve thought about for a while, since I was in Tremere’s pleasure house.” Garret answered honestly. “It’s just that on Atrix Prime, what I saw gave that seed good soil to grow.”
“I’d like to see it someday.” Marja said softly, and with a hint of pride in her voice as she looked at Garret.
“Maybe we can arrange it.” Garret said as his cheeks blushed slightly.
“Let’s talk about what you can provide the Republic from your little paradise.” Lumbardon broke the moment between Garret and his mother, and they got down to business. Nothing regarding bolt-holes was really resolved, but when they stood up to leave, Garret felt a little better about things.
“Don’t forget your medal, son.” Marja said as she held out the medal that Garret had left on the couch. The red color of the ribbon reminded him too much of the blood that had been spilled in payment for it, and he took a moment before taking it from her and smiling. The morbid thought about those who had died for him to get it was gone from his mind, pushed down deep where he would not have to look at it any more.
“Thanks.” Garret said as he took the medal and left the office.
Two days later, he was having dinner with his parents at their family home. Neal had come down from the ship after enduring nearly three days of separation from Garret. The young clone was very happy to be back in Garret’s company, and sat between Garret and Billy at the dinner table while the older Lars couple sat across from them.
“So, Neal, you were born on this Atrix Prime?” Timat asked as the dinner progressed. “Your family asked Garret to let you travel with him as his personal attendant?”
“You might say that.” Neal said with the typical dislike of clones for lying. Garret was getting past that training, stretching the truth at times, as evidenced by Timat’s questions. That was the story he had circulated for anyone who asked about the red head. Besides having eyes that were not clone purple, Neal was an 05 Model, a clone model that had been discontinued because of their erratic behavior.
“How do you like traveling with Garret so far, Neal?” Marja asked politely while Timat stared at Neal without saying anything. Garret began to grow nervous, and almost regretted bringing Neal down from the ship. He’d allowed his crew from Atrix Prime to come down to Peladon in small groups after they’d received a lecture about how clones in the Republic were expected to behave. They’d also worn Republic Navy uniforms, although Garret had noticed them wearing blue undershirts made of a lomex-like material. The material was actually closer related to the spandex once produced on Earth, tight but soft material that clung to their bodies and dyed a midnight blue of House Atrix colors. Tonight Neal was wearing a denim suit Garret had purchased for him, with a light blue dress shirt underneath, and under that shirt an undershirt of that blue material like the military clones from Atrix Prime wore.
“It’s been interesting.” Neal said with a little smile. “I never expected to see so many places. No one has ever really left our home like this before.”
“You’re a clone.” Timat said in a steady, certain voice that made Garret stiffen. Timat’s eyes narrowed further as he looked at Neal. “An 05 Model, are you not?”
“I am.” Neal said after a brief look at Garret, who just nodded. He would not lie to his parents when faced directly like this. Marja let out a small gasp of surprise and looked at Neal like she’d never seen him before. Neal grew nervous and reached out to Garret at the same time that Garret threw a protective arm around him.
“They fixed the instabilities in the Model?” Timat asked with a direct look at Garret.
“Yes and no.” Garret said protectively.
“Explain.” Timat said sharply, still looking at Neal like he was going to dissect him.
“By changing the parameters of their usage, and making modifications to the genetics, they were able to produce a viable line of 05 Models for special purposes.” Garret explained.
“What kind of purposes?” Marja asked softly, although there was now a look of sympathy in her eyes as she saw Neal’s face go pale and that he was starting to shake.
“Relax, Neal.” Garret said reassuringly. “He’s a geneticist, and he’s not going to cut you open to dissect you.”
“No, I’m not.” Timat said with a snort. “I’m just fascinated. No one thought the 05 Model could be salvaged for any viable use.”
“We’re very useful.” Neal said defensively. “Without us, the women of Atrix Prime would still be mired down by raising children and wouldn’t be able to pursue valuable careers that help our world.”
“You raise the children of your world?” Marja asked.
“We help.” Neal clarified. “Parents still spend a lot of time with their children. A parent can’t just abdicate his or her duties to their children, but we fill in the gaps, make sure the children are never alone. Some of us do other things, like me. I mean, I’m good with children and I can’t wait to see my lord’s children born and help with them, but I’m interested in more, which is why I chose Garret to bond with.”
“Bond with?” Timat asked with a shake of his head. “Explain that please.”
“We stick with a single family, or small groups of families most often, bonding with the members of that family.” Neal said. “We’re sensitive in a way that lets us really understand our charges and we get accustomed to them, and need to be around them or we suffer negative side effects.”
“What happens if one or more of them die?” Timat asked and Neal shuddered again under Garret’s arm.
“It hurts.” Neal said softly. “As long as some of the family are around, we’re able to move on eventually. It takes a while though. We spend a year learning about that as part of our education, how to deal with it and how to recover.”
“What would happen if the entire family died?” Marja asked softly.
“I’d probably pine myself to death.” Neal said softly.
“No murderous rages?” Timat asked Garret.
“Not unless someone attempts to harm their family right in front of them.” Garret said with a shrug as Neal shuddered again.
“Interesting.” Timat said. “Do you think I might be able to take a blood sample before you leave? I’d like to study the genetics behind this. It’d be better to speak with the geneticists who designed this line of clones.”
“I will see what I can arrange as far as meeting them.” Garret told his father. “As for a sample of Neal’s blood, you’ll have to ask him.”
“What about it Neal, it’ll just be a sample, that’s all.” Timat asked the boy who looked up at Garret before nodding.
“Okay.” Neal said in a soft voice.
“Thank you, young man.” Timat said with a smile, and that was the end of the discussion on the 05 Model.
It was three more weeks before Garret was able to get back to the Adamant and break orbit. When they’d gone through the accelerator and made their first jump towards Calos, he let out a sigh of relief. He had several ‘planning’ officers on board, all of various ranks, who would be working with him to develop a plan to invade Obduros. It was widely believed that if they managed to take the world that Leonev had made his capital, they would be able to end this war quickly. The other two worlds would be cut off if Obduros fell, and would either suffer a crippling blockade or would have to surrender.
“Here is the list, sir.” Lieutenant Commander Darenal said after the jump was completed and Garret had returned to his cabin. There was a rather alarming pile of House business that he had to work on before they achieved Calos orbit. The next round of loans and grants were coming up soon, and this time they were making a third of them micro-loans. Very small loans, rarely more than a few thousand credits to small business and farms that needed help making ends meet.
Garret looked up and took the list before looking it over. Most of the ships he’d pulled from Atrix Prime would now be returning there until they were needed again. Adamant and three more planetary assault ships would be staying on active duty and were being assigned to Garret’s permanent fleet above Calos. Billy’s squadron was being reassigned to the blockade efforts around Obduros, although they would eventually be permanently assigned to the Calos fleet.
“This is approved.” Garret said after looking it over carefully, noting the plans for officer and crew rotations. Darenal smiled as he took the list back, and Garret noticed something odd about his attire. “You’re still wearing fleet black.”
“Yes.” Darenal said with a smile as he pulled the zipper on his uniform down a bit. Underneath he had one of those midnight-blue undershirts.
“Ah, I see.” Garret said with a smile.
“The senior Guard officers met while on Peladon.” Darenal said softly. “We were aware of the tension our uniforms caused at times, my lord, and we wanted to find a solution. Your having us wear Republic uniforms on Peladon helped us find that solution. The undershirts, and ankle-length underpants are standard parts of our regular uniform, but you never see them with the blue uniforms over them. It was decided we’d all do as the marines did, wear the duty uniform but allow our underclothes to remind us and others that we are also Atrix Guards. The idea was met with approval. Now we have other issues to deal with.”
“What are those?” Garret asked with real interest.
“Many of the Republic clones wish to wear our underclothes.” Darenal said with a laugh. “There have even been thefts from the laundry and we are only two days out from Peladon. You may not have heard, but the locals there soon came to believe that the blue underclothes signified a crewmember who served on your ship, and they were very nice to those of us with those blue undershirts. Republic crewmembers of the fleet soon figured it out and began to find anything they could that was similar in color and style. Some even resorted to stealing them when they came back from laundry.”
“Let them wear them, if they wish.” Garret said with a sigh.
“We will, if they swear to the Atrix Creed.” Darenal said with a shrug. “Look at Alexandra next time she comes to see you.”
“You’re kidding!” Garret exclaimed, but two hours later he saw it with his own eyes. She smiled when she noticed his shocked look at seeing the blue undershirt on under her uniform. It appeared she approved of the compromise, and given the looks she directed at Ricko Darenal, Garret was guessing she approved of more than just the compromise. By the time they reached Calos, the only one not wearing the blue underclothes was Garret himself, and as he got dressed for the final day of their journey, he returned from the refresher to find that Neal had put a set of the ankle-length blue underpants and a blue undershirt over his uniform that was laid out on the bed.
Garret chuckled as he put them on, and turned his mind towards the upcoming reunion with his now very-pregnant wife.
As with all my stories, E provides immeasurable input, grammar checking, and all those other lovely editing thingies that make the story so much better!
Feedback,
an Author's Lifeblood
