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The Kets were selective, about WHO, exactly went down into the mine workings, at any given time. Recent events, meant those allowed near the Embrionic units, or to know about their existence, were reduced.
The cover story re retrieving the power cells and such, was perfectly plausible. Leaked to the extent that even Fre and Illia, who had been suspicious no longer, gave what they were up to, a second thought.
Nor were some of the Kets, who vanished for hours on end, sometimes into the next day, stopping there overnight, missed.
Once settled into the accommodation, Becci and Ameryst waited for some new arrivals, these were Elder Kets, sworn to secrecy, who were needed to help them change, some of the design parameters of the Embrionic units.
Aniette who had been the first to discover the Embrion, was present. Also Colfra and Cxan, on guard duties.
Both Embrionic units were joined like some Siamese twin. Ceila had raised the idea of there being more than one unit.
One of the Elder Kets, Minze who could be trusted, to keep quiet about events, the Embrionic machines and what the Kets were up to? Examining the machines he had shown them his calculations. They sort of glanced at them, pretending to understand what he was on about? You know the usual, 'Let em talk, think they're being impressive, ego trip.
That did, go on a lot longer than they had anticipated, it would appear a lot of calculations, estimations, statistics hmm yeah ok.. Yawn. "So these materials and this will be needed." Ah a list now handed to Delise. Cxan interrupted her.
“So we don’t have anyone who has 'ACTUAL' cloning knowledge, only those who have theoretical and scientific evaluation, but not PRODUCING the real thing on a regular basis?"
“We’re gambling.“ It was Becci, the others looked at her, she could see some consternation on their faces. “I don't like to emphasize this B but, we have to produce clones that can stay active for however long we need them to be copies and to be fool proof, where the other Kets are concerned."
"I don’t think that’s too difficult. “Becci didn’t sound convincing. Delise knew a heck of a lot more and she knew, the sophistication of this tech was not something you played with.
Becci was still trying to convince her. “Its not, all we are doing is bundling a few ingredients together, mixing it all up and and. “
Her voice tailed off. “Look. I might as well ask everyone here. Anyone got any suggestions. “
No one said anything for a moment. Lillia moved forward to speak. Doona watching her and those around her, protective of her.
“I've been out of this for some days. Not that I haven't been giving it some thought, since the revelation about the
Embrionic unit, came to the fore. I knew there was likely to be a problem.“ She paused.
The others didn’t stare, more resigned to whatever she had to say, probably unlikely, to be of any significance but?
“It seemed to me, if you were wanting to cook something special, you wouldn't go to a rock berber. (Climber)
Which means, if you want to produce clones then you need the right persons to do that.“
Some might have been thinking. ‘Talk about the obvious.’ Eyes glanced at Lillia then at Doona some about to say something but decided otherwise.
“I think.“ Becci added. “That pretty much sums it up.“ Lillia ignored her comments. “Does anyone know of the planet Galweis?“ It was, judging by the silence that followed; obvious that no one did.
“Well its a planet, that was occupied some millennia ago, by settlers. Everything went well, for some decades, then gradually the population started to die back, the females were not producing.” She was watching their reaction, amused to see, how some of the not so interested Kets, were now paying attention.
“Their Scieste’s [scientists] had discovered the rocks that had been used to build the colonies, released a gas, that sterilised the males. So the women could not produce babies.
They had been using cloning machines, clones for trips into mines and other areas where it might have been dangerous or life threatening for their own to go.
Other races and would be colonists, gave the planet a wide berth. Traders stayed clear. Amongst their Sciestes, were some, who had contrived an idea that was shocking but radical.
Clones? BUT very sophisticated. Those who were dying, could live again through their cloned bodies. Longevity could be built into the clones. They aged as per the original.
What a Galweis Scieste, does not know about cloning and the tech that goes with it? The population in less than two years doubled BUT, there was an unseen side effect.
Kets produced had all the same features, colour of eyes, colour of hair. IDENTICAL in every detail, male and female CLONES.“ “Oh my.“ Squealed Becci.
“HOWEVER. “ Lillia glared, GLARED at Becci. She went quiet. Lillia obviously thought that was her cue to continue.
“They managed to resolve those issues. Which is why now, they DON’T all have the same eye colours or hair colours or all look identical. BUT.
Investment in the new technologies and they were off. Over the years, their skills grew at an astonishing rate. They became the planet to seek advice on cloning and those corporations producing cloning machines often trialed new machines and concepts with them.
Remember that the Embrionic units come from the Humana who invented them, called Pettifer."
She turned to stare in the direction of Cxan and Ameryst. “Some of you have already made contact with some of the Galweis.“ Cxan and Ameryst looked puzzled. “Cxan were you not talking to Balyna? You Ameryst, were you not talking to Galyna yesterday?“
Ameryst nodded, even if Cxan was still in the throes of working through, those he had recently said hello to, or made new friends with. Ah yes. The female with the striking red hair." "They’re both Galweis CLONES. Oh and one aspect of their personality, DON’T tell them they're clones.
They don’t take hearing others calling them that, They can get testy." She grinned, it was almost a smirk. “What I am trying to say, is that I know, they, have extensive knowledge re every aspect of CLONING.
Able to get resources, information and a whole lot more on the Embrionic units, the cloning mods and more." There were murmurs. Lillia had gained a lot of respect and admiration. They had to decide HOW they were going to approach the Galweis.
Lillia nodded to Doona. He stepped over to the hatch, pressed the panel and the hatch slid open. In stepped three females. Cxan instantly recognised the red hair one, the female Balyna. Ameryst smiling as she recognized the blue hair on the female Galyna. Lillia had been spot on.
Together the females had one VERY clear common feature. Two distinct rings on their left arm. None of them tried to hide it. Only the Galweis have it.
“We hear you’ve found an old Embrionic Interfuser.“ ‘Hmm’ thought Becci ‘So that’s what it's known as.’
They let them see the units, Galyna smiled, “Ancient in comparison to the type of devices we now use. But, good enough from what Lillia has told us, for what you want to use it for, with a few minor tweaks.“ Stepping over to a small column unit, she pushed her hand against it, a panel slid open.
Placing her hand inside the inner space, she pulled out a small triangular shaped object? The outer shell almost metallic looking casing, flicked back as her fingers retrieved from it, a large crystal.. "Lets hope it still has the manifest coding on it."
She passed it to Balyna who took it then moved towards the Embrion unit? They watched as she placed the crystal onto the unit. Twisting it slightly, as they heard a clicking sound. It lit up. The flicker of a blue stream of energy across the crystal.
The powering up, of the holographic screen, with the face of a female, talking in a language they did not understand. Balyna spoke, was it in the same language, issuing a command?
"Initialize manifest coding sequences, display." A stack of symbols appear. "Bit primitive but its all there. The first phase satisfactory. Now we can move onto checking both units, followed by recoding sequences for longevity of the Clone and other aspects as required."
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