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The team exploring a passageway were to be located, to the right of what was the main complex. A rock face that was at some time mined to the point it was depleted of any mineral or Trexl composites. The path itself was layered. Not too steep but they were heading down to?
To a level, where some old equipment was strewn about. Obsolete but could be useful for spares. One or two items might, make good museum pieces. They would record where they could be found and recovered. Should those in charge of the Akademy museum, deem it a desire on their part, to recover the items.
The presence of footprints that had become fossilised, had some of the Kets amused.
The fact that they led to certain items and then vanished? “That’s weird.“ Torvan peered at the footprints which had set to an almost hard resin. Though clear and somewhat transparent, you could see the rock beneath it.
“Strange how they go here then end? how can someone walk over here but not leave footprints walking away?”
“Maybe they were picked up?” Eula too, had peered at them.
“Hoverstreams?” After a few more ventured ideas. they resigned themselves to accepting the ‘Hoverstreams’ theory.
(A disc that hovers using its own power source.)
“What’s this?” Becci had stopped, stared at the wall, as Aniette went to thump in a marker she too stared. “Look at this, its some kind of symbol?” All of them, gathered around. “Any ideas Eula?” Eula moved past Torvan and Aniette to look at it her facial expression changed in an instant. Definite recognition of what it was on her part! “Its the symbol of Dahasa.“ “Uhh?”
“Its the mark of subservience” She paused “All too obvious, that the miners were paying tithes to them, probably a percentage of everything they earned in Draxetnium went to them, see here.“ She pointed at the wall next to it. " The mark of the Ai Su. But not made by them. It would have been a miner who made the mark, to tell the others, that they no longer had to pay up or else!"
“What’s a Tithe?“ The Kets turned looked at Torvan. "Torvan! Its money or goods, you pay to others, usually those who take it from you by proving force, of reason, or not as may be the case.“ “Uhh?” Becci rolled her eyes. “Tor!" Ameryst interrupted. “Jogarth? Take by force, or simply show you a few troopers, threaten and tell you to pay up or else, on a regular basis?
Can be goods or money or slaves? If you pay em, they’ll leave you alone?“
“Oh right!“ Torvan looked at Eula who moved to stand next to him, grinning as he slipped his arm round her.
“Well I didn’t hear the first bit.“ They were enjoying his discomfort! laughing!
“So the Ai Su were on this planet? “ Eula nodded. “Must have been! My people know some terrible stories about Dahasa.
Cruelty beyond belief.“
Much as the Kets wanted, to extract more from her, their Opticon lit up, with a coms message? It was Zicci. “You lot, haven’t moved for a while?
It was not, Becci added. “Out of concern. It was Zicci being impatient.” "The cheek of it." Howls Ameryst. Eula giggled.
"What I want to know. is how that Opticon can be so far underground and yet still able to coms?"
Poor Torvan was about to get an ear bashing again. "TOR! Look at the wall and the substrate? Novyran 4, runs through virtually all of this rock. What does that do and what is it good for if nothing else?"
"Acts as a conductor for signal pathways. Especially, the tech the Opticons use. But also those markers? The Opticon can use them as satellites. To send the signal back to the marker that has a clear signal out to Zicci or main control in an emergency!
That's how, she knew we hadn't moved,." "Ah right!" Claria was consoling Torvan. Shame we don't have Delise. Hmm, maybe on second thoughts, not such a good idea!" They continued marking out the tunnels, noting the time and yes, Zicci was probably right, they had spent too much time as it was, in the one place.
Ameryst was busy thumping in markers, the others trailing behind. The tracers, lighting up, illuminating the passageway, as they moved on. Upwards again and according to the Opticon they were headed BACK, to where they had started from, full circle?
Claria had been puzzled by the presence of Aniette, well truth was, it wasn’t her at all, it was the clone. To them, it was indisputably Aniette. “Can’t understand it.“ She had muttered to Coleja “Maybe she had a row with some of them.“
If Claria was not convinced, neither was Coleja. Aniette was usually more than amiable. “Well I believe, that it is time, we stopped for a refreshment break? Eula grinned muttering out loud whilst looking at the Opticon. "Zicci from your minions.
We're stopping for a break."
The Opticon spun, a holographic screen appeared. It was Zicci. "Just received the results, from your last trek. Really good. Let me know, when you're back at base. Byeeee!" They took out the food packs, unpacking them, to sit down. The Clone, remained standing. In the half light of the passageway, it looked at them tucking in to their food and drinks.
An expression on its face, that was most unusual for Anniette. Annoyed. At them having stopped? “I think we should be working.“ Succinct in its tone of voice, not that it didn’t sound like Aniette, but its tone of voice, for some reason had riled Ameryst.
“Hey! YOU try punching in those markers, for as long as I have this morning, and say you don’t need a rest!” “But I don't need a rest!”
“Aniette!” Cxan was taking note of the friction between them. “Take a seat, chill out.“ The clone glared back and he could have sworn, its eyes glinted, let alone seemed to be scanning him? Much to their relief, it did eventually sit down. To us who know, the the clone as is, it could be said, was clearly not amused. Not at all, at those around it slacking off!
It was NOT, in its generic makeup. From the creation created by the Embrion, it generated Anniette to a perfect copy of her.
What that did NOT include, was the omission of its work protocols. The concept of 'rest' or 'refreshment' was 'alien' to the clone!
It fidgeted to the point where it was making the other Kets more than aware of its agitation.
Why, could they not just gulp down their refreshments and move on BACK TO WORK! “Whatever is the matter with you Anniette!” Coleja sipped his drink stared at the clone. “An where’s your food pack?”
Cxan passed it, a couple of food items, it looked at them sniffed them. Cxan popped some of the items into his mouth. Looking at him it copied his actions. Coleja rolled her eyes then finished the drink poured some and passed it to Aniette.
The clone had watched her drink, so it copied her and even to their amusement, followed it up with a burp! Nevertheless it was still fidgeting, until they finally went back to work!
Now even Kets, have moments when they have to relieve themselves. All creatures one way or another have bodily functions.
True in different ways for some from us, as Humana in which they did this.
By the time they had finished for the day, it had become very apparent to some of the female Kets, in particular Becci and Claria, that Aniette had never stopped, bar that time over refreshments? Nor had she at any time gone to disappear, to attend to her needs?
“I think, we need to get Aniette checked over, when we get back to base. She's been acting peculiar, since we started!" Ameryst had felt inclined to agree with Coleja. "The Opticon is fitted with a med care scanning unit, it scans us all the time. If it had detected anything wrong with her, surely it would have reacted? Warned us?"
“Well, all I can say, is she's been acting really bizarre. Have you seen that twitch she’s developed with her left eye?“ “Ahh, but it is dusty down here.“ Coleja looked at Aniette, as the clone turned, glared back at her, almost as though she had heard every word? The twitch had become more noticeable!
“I would not say anything to her, given the mood she is in!“ Ameryst settled back, resigning herself to accepting that Coleja was probably right! It would not be wise, to ask her, if she had a problem with her eye.
Suggesting she might help her flush the eye with some fluid? The problem had been noted by the Clone, who was somewhat annoyed, by the fact that this particular part of its biology, though intrinsically linked to its biomorphic generic functions, had started to play up.
In truth it was, dust, that had caused the eyelid as such to react. A perfectly normal reaction, from its receptor, emulating the normal functions, of its original! However what it did next was nothing like the real Aniette!
Turning the corner ahead of the others, its hand went up and its fingers deftly removed the eyeball from its socket, to wipe it and the socket before reinserting it! Now free of the dust and the eyelid, losing its twitch! Returning to join the group. they asked no questions! Perhaps it had attended to its needs? We need ask no more.
The clone had arrived at the conclusion that Coleja was a trouble maker. It was fortunate for Coleja that it was not in charge.
Nor carried a suitable ‘Flash lash’ weapon. (Like a whip!)
Various clone adaptations, could be created with such devices, to use on slave labor, brought in to work in the mines.
Usually those convicted of crimes and made to work there as a punishment for x period of time.
We must remember that a standard Embrion is at its core no different from another somewhere else.
Options are options though they do vary depending on the type and how sophisticated the owner wanted it to be.
Once back at base, they noted, that the other team, were still not back. Coleja had been talking to Ameryst.
“Its been a weird kind of day. I can’t understand Aniette at all. I mean what was she doing with us? When I meet the others I am going to have to find out more!“ Torvan was convinced they were being paranoid! He could see nothing odd at all, about her.
"I suspect she may have wanted a change from those she was with or perhaps had a disagreement."
In fairness Coleja didn’t spend too much time around her. But thinking on what had gone on and the way that Aniette had not been normal in other ways?
Ameryst had observed the clone, who was looking on, as the males left them, so that they could strip and cleanse.
It started to undress then seemed rather reluctant to continue!
They watched as it opened the hatch and stepping through it, closed it. Gone! Unseen by the others now using the cleanser units. Talking about Aniette and what the heck was up with her?
The clone had made its way back to the other Kets domicile. They were NOT back yet. It stood inside the hatch, closing it.
Its hand rested on its wrist squeezing it. a swirl of bluish energy around it before the clone vanished! The clothes falling to the floor in a heap.
It would be minutes of our time later, when the hatch opened. The other team had returned! In stepped Aniette and the others. Aniette almost tripping over the pile of clothes, in the middle of the floor?
“UHH?” She stared recognising them as hers. Reminded by remarks from Soniette. "Serves you right, for leaving them in the middle of the floor." Aniette was not the least bit amused.
"Did I leave clothing on the floor this morning, when we left?" She glares at Soniette, who has to admit, there were NO clothes, on the floor when they had left!
It must have been someone from the other team. "The bare faced cheek of it. Borrowing my clothes. She picked up the items, opened the hatch to leave them grinning. Someone was about to get a lot of grief, from a very annoyed, Aniette.
Ameryst and the others, had finished their cleansing and were now dressed. Aniette's reappearance made them feel very uneasy.
She was wearing different clothes and carrying what she had worn earlier. Nothing strange about that. What was making them feel uneasy, was the expression on her face! Rage? True they had seen a little of that earlier but this?
Her face was flushed, her voice raised. “I am not the least bit amused by this. I come back, to find someone has taken my spare kit, worn it and after that, leaves it on the floor in the domicile for me to almost fall over?! Whoever it was, I will find out and when I do."
Still muttering. she left them. Uhh. kind of speechless? It was the final words on her lips. as she left them. “I can’t believe it.
The moment my back is turned.“
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