Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Three days later
“That’s your home? I don’t see a station.” Anna stared out of the front window of the cockpit. It looked like a gray moon to her or a dead planet. It sure wasn’t one with oxygen or life on it. She wasn’t an expert, but a living planet would probably be as colorful as Earth.
“The station is located deep inside a crater.”
“Why?”
“It was a mining operation. The company wanted it built as close to the core as possible to make drilling easier and cheaper. The crater also protects the station from asteroid strikes that sometimes hit the surface.”
“Why did the company abandon it again?”
“Mining operations were shut down after they stripped the resources and it wasn’t profitable anymore. At that point, the company will find a new place to mine. These types of stations aren’t like Riddle. They are designed to remain in one location instead of orbiting a planet. The majority of the station machinery is dedicated to mining instead of having engines and thrusters to make it mobile.”
“I understand. This company won’t come back to reclaim it?”
“We’re not near any tourist destinations, other space stations, or settled colony planets. It’s why we picked this location. It’s so far out of the way that it’s useless to everyone else.” He paused. “The only mining station that the company kept operational after they’d stripped it bare of natural resources is directly between Earth and four planets humans have colonized. The company earns a steady income from their shops and doing vessel repairs.”
“That makes sense.”
Anna was glad that they’d finally reached their destination. Fig had insisted on sleeping in the cockpit and had only left to take quick bathroom breaks ever since they’d flown away from that other shuttle. He’d been worried that Marisol had lied and would try to track them.
Fond memories had been made in that pilot seat. She’d taught Fig the joys of a woman being on top during sex. He was always up, literally, for that kind of fun. Anna could happily say that he was a fast learner and a wonderful lover. She’d also become very fond of his cock.
Anna missed sleeping with him in his bed, though. She loved being curled against him while they slept. He was a cuddler. So was she…with him. Fig’s main priority currently was making certain they were safe.
She appreciated his dedication to keeping her and the other clones from being discovered. It had given them lots of time to talk and get to know each other better. Fig was a sweet man, thoughtful, and everything she’d always dreamed of finding in a life partner. Anna felt grateful to have crossed paths with him.
Worry did nag at her over how Fig’s friends would react to their relationship. She’d fallen in love with him. It would break her heart if he changed his mind about being her husband. That possibility did exist, and their relationship was still so new.
It was clear that humans had done a lot of terrible things to clones with every story Fig shared about his time on Clone World. He had great reasons to be wary. She hoped the other clones weren’t biased against her for having the mind of a human.
One fact gave her hope, though. His friend Blade had fallen in love with an actual human, and Hailey was living in the mining station. Not only that, but the clones also brought her human parents to live with them. Anna figured they wouldn’t have done that if they honestly hated humans.
“Anna?”
She turned her head, gazing at Fig. “I’m sorry. I was lost in my thoughts.”
“What’s wrong?” Concern showed in his blue eyes.
Fig was very attuned to her emotions. Anna didn’t deny that something was bothering her. She wanted a completely honest and open relationship with him. That meant always keeping communication between them wide open. “I’m just hoping that your friends approve of us being together.”
“You make me happy. That’s all they will care about.” He stretched his arm out toward her from where he sat in the pilot’s seat. “You don’t need to be concerned. They are going to love you as much as I do.”
She reached out from the passenger seat to clasp his hand. Just touching Fig made her feel better. “I’m an old lady inside this new and improved body. They might have a problem with that.”
“You’re younger than Gemma in actual Earth years.”
He’d shared Big and Gemma’s story. “She was dead for a long time before being given a clone body, so she’s lived a shorter time than I have if we get technical about it.”
“You’re very wise, Anna. That is a great advantage. You don’t have to struggle as much as Gemma did by adjusting to being a clone. She died before DJD Clone Corp began growing us inside vats for commercial use.”
“That would be a shock to wake up in the future and learn how much has changed. I bet that was really difficult for her.”
“Big worried about her mental state for a while.”
“Well, you and your friends can be assured that I’m only feeling blessed and thrilled. There’s no depression to be found here. Just nervousness about how your friends are going to react to me.”
“They will like you, Anna. I am the one nervous to see them. It has been a long time since I’ve been home.”
“I still don’t understand why you all had such a hard time living together after you were freed from Clone World or why you left your home base in the first place.”
“It was a lot of factors combined,” Fig admitted. “I told you that we never had any days off while working on Clone World. All of us were kept extremely busy at first after we moved onto the station, getting everything up and running. Once that was done, though, we had nothing but time on our hands. Freedom had been a dream that started to feel like a nightmare. Boredom set in. Tempers grew shorter.”
“I can understand that.”
He squeezed her hand and then released it, tapping at something on his control console. “I left to find adventure, but mostly, I just discovered loneliness.”
“Why didn’t you go back home?”
“Part of me was searching for a reason to live.” He smiled at her. “I found you.”
“Yes, you did. Lucky me.”
“I’m the lucky one. I need to let Big know we’re approaching. Buckle in tight.”
Anna did as he said and watched as they flew toward one of the many craters on the gray, dull surface. She’d seen dozens of them in that area. They were all massive dark holes. “How do you know which crater is the correct one?”
“It looks like a map to me. One I know well.”
They flew into utter blackness as Fig took them into one of the massive craters. It was far deeper than she’d imagined. He used sensors instead of his eyesight since she couldn’t see anything out of the front viewscreen.
“Don’t we have exterior lights on this shuttle?”
“I didn’t want to frighten you as I weave through the large asteroids we’ve seeded inside to protect the station. It can look as if we’re going to crash into them. We’re not.”
“I trust you. What does seeded mean?”
“We pulled large meteors inside the crater and secured them in place. Anyone scanning will only see huge masses of rocks. They hide the station and are buffers in case any other meteorites manage to land inside our crater. They’ll hit them instead.”
“I’m going to stop asking questions about that now. There’s a saying on Earth that comes to mind. I can’t fear what I don’t know about.”
“That’s a false statement. Ignorance means not being aware of a danger, but it can still harm you.”
She laughed. “That’s true enough, but you get the point, right? I don’t want to think about how you keep the station safe or what could possibly go wrong. It might give me nightmares later.”
“Understood.” He paused. “I’m about to dock.”
Anna stared out the front, still not seeing anything. It remained pitch black. She felt heavy vibrations from the shuttle, but then everything stilled. Even the engine sounds ceased. The sudden silence felt eerie.
Fig stared, shutting down parts of the console. “We’re safely docked and secured. Are you ready to meet everyone?”
“You forgot to let anyone know we were here.”
He unbuckled from his seat and stood. “I sent a ping. They are aware that we’ve arrived. Big would have been tracking us as soon as we entered this solar system. The ping was just a formality to let them know everything is fine.”
Anna unbuckled from her seat, and Fig took her hand. “A formality, huh?”
“Yes. To assure them that I’m not under duress. There are security protocols we carefully follow.”
“Is all that necessary?”
“Yes.” Fig led her out of the cockpit and through the shuttle.
Anna clasped his hand tightly, feeling nervous all over again. Fig had taken her belongings from Riddle Station after her death. All her clothing was slightly too big and ill-fitting since her new body was trim and a little taller. Age no longer stooped her shoulders or back.
She had on her nicest two-piece outfit. The top was oversized enough to fall to her hips with the matching patterned split skirt pants. “Floral prints always looked good on me before. Now I just look like I’ve borrowed my grandma’s clothing. Are you sure I shouldn’t change into something else? I want to make a good impression.”
That had Fig laughing. “You look beautiful. I like the pink flowers with dark orange centers.”
“These coneflower daisies were always my favorite. I grew them in my little backyard garden. It’s why I bought this outfit. I saw it in the store and thought I’d take a little bit of home with me on my travels.”
“Then it’s the perfect choice to wear.” He stopped in front of a big airlock door and lifted her hand, bent a little, and placed a kiss on it. “Take deep breaths, my love. They will love you as much as I do. Are you ready?”
Anna nodded. She also felt warmth spread through her chest at his words, catching that he’d said how he felt about her. It was always wonderful to hear him say it, and she’d never get tired of hearing him tell her that. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Just don’t change your mind about being my husband if they don’t like me. Please.”
“Nothing, and no one could do that. You are mine forever.”
That helped her breathe easier. “Same. Let’s get out there.”
He released her and tapped at the controls. A pop and hiss sounded before the airlock door moved. It swung inward a little but then slid to the side. A well-lit massive area waited.
Fig grabbed her hand and led Anna out of the shuttle and into the biggest docking area she’d ever seen. Unlike the other stations she’d visited, this one didn’t have a long corridor to walk to reach the main area. A group of seven people waited. Three of them were couples, but one man stood apart.
Anna quickly assessed them. Two of the men looked similar in build. They were excessively tall and overly muscled, and both had black hair. She figured they had to be Blade and Big. Fig had told her that they had worked security on Clone World and were the tallest models created.
Two women were at their sides. One was a blonde, and the other had long, curly brown hair. The older couple had to be the human parents of one of the women that Fig had told her about. They had dark brown hair, and from the curls on the woman, she guessed who their daughter had to be. Hailey.
The man who stood apart from the couple was a burly, dark-haired man. Anna guessed that all male clones must have been built in super good shape. She also presumed that must be Rod. He wasn’t as tall as the other two, but he still had to be at least six feet. His expression wasn’t friendly as he glowered back at her.
“You’ve finally come home,” one of the black-haired tall men loudly exclaimed with exuberance. He grinned wide as he approached, bringing the blonde woman with him.
“Big.” Fig pulled Anna forward. “Meet my Anna.” He smiled at the blonde. “Hello, Gemma. It is nice to finally meet you in person.”
“Hello.” Anna resisted the urge to curtsey. Big had that kind of intimidating presence despite his obvious happiness that they were there. His gaze was friendly, and his expression was open.
Big released the blonde and suddenly lunged at Fig. Anna jerked away from him, letting go of his hand as he was swallowed up in a bear hug. The taller clone lifted Fig right off his feet by a few inches.
Fig laughed, hugging him back. “I missed you too.”
Big put him down, loudly patted his back, and then turned his full attention on her. “Welcome to our home, Anna. We are looking forward to getting to know you.”
The pretty blonde woman stepped forward, holding Anna’s gaze. “How are you doing? I’ve been where you are. You can talk to me about anything, and I’m here to help you adjust to the reality of being a clone. Whatever you need. I promise that it gets easier.”
A lot of Anna’s tension faded. “I’m adapting really well. Can I be one hundred percent honest?”
Gemma nodded. “Always.”
“I was eighty-five years old with one foot in the grave, down to just weeks left to live when I met Fig. Waking up as a clone was the best gift I’ve ever been given, besides meeting this wonderful, amazing man I’ve fallen in love with. I appreciate how worried you look, but it’s not necessary.”
“Good.” Gemma’s relief was obvious. “I’m so glad to hear that.”
“We were all worried about how you were fairing emotionally after waking as a clone with all your human memories intact. I’m Blade, and this is my Hailey.” He smiled at Fig. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You too.” Fig gave him a nod but then stared at the other man still standing back. “Rod. How are you?”
“I’m well.”
“Are you home for good too?”
Rod shook his head. “No. I brought Hailey’s parents to her, but I’ll be leaving soon.”
Some of Fig’s good mood seemed to fade. “I wish you’d reconsider.”
Rod glanced at Anna with his dark brown eyes, the look in them serious. He fixed his attention on Fig next. “I overheard something disturbing when I went to pick up Hailey’s parents from Kellerton Station.”
Fig put his arm around Anna, pulling her close. “What?”
“Jorgonson Industries opened a facility on Mandora Station,” the grim-faced clone rasped.
“Shit,” Fig muttered.
“What does that mean?” Anna didn’t like being kept in the dark. “I’ve heard of Mandora, of course. The pleasure cruiser I took after leaving Earth wouldn’t go there, though. It was supposed to be too lawless and dangerous for tourists.”
“The J in DJD Clone Corp stands for Jorgonson,” Fig informed her.
“Only someone who buys clones would link the two companies together if they handled our plasma and medical supplies that keep us alive,” Rod added. “I don’t like that they opened a facility off Earth.”
“I’ll say it again. Perhaps more planets are buying clones and needed another distribution center for plasma shipments.” Blade sighed. “It doesn’t have to be nefarious.”
“Everything DJD Clone Corp does is suspect.” Rod shook his head. “The fact that they are operating under that company name to hide what they truly are from humans implies whatever they are doing there won’t be well met.”
“He believes DJD might be growing clones on that station.” Big’s expression also turned grim. “Ones that would be illegal to produce on Earth because of the stringent laws that govern the company. They risk heavy fines and being shut down when they break the law.” His blue gaze fixed on Anna.
Fig’s hold on her tightened. “I did pay a vast amount to have Anna illegally made. The company wouldn’t have to worry about sanctions or Earth authorities if they operated away from Earth.”
Big tore his attention from Anna to stare at Fig. “Rico Florigo might not be the only owner who secretly orders unblanked clones to be produced for his entertainment.”
“He is their largest client. It’s possible that―”
“We have a more pressing problem.” Fig cut Rod off. “I couldn’t risk transmitting this information to you and decided to say it in person. Another shuttle showed on my sensors when I retrieved Anna. I flew through an asteroid belt to lose it, and we stayed in my retreat until I hoped they’d given up searching for us. That shuttle was still there when we left.”
“Pirates?” Blade tensed. “Tell me that you didn’t allow them to follow you in this direction. I already had to kill a crew of them to regain my freedom and Hailey’s.”
“Not a pirate team.” Fig hesitated, locking gazes with Big. “You need to send a secure transmission to Free. I believe Marisol Florigo and four clones are in that shuttle. She communicated with me in a code that only she would know unless that human is betraying us by setting a trap to recapture us.”
Big blanched.
Rod snarled, sounding like a vicious dog.
“Fuck,” Blade hissed.
The older human woman stepped forward. “I’m Klista Togis, and this is my husband, Sam. We’ve had the Magna in our home prepare a feast to celebrate your arrival.” She darted a look at the men around her. “I don’t understand what’s going on, but discussing it over a meal while it’s still warm is always better. I’m waving the parent card.”
“Good idea, Mom.” Dark-haired Hailey stepped forward. She smiled at Anna. “My parents have officially taken on that role for all of us.”
Gemma left Big’s side to move to Anna’s left, hooking their arms together. “That sounds like a good plan, Klista.” She smiled at Anna. “We’ll walk together, and I’ll tell you what a Magna is so you don’t suffer a shock from seeing one.”
“It’s okay,” Fig assured her when Anna looked to him for guidance. “I’ll be right behind you soon.”
“Okay.” Anna let Gemma lead her across the large docking area. She did feel safe with Fig’s people.
“Magna is a type of service android that cooks and keeps the kitchen clean, and it looks freaky.” Gemma lowered her voice. “They didn’t have anything like that back when I used to be human. It scared the crap out of me. I had visions of killer robots from horror movies when I first saw it. I’ve been assured that all wealthy people own them in their homes these days.”
“I wasn’t wealthy,” Anna admitted. “I did own two bots, though. One kept the floors clean inside my home, and another one cut the grass and trimmed the hedges outside. They were both the economic models that most people can afford on Earth.”
“Well, this station has some nice quarters with service bots that do most of the work for us.” Gemma gave her a warm smile. “Just make sure you remind Figures to add you to the database that controls where you’re going to live. You do not want to be woken up if he gets up before you when one of those bots tries to make a bed you’re still in.”
Anna slowed her pace. “That sounds like a story.”
“One I’m happy to share. I can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t funny at the time. We’re going to be great friends.”
Anna liked hearing that. She glanced back. Fig, Big, Blade, and Rod weren’t following. They were huddled together, talking. The women and the older human couple were with them as a group, though, as they left the docking area to enter a wide, tall corridor.
“They’ll catch up.” Gemma kept her walking, their arms still linked. “Are you really adjusting well to being a clone? We’re family now, and you can talk to me about anything. Consider me a judgment-free zone. I raised two sons who I was very close to.” She lowered her voice. “Sam and Klista are treating us like we’re all their kids, but…” Gemma glanced at the human couple walking about ten feet ahead, lowering her voice. “I’m older than them. Inside, I mean.”
“I’m older than you are in awake years,” Anna whispered back.
Gemma chuckled again. “We’re going to get along famously. I like you already.”
The rest of Anna’s nervousness faded away. She believed things would be fine.