It all started when I was on Amarr, in the empirial medical bay. Yes, yes, the one where the Empress and previous rulers go to get their "royal" implants. I dont look it anymore, but I am of Amarrian descent. I was tapped to join a small group of capsuleers for an experimental jump clone procedure. One that would allow you to jump into a clone not of your own dna. Can you imagine the possibilities? The Jovians with their ancient knowledge of genetics have mastered this ability; proven by the countless spies they've implanted throughout the different Empires.
Getting prepped, Im given a dossier with the requirements of this newly "perfected" science. No current jump clones allowed. They can cause interferrence when your capsule flashes your neural activity upon death, resulting in an incomplete clone. Possibility of permanently becoming deceased. Well, I became a capsuleer to avoid that one. Rule 1 completed, all jump clones destroyed. Rule number two? Pray to your Gods because this hasnt been proven to work yet....with anything. This reminds me of the history of the capsule and its experiments, and the results of having a faulty flash upon capsule explosion. You basically become a vegetable. Well, that explains rule 1, youre either all in or youre out; theres no coming back from this one.
Finally, I sit in a room similar to the one when I first became a capsuleer. All steel. One door, locked. Medical equipment, mostly for installing implants needed for the first jump into a pod. Next to them, on the table beside me, my new clone. Apparently this wasnt a multigender experiment; I was the only female selected while my replacement was male. Well, this should be interesting. If it works, I should be able to jump back into a female body once this process is complete. Should be able to, that is.
I hear a click, snapping me out my trance on my replacement body, the medical officer orders me to lay back down on my table as he enters. As I do, I notice more staff entering. These dont look to be normal doctors, but in my distraction, I feel a sharp, quick pain in my arm. They're injecting me with something now, my muscles feeling weaker. As I lay here, paralyzed, I am wishing I would have used more boosters to build an immunity to this kind of thing. I watch as they hook me up to some wires, using the same plugs as my pod. Doing the same to the lifeless body next to me, I get ready to feel the agonized seconds of death as I switch clone bodies. This feeling never comes though, as the locked door explodes off the hinges and into the room; knocking out one of the medical staff.
All I can do is watch, try as I might to get up, I just cant. Soon, these tall figures enter, all I can see are shadows; the lighting have been disabled during the intial attack. The medical officer is still alive, and he lunges at the shadows. I hear a smack, a yelp, and a thud as he is flung across the room and into a wall. Suddenly, Im shocked with a bolt of energy, almost instantly flinging my conscience into the netherrealm. Similar to getting sucked into the abyss of space as I get flashed in my capsule. Happens so quick, you dont realize it happened, but you experience the pain a few seconds later as you bust out of your goo filled clone sack at the nearest medical bay. Except this time, I didnt wake up in a goo filled clone sack. I woke up in the same room, the lights outside the room flickering. As I sit up, I feel my muscles contract and release. The normal effects of a new clone never have used them purposefully.
I have no shirt. No pants. Stepping off the table, I raid the nearest body of their clothing. The medical officer. I guess he couldnt stand up to those shadows, a large hole in his chest, the edges cauterized. No one had a weapon like that except the Jove. Ive seen the results of their weaponry first hand; when I journied to the graveyard of Amarrian ships caused by the Jovians naval fleet when we attacked them. Dark times those were, but a story for a different time. Heading out into the hallway, I see more rooms, with the other "specimens" I had met earlier in the day. I think it was a day??
Everywhere I turn as I head for the exit, nothing but death. Is there no one else? How did I survive? Throughout my escape, I notice little things, ignoring them as the effects of the clone jump. Im taller. My footsteps are heavier, more forceful. Soon, I reach the last door I remember coming through, the hangar with my ship. I am stricken with disappointment as I enter... My ship, a Legion of the Empire, lies in peices with several others. I see a Rifter though, in the far corner under the armor repairers. Maybe, just maybe, I can fix her up.
As I quickly cross the hangar, I see the bodies of other pilots trying to escape to no avail. Somehow, I am able to recall where and how to apply the repairing tools to the Rifter. The holes in the armor, revealing the hull structure, are quickly restored to a like new condition. Well, as close to "like new" a Minmatar vessel can get. As soon as that thought enters my mind, I snicker, with a second thought of shooting the next Amarrian ship I see. Shaking off the horrid thought, why would I do that? As I place the final peice of armor plating, I see my reflection in the glossy coating for the first time.
THIS ISNT MY CLONE!! As I allow the flow of events to catche up in my mind, it all is clear. The experimental jump clone process was a success! Sadly, everyone involved appears to be dead or missing. Mostly dead. I have no hope of returning to my Amarrian heritage. Ive been imprisoned inside this slave race! I slowly fall to the floor, leaning up against the ship I just fixed. Why havent reinforcements shown up? Where has everyone gone? The Jove! They're everywhere, even the highest realms of the Empires security. Realizing this, combined with the exhaustion, I collapse hard to the floor. Upon awakening from that death like slumber, I sneak into the capsule docked to the Rifter. With no small amount of difficulty, I get connected to the pod interface. Slowly undocking, I dont see any other ships, not even Concorde. Not even the Empire's elite guard. Getting to warp speed, I direct the destination towards Conoban and set autopilot so I can contemplate the recent activities.
Repairing the Rifter to the state I did, thats something I didnt know I could do before. The neural networks connected to my pod seem to be "improved" somehow. I see things easier, I react quicker, my thoughts flow more easily, my memory is coming back to me more quickly now. I was even a little bit attracted to myself when I saw my reflection. I guess the clone I was given was just a normal one. A quick personal scan shows all Ive experienced is due to my "improved" implants. That explains a bit, but not how I knew exactly where to repair my new ship and how to do it. Further scans show that Ive been uploaded with "Elite" level armor defense and repair skills. Well, these new skills will come in handy, but the clone process was interrupted, resulting in partial amnesia. Looks like Ill have to re-learn a few things, but with the new implants and skills I hadnt had before, it should be a breeze.
So now youre up to date on current goings on. Ill be around in the Amarr region for awhile, looking to earn some respect. I dont think Id fit in as a "real" Minmatar rebel yet, so Ill go slowly in that direction. Im sure I can find a job as a mechanic for some Amarrian corporation, they're always in need of someone to fix their capacitors. I leave you with a current photo, taken upon my arrival to the Conoban station for security reasons. I guess I wasnt even in their systems yet.
Well, now I am.
No comments:
Post a Comment