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Aniette had been with Cxan, Coleja, Mawena, Becci and Cistera. Of course they were aware of what was happening.
She had distanced herself from the whole idea of being cloned AGAIN. “Not likely.” They grinned.
“It gives me the jeebies, just thinking about it. Oooh another me.”
The appearance of Narya, with Lumark, Aldrei, Ceopha and Meladi? It was a strange mix. Or, so Becci thought.
They all, in some way or another had skills of benefit to their project. Narya, was, as usual the leader of the pack.
If some doubt had arisen as to their credibility and value, the arrival of an Elder Ket called Chifrose turned events,
well and truly in their favour.
He was a physicist as we might know such an individual. “Ghoja wants to know, if the energy converters can be salvaged?“ Chifrose hardly spoke a word. More of a Ket that did things rather than talk about them.
Some could. It would take time, some degree of patience and monotonous repetition to restore them to working order.
Twenty units and only five cells that could possibly be restored?
"If, we can find one of the original machines that made those energy cells, it would allow us to produce enough of them, as they should have been, to fit all the units and have spares. Composite material is difficult to layer without the original machine.
The irregular shape of those things, building from scratch, is not an easy option."
Meladi was trying to get some response from Lumark, he continued to look vague, well he ALWAYS looked vague, but this time? A distinct look, as Meladi nudged him. "Chifrose thinks, the museum will have one of those machines that made the original energy cells. We just need to acquire it. Any ideas, on what it might look like?"
Now there was a question. "Museum library data discs, might contain imaging on that. We need to take a look there first. Pointless looking through all that gear, without knowing what we're looking for. We could waste a lot of valuable time that could be used elsewhere."
“Most of the new converters don’t have the power ratio’s set properly, they recently burned out two of the exhibits."
"See what I mean? Won't work if you use anything except the correctly shaped and formed cells.
Lumark had made his point.
Meladi had spent some time with Lumark going over the data discs. About to give up? Second to last image? She peered at it. "Got it." Lumark woke up from resting his eyes. "I think you are right. Now we need to find it. See what I mean about the unit itself, you would never have guessed that was the machine.
Must produce about ten of the completed cells in one go." "I have the data details on what composite materials we need to feed into the machine." "Load them onto a slite, we can use a Shelde to read off the requirements. Now all we have to do is find the machine and gather up the necessary to produce those cells."
"It needed cleaning." Lumark yawned. "Meladi did a good job on that." According to what she had told Chifrose,
Lumark had made excuses and left her, the moment cleaning had been mentioned. He did return, some time later with all the materials needed.
The test run produced almost perfect results. A few blemishes on the finished products exterior but apart from that?
The fusive reactance worked at over 90% efficiency."We can give those to the museum."
The final batch were 99.9% perfect. Those they gave to Ghoja. He was delighted. A further ten? A few groans before agreeing. "Have we heard back from those checking the merits of that Embrionic unit?"
Ceila had been listening to some Renais music. A boy band. The arrival of Becci and the others was a welcome distraction.
"We have need of your help. At first the gist of the conversation was simply about the Embrion? The moment she heard about Aniette? A desire to go see this machine for herself.
Early the next morning several Kets were heading over to the mine entrance. Hoverboards that Meladi had sourced by bribing certain Kets. gave them transport. Unlike the usual transporter these did not need to have information recorded, on where they had gone and why.
Reasons that might have raised suspicions. Few would know they were in the mine. You could say that for them, it was a good thing, but you also have to understand the flipside to that, should anything go wrong?
"Well what do you think?" There was not one of these Embrionic machines but two. Almost identical. One, was obviously newer, but the older one had been modified, so it was of the same quality in output, but slightly slower. How did she know?
"The processor speed is slower on this one." Examining the two of them she stepped back looked at them.
"They're capable of some very sophisticated cloning.
Won't know the full result, until we do, but. I see no reason why they should not serve your purposes. HOWEVER."
Serenia had been told about the Kets in the mine. "I know nothing." She placed a slite in front of them.
"I did not give this to you." She glanced at the screen on the coms unit secured to her wrist.
"Breakfast." They watched her leave. "Well, come on." Delise plugged the slite in and glanced at the data on the Shelde.
"Oh my."
Serenia had taken data off the main system on two former Kets who had been expelled. Trida and Corleu. Included were copies of documentation seized off them. A journal with maps? Tslec units had been put in place by them so they could jump large distances, across what clearly showed was a continent.
Not massive but certainly a sizeable amount of land and water. Lakes, rivers and what look like a waterfall? "Now we have maps, data and a means to travel across to wherever we are supposed to be? I doubt the rogue Ket knows of any of this.
Gives you a distinct advantage. Good news to give the others."
"The Embryonic units can be used, BUT." Ceila sat down. "You need some help with the programming. Extending the life span of the Clone? Other generic problems, that may come to the fore, unless you totally understand the processes involved in cloning." "Ocasa.“
He glanced up to see Soniette and Ethan moving towards him? “We need a favor.” He would listen for some minutes.
Shake his head. “Not a chance.“ “But Pa Pa is Humana. Will make it easier for you. We need their help.
“ In a nutshell, as one might put it, the Humana in question, had in their possession, some skills and lets not be skimping on this, of ENORMOUS value, to the Kets project. Ocasa, did not have a dislike of the Humana, more a distrust of those other than his Papa and his friends, kith and kin.
History. Ah yes. The library had a lot on the Humana. Into space and trouble from the off. Conflict after conflict. Intolerance. Greed. Not that they were isolated in their ambitions to expand their territories. Something Soniette was quick to pounce on and show other races were as bad, as indifferent. “You sister would have made a good Skalit.(Politician)“
"Can I take that as a YES?”
Ralzia was from Humana worlds 3. Ocasa had been informed by Soniette that this was also where Kinsey came from.
Ralzia one might suppose, judging by the other Humana Kets, was nothing special.
Not quite true, she had astonished her parents at age 6 years, by having scored higher than any of her fellow Kets at science, mathematics and similar subjects. Excelled, distinguished? Exceptional? Most of her fellow Kets would be at least twice her age before reaching her level of skill and knowledge.
She shared her interests with two other Humana Kets, again especially clever, Sophen and Reger. To most Kets they came across as intimidating? Not intentionally. In fact, when Kets took time out to get to know them they were pleasantly surprised to discover that they possessed a varied interest in such as Renais from music to film, with a good sense of humour.
The time, the place? Ocasa felt a bit like a lamb thrown to the wolves. He lingered close to them, NOT with his usual friends, simply making polite conversation with the other Kets near to him.
To Ralzia who had suddenly become aware of his presence, it was beginning to amuse her. The Kets were talking at him, not to him. What WAS he doing there. If Ocasa had thought Ralzia had never noticed him, let alone Reger or Sophen, he was wrong.
A few weeks earlier, the Stratorium had been busy, Ocasa had enjoyed the tacticals and had won, rather as he put it "Magnificently, trashing his opponent." Time to finish in the Strat. Bored. No one up to his level of game play.
Out of the blue, so to speak? A challenger. Beis and Iofnen had also heard the female. Preferring to remain anonymous?
They wondered if he, was going to accept, certainly she knew how to bait the hook to reel Ocasa in.
They were in the Strat unit on level 3 he was level 4? How about a playoff re each level? Beis and Iofnen were agreeing.
Three against three? OK, Iofnen wasn’t so brilliant at tacticals but Beis more than compensated with her abilities.
Ralzia, Reger and Sophen. Laughing? They took them into the game scenario. Real time. The planet, Pharos 1. Both teams placed in the middle of identical sections. Object to make it out of the place alive. Reason where they were, what to expect, combat readiness?
The enemy? Hundreds of them. Nasty critters, vicious and agile, ah yes. Skeets. Liken to, if there ever had been such a creature; a carnivorous rat. Their long wiry fingers and sharp claws like mini blades that slice and dice with ease.
To get out alive? In the darkness. Dimly lit passageways. Some places so dark all you would ever see. if you were lucky. Would be the red of their eyes.
Dark damp and eerie. The more points you get, allows you to exchange for torches, better lighting. Take too long or don't use your strategic advantages correctly and you will lose points. Penalties can vary from loss of weapons to your team being compromised.
Tired, irritable, hallucinating. As fot those things? The Skeets could be devious little beggars, they could shut their eyes and wait. If you bumped into one in the dark, or they dropped on you, the game could be over in seconds, for the one who the Skeet got its claws into.
They agreed upon 3 lives each. Game on. Almost at the end of the game. Ocasa had to agree their opposition was admirable competition. They would blanket an area with fire, which prevented the Skeets keeping their eyes closed, the ones who might have been banking on the element of surprise.
They fled towards Ocasa and the others. Iofnen fell in the first part of the game. Beis and Ocasa fought a good game but were in the end resigned to having to surrender. Game over.
Iofnen had not found it funny, as the two Skeets, full show of all on the screens. Carved him like a Thanksgiving Turkey. Ralzia with Reger and Sophen had taken the recording of the completed game, so they could savor the moment whenever they chose to replay it, on their domicile, holographic unit.
They had also left the Strat unit, before Ocasa had discovered who the three winners were. Ralzia and the others, had seen them exit the level. ‘So that’s who you are.”
Ralzia smiled as Reger moved close to her, glanced over to look at Ocasa. “That’s one of them isn’t it?” Ralzia nodded.
“He’s cute. Sophen sighed as the other two giggled. Ocasa was still unsure on how to approach Ralzia.
Ah, a round of drinks. He offered to buy them all drinks somewhat relieved to hear them accept.
Minutes later, sat down with them, sipping on the drinks he decided he did not want to waste anymore time.
"Look I don't know how to say this so I might aswell just admit why, I came over here."
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