When Tracy woke up, Jazon was gone and Lieutenant Vasco slept curled up in a blanket nearby. Into her thoughts, Jazon said, “Go back to sleep. I am on duty.” Too tired to need permission, Tracy laid her head down and closed her eyes. When next she awoke, it was to a commotion in the hall. Vasco was at the door before she had managed to sit up. Quickly, Tracy dressed. Vasco had opened the door, and warmth from the fire escaped as the sounds of voices entered.
“The blizzard has gotten worse. The generators are shutting down, the ones in the basement. The ones in the laboratory continue to operate,” someone said.
“Tracy, stay here,” Vasco said as he left.
She reactivated the shielding as soon as the door closed. The blaster she had loaned to the big mercenary had been returned and was back on the table near the door. It comforted her to see it. The sounds out in the hall had quieted. Tracy went behind the screen to the waste unit and had just finished peeing when she heard a sound. Holding her breath to listen, she heard the noise again. It was coming from the fireplace. Tracy pressed the button on the waste unit, pulled up her pants, and crept closer to the fireplace.
“It must be a pinecone burning or something,” Tracy mumbled to herself. Then, she screamed.
Captain Agata kept Dr. Arellano and Newlin under observation as they produced more of the antidote. Jazon gave him a nod as he entered the lab. The mercenaries and clones who had died had been incinerated and their deaths properly recorded. He had requested that the necessary but gruesome task be postponed long enough for him to get Tracy out of the lab. Now, he sensed the Arellano and Newlin planned to escape.
“Should we allow them to work together?” Jazon asked Agata.
“I am certain that between our efforts and those of the Galaxic Militia that they won’t get far even if they manage to obtain temporary freedom.”
Making no effort to hide his telepathic scans of their thoughts, Jazon watched for a while as the two men worked. Newlin concentrated on escape. However, Arellano’s fears were of the contagion spreading and for the remaining clone’s life. Jazon looked over at the clone. Of course, he looked exactly like the former ambassador. However, the clone wore long tan play-pants, a red sweater, exercise shoes, and sat playing on the floor with a color shape. Babysitting duty had gone to a mercenary who had been injured by a swipe from one of the reanimated ice bears.
“He’s an innocent child in all of this. He didn’t ask to exist,” Dr. Arellano said.
Jazon looked over at him. “In a way, he did. He is Felix Jiri, down to the smallest molecule. Isn’t he?”
“Please, try to understand for his sake. Yes, he shares the same physical traits. However, without the memory transfer, he will grow and develop mentally as an individual. His own experiences and observations will mold him into the person he is to become if you give him the chance,” Dr. Arellano pleaded.
“It isn’t up to me. I’m following orders. However, for your complete cooperation, I will contact my superiors and ask permission to let you keep it. Perhaps, they will grant you a hearing,” Jazon said.
“Yes, yes, I will agree to those terms.” He swiveled back around to his work. “Tracy might be right about you. She believes you are honorable.”
Jazon stilled at the compliment.
“Stanley would be proud of the man you have become, married and an Imperial Guard. You should visit him,” Dr. Arellano suggested.
“You know Dr. Crispus?” Jazon asked.
“Yes, I thought I knew him quite well several years ago, but that was before everything changed.” The doctor tapped his head. “The need for a family is instinctual among Laconians. Your father and I both understand that intimately. However, there are some who come from large families who take it for granted. He lifted his chin back toward the clone. “For example, Lord Jiri cares more for power and wealth than for what truly matters. Family is what is important. That need is what drove me to my own research. I couldn’t sire a child. My clones are my children.”
Angrily, Jazon said, “They aren’t your children any more than my brothers and I are Dr. Crispus’ children.”
“Oh, is that so? Did he nurture and care for you? Did he teach you to care for yourself? Did he see to your education?”
“Yes, before he began killing us with his experiments,” Jazon said coldly.
Dr. Arellano met and held Jazon’s eyes with his own. “May you never understand the depth of pain it took to break your father’s mind.”
Even though his words were sincere, they chilled Jazon as he felt her fear. “Tracy,” he said before he ran from the lab.
From within the fireplace, beady eyes peered back at Tracy. She backed up and then ran for the blaster. Her hand closed upon the weapon just as she heard squeaking sounds. Tracy jumped up onto the table, fastened the holster around her hips, and leaned over trying to reach the defensive shield on the door. The table wobbled under her. The movement of the table had made her feet feel sweaty and had put a frightened ache into her knees. She settled and tried to balance.
The rat had crawled out of the fireplace and had been followed by another. The second one lifted upon its haunches and scented at the air. She could see its nose as it made its whiskers move. Then, it seemed to focus on her location, and it scurried toward her. Tracy set the blaster to the lowest level and fired before it could get farther than the center of the room. Stunned, the rat laid still. Two more rats came down from the chimney, heedless of the fire. The flames caught on the fur of one of the rats. Unconcerned with the flames that had begun to burn it alive, the rat, along with the others, attacked the stunned rat and began eating it alive.
Horrified at its screams, Tracy stunned them all and fumbled with the shielding. As she opened the door, Jazon was jogging toward her from down the hall. “Tracy, what’s wrong?” Tracy glanced into his solid black eyes and then grabbed ahold of his shirt and began climbing up his back. “Shit,” he said as he saw in her mind what had happened. Through a com-link on his wrist, he said, “Vasco, get to our room and bring a crate and some gloves.” Jazon stunned the rats again when they started moving.
After Vasco arrived and boxed up the rats, the three of them returned to the lab. The stun from the blasts had worn off, and they began to hurl themselves against the inside of the crate. The scaping of their claws and agitated sounds they made transitioned into that of fighting. It made Tracy’s hair stand on end.
“Oh, dear. It seems these rats ingested the infected bears, the ones who ate the contaminated clones.” Dr. Arellano had performed autopsies on the rats and recorded all of his data before sending them to the incinerator.
Everyone had been ordered to report to the lab. It had been sealed, and the antidote had been released into the ventilation system.
“Tracy, darling,” Jazon began.
“No,” she said before he could finish. She relaxed her hold a bit. She remained on his back, terrified to let her feet touch the floor. She didn’t let go to sit on top of a table until her arms started to shake.
Hours later, Jazon had never been happier to see the Galaxic Militia. A team of them entered wearing protective suits. All of them had to spend a few days in a decontamination tent. Luckily, Jazon got to share one with Tracy. The tents had been set up on the property. The snow had stopped, but the wind made it seem even colder. The tents were insulated, but each time he and Tracy had to give blood samples, cold air rushed inside and forced Jazon to warm his wife up all over again.
He grinned at her. “There is nowhere for you to escape.” Jazon grabbed her bare ankle and made his way up her naked body before covering them both with a thick fur. Her giggles were carried away on the wind.
While Jazon and the others were under quarantine on the frozen planet of Leucon, a heated argument took place between the Parvac Empire and the Laconian Consuls. The result was that both Dr. Arellano and Lord Newlin Ajani would be tried and punished for their crimes by the Laconian government. Biologically, the clone was a Parvac and was awarded to the Empire’s custody.
Jazon and Tracy watched at the land port as the scientists were led away in restraints to a Galaxic Militia starship. The laboratory assistants who had fled the fortress as soon as Jazon and his team had arrived had been arrested while trying to leave the system. Dr. Arellano looked back at Jazon, pleading to him with his eyes. Jazon gave him a nod. He would keep his part of their agreement. Jazon and the inquisitors were furious that the Militia was absconding with the two Laconians.
“We aren’t done, yet. We still need to pay Tracy’s stepfather a visit. It would be rude of me not to pay my respects to my new stepfather-in-law. We need to learn with whom he partnered. I still suspect Lord Radford, but we have no proof of his involvement.”
“What about the men who tried to take me on Epopeus?”
The thought of seeing Duran Jarreau upset Tracy. Jazon looked at her. Since each of the ice bears had been incinerated as a precaution, he had purchased an expensive ice bear coat and matching boots for her. Her black hair blew in the cold breeze in contrast to the white fur framing her face, and her solid black eyes looked almost human from all of the pleasure he had been rolling through her. The visible sclera surrounding her eyes filled him with pride. Any male who saw those eyes of hers would know that he took good care of his wife.
Jazon offered Tracy his arm. “Shall we leave Leucon?”
“Stars, yes!”
Jazon helped Tracy into the Galaxic transport taking them to their ship. Once they were all onboard their merchant vessel, Jazon left Tracy in charge of the clone and joined Agata and Vasco on the bridge. The inquisitors were just as furious as he was at the political maneuvering that had occurred. What kept them from hunting Arellano and Ajani down and retaking them by force from the Militia was that Jazon had already taken from the cloning specialists’ minds everything that he and his team wanted to know. With his bonding to Tracy, Jazon had become an even stronger telepath.
“We will need to be quick if we are to find Jarreau and Radford before the Militia,” Agata said.
“Recommendations?” Jazon asked.
“Trambelus Space Station lies at the center of the Laconian Sector. We can hunt our prey on the way there and then be poised to strike in any direction,” Agata suggested.
Jazon nodded his agreement.
“What are we going to do with the clone?” Vasco asked.
Jazon grimaced. “The fuck if I know. All I do know is that Tracy won’t forgive any of us if we dispose of it.”
Agata said, “The Emperor can decide.”
“I don’t want to think how seeing Felix’s clone will affect Teagan or Empress Neema. I’ll confer with Inquisitor Beck at once.” Jazon went to a console and contacted their superior officer.
Eli listened to Jazon with a steely expression. “The clone may prove advantageous.”
“How? Currently, he has reached the stage of a ten-year-old.”
Eli nodded. “Should Jiri make any misguided attempts at influencing events within the Talpa Sector or elsewhere, the clone could be used to undermine his orders. Keep it alive for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh, and Jazon, congratulations. Your Laconian bride is lovely.”
Jazon grinned at him. “She’s smart, too. Ponidi out.”
Tracy put the clone on the couch and tuned the vid-screen to a children’s program that her little brothers enjoyed. She smirked when it had the desired effect and held him enthralled.
“Oh, no!”
Tracy rushed to the medical bay and fed mussels to the sea stars in their tank. She was relived they had been hardy enough to survive a few days without food. She was also relieved to be on a nice modern starship and far from the creepy old fortress on Leucon. Tracy sent her thoughts to Jazon. “Let’s not go back to that planet ever again.”
Into her mind, he said, “I can’t make any promises, darling. I’m sorry.”
Tracy sent her husband a mental grumble of annoyance. All Jazon did was send a wave of love to her through the empathic bond he had created between them. It was still a very odd but welcome sensation to her. Tracy returned to the small living area.
“Are you hungry?” she asked the clone.
He nodded.
“Okay. Turn off the vid-screen and come sit at the table.”
The clone minded her which for a boy was almost as strange as speaking to him from within the body of a grown male. Tracy heated a meal from the cold storage unit and placed it, along with utensils and a glass of water, in front of him. Then, she got something for herself.
“I can’t keep calling you clone. You need a name. Would you like that?”
He smiled at her, and in that moment Tracy truly comprehended the innocence within the being across the table from her. However he had come into being, he was a person with thoughts and emotions of his own. He wasn’t a thing. He didn’t deserve to be treated with disgust and apathy any more than Jazon had deserved it. He was an innocent, helpless being in desperate need of care, compassion, and understanding.
Tracy smiled at him. “You seem like an Andy to me. Do you like the name Andy?” He nodded. “Can you say yes, Andy?”
Andy only smiled and continued to feed himself.
A determination to advocate for Andy infused her. After they had finished eating their meal, Tracy began teaching Andy basic words. Then, she created a schedule for him. They spent an hour learning, an hour playing, had a snack, and then had naptime. Tracy tucked Andy in on the couch, dimmed the lighting, and sat in a chair nearby to study learning programs for children. After careful consideration, she selected a program for Andy.
“We will start this tomorrow,” Tracy said to herself.
Andy’s clothing was in a crate. She didn’t know what to do with it or where she would make a room for him. She felt Jazon directing her thoughts to the confinement cell.
“Absolutely not! You can’t lock a child away all alone.”
However, by the time they docked on Trambelus, Tracy saw the wisdom in his suggestion and had a list. She gave it to Jazon.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Those are items I want you to go purchase.”
“Tracy,” Jazon almost whined.
“Either you go and buy them, or you babysit Andy so that I can go shopping.”
Jazon sighed in defeat. Aside from not wanting his little female wandering around on the space station, he couldn’t say no to her. “As you wish, darling,” Jazon said.
Agata and Vasco were grinning at him. “I’ll join you,” Vasco offered.
“When Jazon gets back, we will make you your very own room! Won’t that be fun?”
“Yes, Tracy,” Andy said with a genuine smile.
Agata watched them. To see the form of Felix but with the mind and spirit of a child was an incongruity with which he struggled. Ambassador Jiri had been one of the most powerful and feared men of the Parvac Empire. Now, a child occupied a duplicate of his body, and the real Felix was presumed to be in the Talpa Sector or on his way there. Agata sipped his coffee and continued his observations. Then, he sent a coded communication to Eli Beck.
“Report,” Eli ordered.
“Might I make a proposal?”
“I’m listening.”
Agata said, “Reconstructive surgery.”
Eli processed his words. “Understood.”
“Agata out.”
Eli could propose his suggestion if he wished. With a few minor adjustments, Andy could look like one of Felix’s cousins. However, it wasn’t Agata’s job to decide the clone’s fate.
“That was kind of you,” Tracy said.
Agata met her eyes. “This situation isn’t as simple as I had originally perceived it to be. However, before Andy’s fate can be decided, we have other matters with which to contend. Tracy, as you are aware, we search for Jarreau and his accomplice, who we suspect to be Radford. With your assistance, our search could be expedited.”
“How?” she asked quietly. “They killed him for what turned out to be useless data. They took him from my brothers, mother, and me.” Tracy’s eyes spilled over as anguish rushed through her. “They took him away and corrupted his research.”
Concern crossed over Andy’s face. He patted Tracy’s back as she often did to him when he was frustrated. She smiled at him. Then, she turned her smile and eyes full of unshed tears to Agata.
“You didn’t know him. You never got to meet him. He was such a good man.” Love for her father and grief for his loss warred for control of her expression.
“Your father’s goodness is there for all of us to see through you and the example you have set with Andy.” Tracy ducked her chin at the compliment. “Tracy, you can help us to find them.”
“How? It seems so hopeless. By now, they could be anywhere.”
Agata slid his view screen across to her. “Call your mother,” he quietly suggested.
“My mother?” Tracy asked incredulously. “She’s not the same. Duran controls her now. She’s his puppet.”
“Regardless of that, you remain a powerful string. She will answer your call. The longer you keep the communications link open between you, the more successful I will be at pinpointing their planetary location.”
“Father would want her to know what they did to him and to our family.” The smile had vanished from her small pale face, and she wiped at her eyes with her fingers.
“You must not tell her that. It would place her in danger. Instead, tell her you are in trouble and that you need her. Act frightened. Tell her men tried to rescue you on Epopeus and failed,” Agata said. “Give me a moment to set up. I’ll com you in a moment.” He paused after he stood. When Tracy gave him a small nod, he took the lift up to the bridge.
Tracy activated an interactive learning program for Andy to keep him occupied. When Agata signaled, she was ready. It surprised her when her mother actually accepted her call. A large part of her had expected to be rejected.
“Tracy, are you alright?” she asked. Her mother looked relaxed. She was resting on a patio with a drink in her hand. It was in a fancy green glass with a flower on its rim.
“No, I’m not.”
“What’s the matter? Is it Strass, again?” Her mother put down her drink and pulled the edges of her dark-blue, see-through duster around herself, hiding her swim dress.
“Strass?” Tracy asked.
“You’re obviously upset. He is usually the cause.” Her mother’s brow wrinkled as she observed the setting behind her daughter. “Tracy, where are you?”
“Mother, I’m in trouble.”
“Why are you not at home? Tell me where you are this instant!”
“Mother, I haven’t been home in over a week. I think. I’m not sure.”
“That’s ridiculous. Angelica sends me vids of you and the boys each day.” Tracy’s incredulous expression rivetted up her mother’s anxiety.
“I’m on a merchant ship. I was on my way to Epopeus to become a research assistant. They want some formula based on Father’s research. I don’t know what will happen to me if they don’t get it.”
She knew her mother, and the expression on her face said she didn’t believe her. “Are you telling me the truth? Are you doing this because I have remarried?”
“If you don’t believe me, ask Lord Radford. He sent men to rescue me on Epopeus. You didn’t even know I was missing?” Lucky for Tracy, her mother didn’t know that she had called to have her missing person status revoked. She had been prepared to tell her mother that she had been forced to make that call.
Tracy didn’t learn her mother’s answer. Instinctively, she cringed as a hand shot down, took the vid-screen from her, and deactivated it.
“Perfect,” Agata said.
“Yes, Jarreau won’t get anything from his wife’s mind that he doesn’t already know,” Jazon said from where he and Vasco entered from the lift. “Yanking the vid-screen away as though she had been caught was a nice touch.” Each of the men carried several large bags.
“Thank you. Jarreau had learned of his wife’s communication and was attempting to trace it,” Agata explained.
“Do you know where they are?” Vasco asked.
“Yes, they remain out in the open on Sinope. Furthermore, I will receive notice each time Lady Jarreau sends or receives a communication. Are we clear to depart?” Agata asked.
“Affirmative,” Jazon answered.
Agata bowed deeply to Tracy. Then, he and Vasco went to the bridge.
“Come on, Andy,” Jazon said.
“May I?” Andy asked Tracy.
“Yes, you may. Let’s see what Jazon and Vasco got you for your room.” Tracy smiled at him and tried to appear happy. Apparently, Duran was keeping everything from her mother.
“He’ll pay,” Jazon stated.
They followed Jazon to the confinement cell where the shielding had been deactivated. From one compressed bag, Jazon pulled out a long pad and waited for it to refill with air. Then, he attached it to the bunk.
Tracy had started emptying another bag. “Look, Andy! You have coloring books, crayons, snap together blocks, and a keyboard! These toys will be so much fun. We can put all of your toys in that crate after we put your clothes away.” Tracy found the collapsible cloth shelving she had requested and secured it to the wall. “What should we put on the top shelf?” she asked Andy.
He thought for a moment. “Shirts.”
Together, they put his clothing away while Jazon made up the bunk with colorful sheets, blankets, and some pillows. Then, he did something unexpected and handed Andy a big stuffed ice bear. Andy hugged the bear to his chest and gave Jazon a huge smile. Jazon smiled back at him.
At dinner, Captain Agata and Lieutenant Vasco decided to bring up a topic which they feared would be met with a great deal of hostility. Thus far, the quiet meal had been interrupted only by the sound of their dinnerware. They all seemed to take enjoyment from the peaceful respite. Eventually, Agata and Vasco began to stare pointedly Jazon. He concentrated on his food and tried to ignore them.
However, Tracy noticed and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Trying ineffectually to mask his annoyance with the two inquisitors, he said, “It’s nothing.” If Vasco and Agata’s suggestion didn’t go as he expected and got him into trouble with Tracy, he’d take it out on both of them mercilessly in the ring.
Vasco said, “Lady Tracy, Parvac is a warrior based society. It is expected that every Parvac male know how to defend himself and those under his protection. Typically, boys begin defensive instruction at three years of age. Regardless of from where Andy came, he is a Parvac, and he is several years behind in his training.”
Tracy’s eyes had gone wide, and she clutched her napkin to her chest. “Fighting? You want to teach our sweet boy to fight?”
Jazon kept his expression blank.
“Being what he is and who he resembles, it is imperative that he learn to defend himself. Andy is sweet, and he has none of the character traits from the one from whom he was derived. It is for those very reasons that we are concerned. If we do not begin his training, we do Andy a grave injustice. As it is, you have been influencing him to be far too effeminate. You are teaching him to color and play with dolls,” Agata said in as polite and controlled manner as he could manage. As a Parvac male, it embarrassed and concerned him. Every male served in the military and was expected to fight in the Empire’s defense if called upon.
Vasco said, “He needs to be able to defend himself if he is to be one of us. The fact that he was cloned and isn’t the real Felix may not matter to some people. It is our duty to teach him to defend himself. Surely, you realize that if we do not teach him, it would be neglectful of us?”
“Train me for what?” Andy asked.
Tracy said, “It is important to know how to defend yourself. Here on the ship, we are all friends. However, we aren’t always around friends. Sometimes, there are dangerous situations that we are unable to avoid. My brothers and I all attended defensive training classes. Vasco and Agata want to teach you to protect yourself.”
Jazon chuckled at the looks on Vasco and Agata’s faces.
“You told us it would upset her,” Vasco said.
Jazon looked over at him mischievously. “Yeah, I did. I was bored,” he said with a shrug.
Andy had an excited and expectant look. He asked, “Training as in fighting? Do you mean like in The Wrath of the Snow King?”
Tracy was horrified. “Andy, what were you doing watching that movie? I didn’t give you permission to watch that!” When Tracy had first seen the movie, it had given her nightmares.
“You didn’t say I couldn’t,” Andy said with a small shrug.
Agata and Vasco had never heard of the Laconian movie. The men decided to watch it with Andy. Having no interest in seeing the gory battle scenes again, Tracy sat in the kitchen at the table and read.
“I don’t understand something,” Andy said.
“What is it?” Jazon asked.
“Well, you and Tracy are Laconian, and Agata and Vasco are Parvacs, right?”
“Correct, but Tracy and I are Parvac citizens just as they are.”
That piece of overheard information made Tracy’s spine lengthen nervously. She hadn’t given it much thought. The idea of residing with Jazon in the Parvac Empire as one of its citizens was rather terrifying.
Andy said, “Well, in all of the movies, Parvacs are bad. The Laconians always defeat them.”
“Yes, but movies are just pretended,” Jazon said.
“Are Parvacs bad?”
Agata spoke up. “The movies are a cultural reaction to the ongoing wars that lasted for generations amongst our peoples. Movies such as The Wrath of the Snow King were a way for viewers to have a psychological outlet for their feelings of fear and hopelessness. They provide entertainment but also are a form of propaganda against the Empire. Our past wars and incursions created animosity between our races.”
“So, do I get to learn to fight like the Snow King? Do I get a blaster?” Andy asked with boyish excitement.
After that evening, the men decided it was time for them to take over Andy’s education. Without Andy consuming her spare time, Tracy had more time to worry.
She paced nervously back and forth across the decking. “How are we going to get Mother away from Duran? What if she doesn’t believe us? Yes, we know what Duran did, but what actual evidence do we have? If she is to be convinced, I must present her with irrefutable evidence. You know the psychological hold an Eriopis male has on a wife. Duran will know every thought she has.” She was too nervous about her mother to even notice the two moons of Sinope through the viewport.
“One thing at a time, Tracy. First, we go in for a visit. Agata and Vasco will cover the property in order to prevent Duran from getting away,” Jazon said.
Tracy shook her head and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I have a feeling that something is terribly wrong.”