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Oakes i people and Runners, the caustic water burning fles He shook his head to drive out such thoughts

"You’re absolutely sure the Redoubt is safe?"

Lewis stared up at hi wasback dayside"

Belatedly, Oakes realized he should show more human concern "Butserious But one of us will have to be at the Redoubt all of the time from now on"

"Why?"

"The clean-up was pretty bloody and that’s causing trouble"

"What kind of trouble?"

"The surviving clones, even soine how I had to clean up the place There were necessary losses So clones and a few of the ed "Have what? Explain yourself"

"We’ve had to handle several petitions from clones and there were even a few of our people who sy in for me while I came up to report"

"Clones? Petitions? How are you handling them?"

"The same way I handled the food problem"

Oakes scowled "An the syed "When we sterilized the area around the Redoubt, the other demons returned They’re a fast and efficient way to solve our problem"

Oakes touched the scar of the pellet at his neck "But whe that is, why didn’t you send someone up t ?"

"We stayed until ere sure ere clean"

"Ye yes, of course I see Brave fellows"

"And can you iine ould happen if word of this leaks out?"

"You’re quite right" Oakes thought about what Lewis had said As usual, Lewis ent but efficient

"Nohat’s this I hear about Legata?" Lewis asked

Oakes was outraged "You have no right to questionto send her to the Scream Room I just want to knoe prepare to replace her"

"Replac Legata? I think not"

"Let me know in plenty of time if you need a replacery "It strikes me, Lewis, that you’ve been very wasteful of lives"

"You know some other way I could’ve handled this?"

Oakes shook his head "I meant no offense"

"I know But this is why I don’t report such things unless you ask or unless I have no choice"

Oakes did not like the tone Lewis took there, but another thought struck him "One of us has to stay at the Redoubt all the tioing to have to wind things up here and coe Colony It’s our only answer You can use Legata for shipside liaison, provided she’s still useful after the Screaroundside a all of those vicious de but live there full tiata," Lewis said

Mollified, Oakes ventured a more important question: "Ho ar conditions at Colony?"

"Safe enough as long as you stay inside or travel only in a servo or shuttle"

Oakes closed his eyes for a long blink, opened the Who else could they trust as they trusted each other?

"Yes I understand"

Oakes glanced around his cubby No visible sensors, but this had never reassured hi shipside

I will have to go groundside

The reasons were co Leould take Lab One to the Redoubt, of course But there were too many other delicate matters in balance at Colony

Groundside

He had always known he would have to quit the ship one day It did not help that circu forced and he felt vulnerable This incident with the Nerve Runners did nothing to reassure hiathered ly untrustworthy But Pandora reerous and unknown

It occurred to Oakes then that he had been hoping for a tranquilized and sterilized planet, a place roundside

Sterile Yes

Oakes stared at Lewis Why did the ainst odds Leas holding so back

"What else do you have to report?"

"The new E-clones They were in an isolated charammed and beautiful Just beautiful"

Oakes was distrustful The statistical incidence of deviation a clones was a known factor The body, after all, was transparent to coses in hu the DNA structure was Lewis’ specialty, yes, but stil "No kinks?"

"I used ’lectrokelp cells and went back to recoes" He rubbed the side of his nose with a forefinger "We’ve succeeded"

"You said that last time"

"It worked last time, too We simply couldn’t keep up with the food supply necessary t"

"No freaks?"

"A clean job All we get is accelerated growth to maturity And that kelp isn’t easy to ith Lab people hallucinating all over the da faster tha"

"Are you still able to waste lab technicians on this?"

"They’re not wasted!" Leas angry, exactly the reaction Oakes had sought

Oakes s, Jesus, that’s all"

"It’s working"

"Good I believe you’re the only person who could ive you the freedom in which to do this What is the time frame?"

Lewis blinked at the sudden shift of the question Cagey old bastard always kept you off balance He took a deep breath, feeling the wine, the remembered sense of protective enclosure which Shi the ship always gave hi?" Oakes insisted

"We can continue an E-clone’s growth, the aging, actually, and arrive at any age you want Froood condition?"

"Top condition and co infants until they become ou ah, servants"

"Then we can restore the Redoubt’s working force rather rapidly"

"Ye but that’s the problem Most of our people know this and the ahh, sahat I did with the clones and the sy to see that they can be replaced"

"I understand" Oakes nodded "That’s why you have to stay at the Redoubt" He studied Lewis Theback "What else, Jesus?"

Lewis spoke too quickly The answer had been right there in front of his awareness awaiting the question

"An energy problem We can work it out"

"You can work it out"

Lewis lowered his gaze It was the answer he expected Correct answer, of course But they had to produce ive you one suggestion," Oakes said "Plenty of hard work precludes ti and worry Now that you’ve solved the clone proble the kelp I want a neat, simple solution Enzymes, virus, whatever Tell them to wipe out the kelp"