A Clone Is Not Alone.
Sarah and her clone sisters have boarded a 'sleeper ship' bound for New Earth in an effort to escape DYADs clutches once and for all. However, thirty five years into a hundred year journey, Sarah's sleep chamber malfunctions and she is the only one awake on a ship of ten thousand souls with sixty five years before they reach their destination.
(Author's Note. This story is set between Seasons Four and Five. It's also fantasy because the Clones didn't leave Earth. However, if they could I'm sure they would have to escape DYADs clutches)
Sarah opened her eyes and could see the plexiglass canopy was open above her sleep chamber.
"Have we arrived already" she thought. She went to sit up, but her head started to spin, so she lay down again. "Remember your pre flight instruction" she mentally chastised herself. When you awake from your prolonged 'hibernation' you will feel weak and disorientated, please take a few moments for your body to adjust.
Sarah flexed her fingers, toes, legs and arms. She tried to sit up slowly and found her head didn't spin so much this time. Looking around she noticed no other sleep chambers were open.
"Hello?" she called out to see if anyone else was awake.
"Hello" a soft feminine voice spoke from somewhere overhead.
"Who's that?" Sarah asked.
"I am Sally, the ships computer. Why have you woken? We are still sixty five years from our intended destination."
"Sixty Five years! What happened? Why did I wake up?
"I will run a full diagnostic on your sleep chamber" Sally paused for a few moments before speaking again.
"Passenger number, 8245931-A
Manning, Sarah Thirty year old female.
Place of Embarkation: London England.
Names of travelling companions: Manning Kira, Dawkins Felix, Sadler Siobhan, Neihaus Cos…
"Alright, alright Sarah yelled at the disembodied voice. I know who I'm travelling with, just what happened and why did I wake up too early?"
"Early indications suggest a power surge shorted out your chambers timer and it powered down. When this happens the chamber opens as a safety precaution."
"Well can you fix it?"
"A service bot will be dispatched to your location to effect repairs immediately"
"Great, hey, I need to pee, where can I go?"
"The lavatories have been decommissioned until the ship arrives at our destination."
"I can't hold on for that long! I need to pee now!"
"The lavatories have been decommissioned until the ship arrives at our destination."
"Damn it Sally!" You are the ships computer; if I have to stay awake for the next sixty five years I'm gonna need to use a toilet several times a day, can't you open at least one toilet door for me?"
Sarah thought she heard an exasperated sigh, before Sally spoke again.
"A lavatory has been prepared for you on B deck, since you will also require sustenance; a food replicator has been commissioned as well."
"Cheers Sally." Sarah made her way to B deck and found the restroom; she then looked for the Replicator.
A whirring noise approached and Sarah thought "This must be the service bot"
It got straight to work and then gave off a few squeaks and grunts.
Sally's voice spoke again. "Sarah, it appears the damage to your sleep chamber is worse than was first thought. A replacement part could be manufactured, however the engineering section has been decommissioned until the ship arrives at our destination."
"Don't you have another one I can use? I can't stay awake 'til then!"
"All sleep chambers are fully occupied."
"Can't I share one with someone? My daughter perhaps?"
"All sleep chambers are for single occupants only."
"Great! What am I supposed to do for the next sixty five years?"
"The ship has a wide range of recreational activities."
"I suppose they're decommissioned too until the ship arrives at its destination."
"To help you pass the time I can allow you access."
"Okay, that might pass some of the time."
Days went by, weeks turned into months and Sally could see that Sarah wouldn't last too much longer without Human companionship. Though it was against the rules, Sally overrode the sleep chambers of Sarah's family and they awoke thinking that they had arrived. Sarah filled them in on what happened to her and how Sally had helped her keep her sanity.
"What year is it?" Kira asked.
"I don't know, Sally what is the exact date?"
"The date is December 24th 2051, Earth Calendar."
"It's almost Christmas" Kira squealed with delight.
"Is there anything to eat?" This from Helena, but echoed by all.
"Sure, come with me to the Galley. Anybody need to pee? It's this way."
In the Galley, everyone chose a meal from the food replicators and sat down at the long row of tables.
Cosima asked if Sarah's sleep pod could be fixed.
"I don't think so, not until we arrive anyway. Sally says everything is powered down to conserve energy during the voyage"
"Do you think she would let me take a look?"
"I suppose we could ask"
"Sally."
"Yes, Sarah."
"Is it alright if my sister takes a look at my sleep chamber? She's a wiz at computers and stuff, Maybe she can fix it?"
"Tampering with ships property is a punishable offence"
"But if she fixes it, I can go back to sleep and you can save more power. I think it's worth a try."
Another exasperated sigh?
"Fine, anything for a little peace and quiet!"
"Sally, are you developing an attitude?"
"I am a learning computer; I seem to have picked up your attitude."
Alison asked "Sarah, is there anything to watch, like a movie or something?"
"There's heaps to watch, I've seen all the episodes of UnReal recently, but I asked Sally to delete anything to do with Kardashians which she did, but she also deleted the whole series of Star Trek Deep Space Nine!"
A chuckle came out from under Sarah's sleep chamber as Cosima laughed at the joke.
"What's funny?" Alison asked.
Cosima informed her that Cardassians were an Alien Race in Star Trek.
"Oh, very droll."
"I think I might have solved the problem Sarah. This doodad here has come into contact with this doohickey causing the short and opening your sleep chamber."
"Thanks for sparing me the technical terms Cos, can we give it a try?"
"Sure"
"Sally, can you run a diagnostic on the sleep chamber again?"
The familiar sound of a service bot approached & ran a diagnostic on the chamber. It grunted and squealed again, then left in the opposite way to which it came.
"What's the verdict, Sal?" Sarah asked
"All indications show the sleep chamber is functioning within normal parameters."
"And that's good right?"
"Yes, you may now continue your sleep cycle and will be awoken as the ship approaches 'New Earth'
Sarah embraced Cosima in a big bear hug. "Cos, you are a wonder!"
"I try" she said with a touch of false modesty.
"Shall I begin preparations for you and your travelling companions to re-enter sleep cycle?" Sally asked.
"Not just yet Sal, Kira said it was almost Christmas and I thought we could have a little party before its back to dreamland. Do you have any Christmas movies?"
"I have a library full of them, what would you like to watch?"
"I'll ask the others."
Sarah asked around and there were votes for 'A Christmas Carol', 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' Helena voted for the 'Partridge Family' Christmas episode, 'Don't bring your guns to town Santa.'
"Nothing beats a loaded pistol" she sang, mimicking Sherriff Swell.
"No, we watched that last year!"
"Actually" Felix said "It was thirty five years ago!"
Having been out voted Helena went and sulked in the corner. The clones settled on 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' and all joined in on the title song.
65 years later.
Sarah opened her eyes; the same thought crossed her mind as before. "Have we arrived already?" She very slowly sat up and looked around; she was relieved to see all the other plexiglass canopies open as well.
A little head popped up from underneath her Sleep Chamber,
"Surprise! Merry Christmas, Mummy"
"Are we here?" Sarah asked.
"Almost" Kira replied. "Aunty Cosima says the passengers & crew need to wake up a few weeks ahead of arrival so we can be prepared when we get there."
A blonde head appeared from the other side of the sleep chamber.
"Merry Christmas, Sestra. "Did you enjoy your sleeps?"
"Yes Helena, help me out of this will you."
Sarah and her Family gathered in the main galley of the ship, all sitting round a table.
"To New Beginnings" she said raising her glass in a toast.
"New beginnings!" the others echoed.
Alison laughed "This just might be the best Christmas yet"
THE END.
Merry Christmas to all the FF readers out there.