Legacy (9 page)

April 14, 2377

“
At approximately 6:30 this morning, a nuclear weapon was detonated in Cleveland, Ohio. No one has stepped forward to lay claim to this attack, but we do know this as of now: It was a ground-based detonation coming from within fifty yards of the USSC Headquarters,

“
Given the amount of turmoil that has erupted since the United Scientist Space Command CEO gave his address just a few days ago, and the riots that have been spurred as a result, it’s probably safe to assume that this was meant as an attack on the USSC. Unfortunately for the attacker, since this took place on American soil and has killed more than a million people, this will be treated as an attack on the United States. We will not tolerate attacks against the US and the consequences of such an attack will be severe,

“
As the UN has expressed its negative opinions on the actions of the USSC, we will not be omitting them as a possible suspect. Even if we are forced to retaliate against the whole United Nations for such a cowardly attack on the US, we are ready and able.”

9

Braxton

USSC Foothold

I was taken to another medical facility on the Foothold that was populated with a lot more patients than the previous facility. Being a freak on Blaze was nothing compared to being a freak on Foothold. Everyone on the ship had the same extremely pale skin, causing my tanned flesh to glow like a freak beacon.

Thankfully though, I was escorted into a more private room where it was just me and a bunch of unusual ceramoid machinery. I was left alone in that room long enough to begin wondering if they forgot about me. I was just about to reach for the door when it opened.

“
Braxton Three,” the young woman said, closing the door behind her, “It’s so good to meet a person from Legacy. My name is Med Apprentice Sarah White and I’ll be assisting you with your scan.”

I was beginning to wonder if there were any ugly people on Foothold. It’s not that they were all stunning – just that none of them could be classified as unattractive. It seemed like these people were really good at taking care of themselves, so perhaps that was the secret they needed to share with the people of Legacy. Forget the sciences or their awesome metals. Tell us how to always be attractive no matter what age.

My mind returned to the whole purpose of why I was in the medical facility in the first place. Sarah approached and gently placed a padded helmet over my head. The scanning device, assuming that’s what this was, was actually rather comfortable. It felt like a pillow wrapping my head on all sides. I sat still on the scanning seat, waiting for further instruction.

“
Okay, I’m going to start the scan in five seconds,” her muffled voice stated, “Four… three… two… one…”

I closed my eyes and patiently waiting for the humming scanner to finish with me…

Book Two

10

Braxton

USSC Foothold

“
Okay, I’m going to start the scan in five seconds,” her muffled voice stated, “Four… three… two… one…”

I closed my eyes and patiently waiting for the humming scanner to finish with me…

…
to finish with me…

…
to finish…

It suddenly felt like the scanner helmet was no longer wrapped around my head. I opened my eyes to find myself suddenly shivering in a dark room, lying down rather than sitting up like I had been just a moment ago. I sat up quickly, searching frantically for a blanket or something similar to wrap myself up in.

“
Shhh, don’t say anything,” a woman said, rushing toward me from the shadows, “It’s me, Diana.”

“
W-w-why is i-it so c-cold?” I whispered, curling up and wrapping myself in my arms.

She paused in her approach, turned to a cabinet and retrieved something, then rushed over to me. She wrapped me in a wool blanket, and then to my shock, she held me in her arms.

“
The ship is almost completely out of power. I revived you because I’m not going down there alone,” she said, continuing to run her arms along my back and increasing the warmth with her friction.

“
R-revive?” I asked, still trying to stop my shivering, “Did I p-pass out?”

“
It’s a long story. Let’s just say that a lot happened since you’ve been sleeping,” she said, “I’ve been up here alone for more than a six-lune looking for a way to get back to Legacy. That’s when I found that they had three Braxtons growing in the wombs. They had a dozen other people too, but I didn’t want to risk getting someone I didn’t know.”

“
W-what the heck are you talking about?” I asked, pulling away from her.

Something was different about her. The lighting was low enough that I didn’t notice before, but from this close, I could see something very unusual. Her voice was definitely that of Diana X, but the face could probably belong to her mother. The creases of age spread from the outside of her eyes, around her mouth, and in her forehead. This definitely wasn’t Diana X.

“
Who are y-you?” I asked.

“
Shh, please keep your voice down. They have sensors aimed at this ship making sure it’s nothing but an abandoned derelict.I don’t know how sensitive those sensors are, so we need to keep our voices down. Things echo quite loudly in an empty ship,” she whispered, “I’m Diana, but it’s been a while. It’s been a long while.”

“
Diana Nine?” I asked.

“
I’ll ignore that insult and remember this is still the day of the scan for you. No, I’m Diana Ten and it’s been thirty-one harvests since you and I first visited this spaceship. I’ve lived every bit of those years, but this version of you missed it all,” she stated, “When they scanned you and took a swab of your DNA, they had enough information to make an identical clone of you and to imbed the scan of your mature brain, your true self from the day you were scanned, into the fetus brain of your cloned self,

“
I learned about all this stuff over the years as a friendship developed between us and the people of the Foothold. I learned about their Indentures, the cloning I just explained to you, and what they do to create this regenerated life. I’m sure none of this makes sense to you, so I’ll explain it like this. They copied you, and though you lived on after the scan that day, they still had the information necessary to make you again. That’s where you are today – a copy of Braxton Three.”

“
Copy?” I said a little too loudly, then caught myself, “S-so why does this feel like the real m-me and if I’m not ‘me,’ where’s the real me?”

“
You’re down there on Legacy somewhere, I imagine, though I can’t vouch for your well-being. Please know something, Braxton. I learned of their abilities to clone people and to do this whole copy-thing, but I never knew they did it to you. I would have argued against it. I only discovered it yesterday, but I considered it a blessing either way. They may have meant to do testing on your clones and things I can’t even imagine, but for me to find you on a ghost ship… well, I was excited.”

“
Was I… was this c-copy… was it sleeping or something?” I asked, still trying to get past the haze of confusion, “I’m sorry, I just don’t get it. I’m completely lost here.”

I wrapped the blanket tighter and drew my legs up, trying to keep myself as small as possible to conserve body heat. Diana got up from the bed and started searching the cabinets and drawers along the walls nearby.

“
There has to be some extra clothing around here somewhere,” she said, moving on to the other side of the room.

She finally returned with another cotton shirt and something that looked like a one-piece outfit made of pants and a shirt combined. I recognized it as what most of the shipboard people were wearing when I arrived today… or whatever day that was.

“
Have you ever witnessed a baby being born?” she asked, drawing the blanket away from me while I started getting dressed.

“
Yes, I had to help the lady who lived across the road,” I said, “Quite an experience actually.”

“
Well, then you know that the baby wasn’t just made in that instant. Were you present when her water broke?”

“
No, but I helped wipe up the mess,” I replied, getting the outfit on finally, but having problems searching for the buttons.

Diana reached down to my knee and tugged something upward, closing the outfit as she went. I felt the metal notches that somehow meshed the thing together, then I offered her a smile as a thank you.

“
That’s pretty neat, though it’s still freezing in here,” I said, taking the blanket and wrapping it around both of our shoulders.

“
Well, what I was getting at was this - these people have figured a way to create babies that are identical to whomever they want and these babies aren’t contained in the belly of a woman. They grow these people in a placenta tank, keeping the person unconscious while they allow the person to reach whatever age they desire. It’s pretty disgusting and insanely selfish if you ask me, but who am I?” she said.

I pondered everything she’d told me. As impossible as it all sounded, it seemed to agree with my situation. I was now in a cold, dark room with a woman who had aged at least twenty harvests in the matter of a single luna. I really didn’t know how to respond or really even what I should do.

“
So I was naked in a jar of liquid when you found me?” I asked.

“
Yes,” she replied.

“
And I was dressed somewhat when I woke, so…”

“
Yes, I woke you and dressed you as best as I could,” she stated, not flushing with embarrassment as I’d have expected.

“
Wow, that’s a bit unfair.”

“
Unfair?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“
You’ve seen mine and I haven’t…”

She slapped me, but I knew deserved it. I was just trying to bring some sanity back into our situation. She dropped the blanket and stood up.

“
For the record…” she said, opening the door and turning back to me, “I saw yours and you saw mine many times over the course of almost ten harvests.”

I gasped loudly; I’m not ashamed to admit. In fact, I think I may have released an embarrassing whine, wondering in jealousy at the memories of that other Braxton. I clearly remembered how beautiful she once was and actually how beautiful she
still
was if I cared to admit it.

“
They stimulated all your muscles in utero, so you should have no problems getting up. If we stay on this ship, we’ll be dead in about two more six-lunes I imagine. The oxygen and electricity are nearly depleted,” she said, waving me toward the door, “But if we head to Legacy, which is really our only option, we still risk the chance of being killed.”

I stood up and wondered for a moment whether or not it was an act of cruelty for her to ‘revive’ me as she called it. I wasn’t sure if this was a curse or a blessing.

“
Why is this ship empty and why would we be killed?” I asked.

“
Now that is a long story that covers some thirty-one harvests,” she said, motioning again for me to join her in the hallway, “But I’m not quite sure if you really want to hear it all.”

“
Try me,” I replied.

43
^rd
Luna – Harvest Season –986

We have decided to start the USSC Embassy Log today, 43HS 986, since this would probably be considered our first official day with a fully established USSC Embassy on the planet Legacy. In reality, this is the official date of our first ever USSC Embassy on
any
other planet. I imagine that this date will be celebrated as a holiday in years to come, so we might as well begin documenting it all today.