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“What I want to know..“ Corky had his back to Torvan. He stopped to see on the huge holographic screen, the Monicons blown to pieces. Not the best imaging but you didn't need a running commentary to know what had happened.
Talking to those who had been present? Eula and some of the others had been all too expressive to point out what it was like. "Debris whistling past our ears". A whole new meaning to the word ‘DUCK!' Ocasa smiled. His finger in his ear.
Bishw had also been examining some of the pieces of the crystal form. “Energised crysalite with sub neural and jex bonding to give it a formidable presence, let alone shielding that thankfully.“ Corky turned to face them.
“Lumark had the foresight to see could be fused, with reactance, created to the level it could be destroyed. We must never forget, however impossible they may seem, as adversaries, to defeat, using one’s experience and skills combined with KNOWLEDGE! Identify their weaknesses and turn it in on them, can prove a decisive factor in winning.
Unknown to the Kets, Lumark had encountered this thing before, though it was in a game simulation, within the Strat.
That in itself was too much coincidence. Who ran the simulation? They were assessing its capabilities. Calculating the odds, on how long it would be before it could be compromised? Stopped?
Destroyed? It had, he was sure a name. What that was, no matter how hard he tried to remember, he could not! NO!
Was not coming to him anytime soon. He gave up and sipped his Prae tea.
“I never knew Lumark was into the Strat and its simulations, he always seems so quiet.” “I, have asked him before, to join us, he wasn’t very nice in his reply!” Lillia now appearing with Doonan eager to catch up on gossip.
“Ah I think the answer to that Kets, is that Lumark probably wanted someone who can match his reasoning.
It can be a little unnerving at times how he can come up with answers, solutions some of us would never have thought possible." Torvan grinned. "I do know, Lumark does not suffer fools, but I have heard that he spends a fair amount of time with Kinsey." Lillia scolded Torvan.
"They may be different in a lot of ways, but sometimes contrasts, can make a huge difference to a relationship. What Lumark likes work wise, does not apply leisure wise." "But surely the Strat is leisure not work!" "Is it? That level of tech and its just a toy?" Torvan felt a fool. Lillia was right.
In the mines Balyna had been staring at one of the Embrion units. She had that puzzled expression, a mixture of surprise and disbelief. Galyna had joined her and likewise was rather at a loss for words. Balyna summoned up the courage to ask, only to fall silent. Yalyna appeared.
“Did you finish the clone that we had started to produce. The one of Ocasa?” Yalyna stared at them, then at the Embrion, moving closer to it. Leaned down to almost catch her head on the unit as her face reappeared.
If I didn’t and neither of you did, WHO DID and why?” They stared at the small device in her hand. “Without this in place, the emotive response and reasoning codes won't have been initiated.“ Delise had overheard the conversation.
“Are you telling me, the machine released a cloned copy of Ocasa, without its full psyche circuits finished?“ The shock horror or the full realization, that the clone had been released by someone was something at this moment in time, to stay quiet about.
Did Delise know this? “Give me the bad news. This clone, IF it exists, the one of Ocasa has defects?“ Balyna shook her head.
“The Embrion matrix log shows that the clone is a duplicate of Ocasa, in every detail, perfect.“ "So whoever removed that empathy device, must have done it after, the clone had been completed?" There was a pause then a soft giggle from Balyna.
She was growled at by Yalyna! “Let me explain, what we, think might be a problem. IF, the device was removed BEFORE, the clone was completed. Lets say you are cloned and you meet your clone? Four aspects to this, re its psyche.
1. To the clone you are the genuine article, it accepts, that IT, is the clone? 2. Think that IT, is a twin, 3. Think Ocasa is the cloned copy but poses no threat. She paused, glanced a Yalyna. "OR 4. Be hostile towards what IT perceives, has no right to co-exist."
Delise stared at them. Balyna continued talking, ignoring her glare. "There is one other aspect to this. According to the data matrix on this clone, there is nothing recorded as to the life of the Clone." "Are you saying it has no expiration date?" Yalna looked at Balyna. "Think you need to tell them." "Tell us WHAT?"
"I am of the opinion that no, the clone does not expire, it lives as long as it lives. The downside to that may be, its added incentive to remove, what it may see, as a threat.
Ocasa? The real Ocasa? It may seek to terminate him." "OH my!" Howls Delise, turning to leave them. "I need to find Becci!"
Becci had listened to Delise. Not the least bit amused! “PERMANENTLY?!!”
"It knows everything, Ocasa knows, likes, dislikes ..“ There was a pause. “Ok we’ve got to find it and fast!“ “I can’t understand..” Becci was furious. “The logic in releasing the clone whilst Ocasa is still HERE, roaming around?”
“The plan, was to distract Ocasa, lead him off somewhere. Secure him for the night and see if the clone fooled those around him." “You did know, we were planning on releasing the clone of Ocasa. I should add,, we were supposed to. How, is subjective."
Becci had gone to leave. She was stood by the hatch when she stopped causing Delise, to bump into her. She looked over to Balyna. "What do you mean? ‘WE, were supposed to release the clone." Delise, having realized what Becci had said, had the same puzzled look on her face.
"Are you telling me you didn’t?“ Balyna was making it clear, that none of them had! However it was mumbled.
“Well is that a yes, you did release the clone, or NO!“ Becci was close to blowing a fuse! Her face had gone red and she had slapped her hands down by her side, before stamping her feet?
Yalna was on the defensive. “Don't blame us! Two Kets were supposed to be on guard. Someone must have slipped past them!" Becci scrunched her nose her eyes fixed on them. “Or it was one of them?” A thought had crossed her mind. Maybe, one of them, had released the clone, more than able to complete the sequencing, knowing there was some urgency involved?
“Its probably OK. Might even have been the Embrion that finished the sequence.
We might accidentally have left the timing circuit on." Balyna omitted, the removal of the empathy device. The Embrion could not have pulled that out! Becci had mellowed. There were too many options, but it didn't pay to be paranoid.
She was quite happy to go with the possibility, that one of those on guard, had finished the cloning sequences and removed the device. Now to find out WHO had been there. Delise was more concerned with finding the REAL, Ocasa!
They left the Triplets to start programming the Embrion ready for the cloning to begin in full.
If the Ocasa clone worked? But first they had, to find Ocasa! Get him out of the way BEFORE someone saw BOTH of them!
As for both, coming together? That scenario played out? Did not bear thinking about!
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