Looking over the coded message again, Anisa and Katsi were very curious as to what it said. Decoding the message, Tak seemed to grow a bit distant. The message on screen was simple:
Sisters, a crisis looms. Return to the Cradle.
Tak said firmly, “We need to go back. I know it takes us away from our mission but-“
The Device on her wrist lit up, a projection of a young well groomed man appeared “I am certain the captain doesn’t mind, mother.”
Anisa and Katsi jolted at the projection, especially at what it called her. Tak smiled at the figure and laughed, “Thank you, Tai. But I told you not to eavesdrop on my conversations.” He bowed in apology and vanished. She explained, “Tai isn’t complete, but Sai wanted to make him for me. Said that he wanted someone to look out for me when he couldn’t be around.”
Anisa laughed awkwardly, “Oh, so it’s just a UI then?”
Tak laughed softly, “No. He took his behavioral data and let me enter my own to make working with them smoother. Tai was the one who asked if I helped in his creation and decided to call me mom.”
Katsi was clearly having a hard time processing her many feelings about all of this. It was cute but it was too fast. It was endearing but also kinda creepy. Also, did this mean Tak and Sai were an official couple or was this just a romantic gesture that went too far?
While her younger sister lost her mind to the implications, Anisa pushed the matter, “He isn’t wrong, but why would they send this. What is the crisis?”
“My sisters and I have some answers for that.” Katsi and Anisa turned with surprise, Tak noticing a short time later. There was a Tak’Nasi on the bridge with them. She announced, “I am known as Kuntaret. I am sorry for our previous visit here. And for entering unannounced. We knew our sister was here and wanted to make sure she was okay.”
Tak blinked at her fellow clone and asked, “Are you an outlier?”
Tai chimed up again, “Actually, mother, their biometrics read normal. This is a standard Tak’Nasi.”
Kuntaret shook her head, “It is complicated as I can’t really speak for all my sisters for various reasons, but the common factor is we were given a choice and all left the experiment. As for how we got on board, our savior was aware of a flaw in the security of your ship. We let ourselves in to warn you to stay away from the homeworld.”
Katsi swallowed nervously and asked, “You mentioned your previous visit?”
Kuntaret nodded, Anisa growing nervous, “Things were different then. We had not been freed at that stage.”
Tak stood and walked over, hugging her ‘sister’. After a few confused moments from the visitor, Tak broke the hug and said, “We need to discuss what’s going on so we can protect our sisters. Can you take me to the rest of them?” Kuntaret nodded before leaving, motioning Tak to follow.
When they had left the room Anisa looked at Katsi who felt just as she did. The Sasori sisters were going to have to go for it again. Katsi sighed, “I’ll try using the tunnels that Pine showed me to spy on them. You going to play politician while I’m gone?”
“I can be a good host. I’ll ask some questions while I’m at it and see what I can learn. Let’s get to the heart of this.”
———
Katsi crawled through the service tunnels, not quite as speedy or agile as Pine, but feeling pretty cozy. As she crawled she eventually saw an odd off shoot that opened into a room she didn’t recognize. Next to it she saw an adorable little doodle of a girl with loops in her hair smiling. The text next to it said, ‘service station’.
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Nervous and wondering if Gav had put that mark here when he was building it, she grumbled, “Oh sure, the Service tunnels get signs out the nose but when we are lost in a power outage we have to take wild guesses.” She climbed out and found a fully powered vending machine, a fancy coffee machine, and even a liquor cabinet. She shouted, “SHAWN! What the hell?!? This is like a secret ship within the ship!”
“I am thankful for it.” Katsi flipped around, a cold sweat overtaking her as bad memories from the last time she was in a secret room with one of the clones. Still, the soft smile soothed the fear somewhat. Realizing this girl looked like the drawing, Katsi began to put things together. “I am sorry for not introducing myself to you all. Sir Leithan told me to keep an eye on you guys in case of emergencies. My name is Trinta.”
Katsi nodded slowly, “I’m Katsi. Nice to meet you.” Trinta went up to the vending machine and tapped a few buttons before a steaming bowl of odd looking noodles appeared below. Katsi asked, “Was it your doodle on the wall out there? And how did Pine not find you?”
Trinta nodded as she slurped the noodles happily, eventually saying, “You mean the nice boy with the robot voice? I explained myself to him and asked him to not tell anyone. I’m glad he kept his word.” Bothered at the implication that Pine kept a secret from them all, she watched the clone carefully. Trinta didn’t seem to take it personally. She opened a nearby wall panel and pushed a button, the floor opening up so that a terminal covered with countless screens rose up. Each one showing a video feed from a different part of the ship. She pushed a few buttons until a screen became full color and audio from the room began to play.
Katsi asked, in total disbelief and extreme discomfort with the idea, “Is the entire ship bugged?”
Trinta nodded, “Yep. The man who designed this ship was very paranoid or very controlling. Either way, I have been respectful.” Trinta seemed to grow distant and sad, “I’ve been wanting to hang out with you all, but Sir Leithan made clear that I needed to watch from a distance for now. Still, Pine would come chat and play games with me sometimes. So it isn’t all bad.”
Katsi sighed, knowing the feeling all too well. Remembering her days alone camping in her Battle Van. Especially after everyone…
She gave Trinta a hug, much to the surprise of the clone. Katsi spoke softly, “I don’t like being spied on, but thank you for watching over us.”
Trinta hugged her back firmly before asking cheerily, “Do you want to spy on my sisters while they move about the ship?” Katsi looked at her confused. Trinta stated firmly, “Kuntaret heard from Ershiba that there was a communication made from our ship to the homeworld before the emergency broadcast to all Tak’Nasi. The logs were completely scrubbed, but Ershiba is confident it was one of us that told someone on our home planet that Sir Leithan knew more than he should. She asked me to keep an eye on all of them, including herself.”
Katsi asked, “Do any other clones know?”
Trinta looked guilty for a moment and explained, “Sir Leithan is a part of a group that deals with this stuff. Kuntaret and I are the only official members. So I can’t tell them. They don’t even know I’m here.”
Katsi gave the girl another hug and then sat down next to her to watch and listen to the things that happened next.