Sergeant Gonzal had a very good nose for trouble. But this time, rather than the Cloning vats, the reek of things rotting came from the Mess Hall.   ***   "Off the Vat" is a complete, very short novel (around 20,000 words across 7 chapters), inspired by the recloning mechanic that Sci Fi MMOs like EVE Online or The Repopulation use to explain why players respawn.