Chapter 16: Dan-no

Olé and Bella were driving a winding route through the canyons, avoiding boulder strewn fields, and slowly picking their way towards the airfield. Thankfully the DGPS satellites still functioned. A trail of red dots was recorded on the GPS electronic chart, like leaving a trail of bread crumbs! They could follow the trail in reverse back to the Ranch. The red dot trail also recorded where they had retraced their steps after encountering impassable obstacles. The air was so hot and dry, that rubbing your nose could start a nose bleed. Sharp spiked dried mucous in your nasal passages can cut you. It was just a drive in the park on a sunny afternoon. A pleasure if you were a masochist.

Eventually, they topped a low rise and could see the two hangars and an airstrip spread out on a plain below. The slope was rocky, and it was a torturous route to descend. Arriving at the second hangar, chosen because Olé decided to park beside the other, only other vehicle there. Must be the vehicle the Lieutenants drove out here. He checked it, the key was in the ignition. He twisted it to on. Tank was half full. He cranked the engine and it started, so he shut it down again. Nobody was stranded out here.

“Wait in the vehicle, Bella. I’ll probably only be a minute.”

Olé walked to a standard entrance door and tried the knob. It turned and the door opened when he hauled on it. Olé crouched, weapon ready as the door swung open. Moving in, he swung his head left and right just inside the door. All clear. He cautiously proceeded inside.

“Hello, Olé.” Lt Cruz was standing in an elevator at the corner of the semi-circular dais. The lift door had slid open so silently, it had not caught Olé’s attention. “Aren’t you going to salute me?”

Olé came to attention, presented arms, then returned to combat ready stance. All rapidly done.

“That is as close to removing my hands from my piece as I’m willing to do, ma’am.” Olé apologized.

“

Can I offer you a cold beer?” Lt Cruz indicated the elevator and steps next to it, leading down. “There is a canteen below on the next level.”

From the top edge of the dais, Olé could see the vast extent of the level beneath. It was much larger than the perimeter of the floor-less hangar. Stout pillars at regular intervals supported the perimeter, and served as foundation for the above ground Hangar building. There was considerable activity amongst the squat machines and computer stations. The personnel reminded Olé of himself.

Olé went down the steps, checking every inch of the way, for possible ambush. Lt Cruz descended in the lift. Glancing around the canteen when he stepped off the stairs, Olé was momentarily startled to see several Olés having lunch!

“Come, Olé. Let’s sit here.” Lt. Cruz stood behind an expressionless Olé clone sitting alone at a white circular pedestal table. Olé took a seat opposite his clone. Lt Cruz pressed her fingertips behind the clones ears and, bending low, whispered something to him. The clone’s face was suddenly animated. He grinned at Olé. “Hi, Dad! It’s great to meet you!”

Bella walked up to their table wearing her waitress uniform and apron. “May I take your order?”

He was about to scold her for not waiting in the car, when he noticed a second Bella delivering beverages to a group of Olés at a different table.

“I don’t know if Bella and I should be flattered or not!” Olé was a bit petulant.

“Oh, flattered! Definitely flattered!” Lt Cruz assured him. “As stereotypes, you, Bella, and Doc are unique ideals! Perfect specimens of role models for the work force the Empress required. Since we already had your’s and Doc’s DNA, we easily acquired some from Bella, and made cyborg clones of the three of you. Generally, the human consciousness in the cyborgs, is enjoying lovely fun orchestrated holiday dreams. Until we need the fully awake cyborg, their bodies function as programmed automatons. This one is awake, and you can interact with him.”

“Good to meet you too, er Son!” Olé croaked. “Er, Do you like your job?”

“It’s a living. The work is honorable, not difficult, and I’m good at it. And I’m important, useful to the Empress. She likes me.” The cloned Olé blushed.

“That’s good, son. I’m happy you’re happy.” Olé was anything but happy.

“Is the Empress here?” Olé asked.

Lt Cruz ordered “Sleep!” and the clone became expressionless again. She smiled at Olé and waited for him to object. Olé was a lot smarter than most people believed he was. He cultivated the crude country bumpkin myth about himself. He knew Lt Cruz didn’t want the clone answering questions and objecting wouldn’t do Olé any good.

He turned to Bella. “A shot and a beer, sweet thing! Please!” He patted her bottom as she swayed away. She gave him a flirtatious grin.

Lt. Cruz was not amused. “That constitutes sexual harassment. She could sue you!”

“Yeah, under former laws and government, she probably could. But those don’t exist now. Thanks to the Empress, I can pat and pinch bottoms all I want. I might even pinch yours!” Olé leered at Lt Cruz.

“I would have you brought up on charges. Immediately!” Lt Cruz threatened him.

“Yeah? In who’s army? I’m a civilian again and so are you! Empress disbanded the army, didn’t she?”

“So why did you give me a rifle salute?” Lt Cruz looked worried she might have misjudged Olé.

“To show you I could salute you and still keep my finger on the trigger! Showed you, I don’t fall for simple tricks. You and Halke are damn smart! But I’m a little smart myself.” Olé smirked. “So, what do you call this place?”Olé asked before taking a big swig from his beer mug.

“The Palace!”

Olé dropped the full shot glass into the partially consumed beer and watched it foam up.