"Orphans Beloved: "Halloween: The Night She Came Home…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…
(Note: Might keep this one going, we'll see. Anyway…It seems there was yet another "problem" child in the clone mix…)
Part IV…
(Note- I make no apologies for borrowing here from my "Soldiers of the Queen" shortie…)
The day before the escape of Sarah and Kira Manning from the Dyad Institute's unauthorized and highly illegal detention facility…
A separate secret military detention facility…
We could tell you where but on Her Majesty's orders we would have to…Oh, damn…Afraid we will have to shoot you when all this is over, very sorry about that…Our mistake entirely. We will do our best to see that your family receives full if unexplained compensation.
Right, then…A secret military detention facility…Somewhere to the North…
"Pregnant?!" the seated man in general's uniform eyed the major at attention facing him.
"You mean to say the first chance we've had to advance this project in nearly thirty years is…Pregnant? There's no doubt?" glare.
"Sir, yes, sir." The major agreed loudly, saluting.
"My God, Major…I knew we feared the worst but...This can't be true."
"It's been confirmed by our agent imbedded among the New Order Proleithians…Who I'm afraid paid a high price for that information. Johannssen successfully impregnated the subject. It's only a temporary delay at worst, General. And if she bears, it will be a new clone line…And proof that she can bear additional lines."
Hmmn…The General frowned at the Major. "At ease, Dierden…"
Paul relaxing… "Thank you, sir. Sir, I'm sorry there was no way to prevent…"
The General waved a hand to cut him off… "Fine. I understand, A345543 was unsupervised for years and there were no previous restrictions on her activities, just as with A234432…"
"Sarah Manning, yes sir."
"Given we knew nothing about her ability to bear…Thanks to Siobhan Sadler and the Dyad Institute. Civilians…Never should have agreed to let civilians have any part in this project, Major. They muck everything up. Last thing we wanted was another random element injected into the mix." Frown as Paul winced, for Helena's sake, at the "injected". "Still, you do have a point…If the clone unit is successful and the output functional…Well…"
"The girl is young yet, sir." Dierden noted.
"Right. Frankly I'm sorry we didn't demand access to the other unit…All this damned nonsense about ethics and other foolish red tape mucking us up. Always has ever since we realized Duncan's heart wasn't fully in the game. Brilliant fellow, Dierden, but in the end another one of those obsessed with the day-to-day, humdrum morality of civilians… Tragic loss, though, what? Pity you weren't on hand to prevent it. No aspersion on you of course, Dierden. We wanted you out, it was high time you'd returned to the fold. And of course your negotiations with this civilian, Sadler, and our contact at Topside were essential to the operation's next phase."
"Yes, sir."
"Still…There was a time, Dierden…The man was ours, heart and soul…Then he got too close to the units, treated one like a daughter. Huge mistake…Never get too attached to a lab animal, Dierden. You should take that lesson to heart."
"Yes, sir."
"Well, at least we do have the unit almost in our hands now and it seems operational, there's a blessing. In stakes like these, Dierden…" The General leaned back expansively… "One must know how to keep one's head about one…You do realize the stakes here, don't you, Major?"
"I believe I do, sir."
"The British Empire was always dependent on a steady flow of replaceable troops, Dierden. In the old days, under our gracious Victoria…We had the damned Indians, the whole lot of them, Muslim, Hindu, all the others…Practically as bottomless a sink as the Chinese, better than the Russians. And what happened, eh, Dierden, when we lost India, thanks to a bunch of fool politicians? Eh?"
"We lost our primary military force, sir."
"Like the Romans in the West after the Rhine crossings or in the East after Manzikert, you lose your manpower base, you're totally lost, Dierden. But now, at last, thanks to Projects Leda and Castor, we have a chance again…A chance to reclaim the British mantle, Dierden…To carry on with our mission of bringing civilization to a dark world. Especially in times likes these. Our younger cousins down south are just not up to the job, Dierden. Never have had the taste for Empire and Dominion, eh what?"
"No, sir." Dierden…
"And A345543 is the key, eh Major? A key we haven't forgotten you're about to supply, Dierden."
"Thank you, sir." Dierden, slight nod.
"Two years in deep cover with that other unit, probing Dyad…Well, clearly it was worth it. Well done, Major. I hope you know that it has been appreciated."
"Thank you, sir. But as to the girl…Helena…A345543, sir."
"Yes, as to it…Well…How far along is it…She?" placid look.
"Now about two-three months by our man's estimate, sir. We're not quite sure and she refuses to talk about the experience with her sisters, so I've not been able to acquire more solid information, sir."
"Compromising situation, eh what?" broad smile. "It does seem a bit of a cheeky little thing…Won't talk about the father, I see in your report?" frown…
"No, sir. Not a word. Though our man was positive Dr. Hendrik Johannsen was the father. It checks…He's notorious for similar acts with his cult's women followers and previously she was in the hands of the European Proleithians, a rather conservative group, sir."
"Perhaps not so conservative as all that, Dierden…" smile. "I'd be quite willing to bet some of these religious chaps aren't adverse to a bit of skirt play now and then, you know…You know? Heh, heh…Yes."
"It would have been some time ago, sir…I don't think any of the Europeans, particularly her handler Tomas could have been the father."
"Well, perhaps not…Perhaps not…" drumming of fingers on desk. "Surely we could do a test or something to find out…?"
"Once we have her, perhaps later…Currently our medical team feels we should avoid any invasive procedures at this time. Plus, without a DNA or blood sample from the father…"
"Or fathers…Eh?" lewd grin. "There was a bit of that in the first clone lines, eh and this Johannsen wasn't averse to a little mixed pairing himself for his avowed piety?"
"Yes, sir." Slight sigh…
"Well, when you've secured her…And with luck, the negative control, A768876, we should see if we can get the things to talk…Using psychological techniques, no physical danger or risk, eh?"
"We intend to proceed…Cautiously…Along such lines, sir. Of course, securing Ms. Duncan maybe a bit more difficult. She has legal existence, no criminal record as yet."
"Yet we do have enough to threaten her with, should the thing prove recalcitrant, correct?"
"Kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, illegal human experimentation…Patent fraud…And I believe I've acquired enough physical and electronic evidence to make it stick, sir."
"Excellent. She has important information about our partner/rivals, Dierden. Those civilian chaps may be overly obsessed with profit and pushing the boundaries of Science for their own glorification but they have made some unique progress in certain areas we would like to know more about."
"Their special section…" Paul nodded.
"Black box…And damn good security for civilians, one must give them that. They'll regret removing Aldous Leekie, mark my words, he had a modicum of good ole sense. We must know what they have got there, Dierden. It's every bit as important as the subject and her ability to procreate. Well, we should be able to deal with the good Ms. Duncan whether you encounter her successfully or not tomorrow. She's a sensible type, by her record, she'll play cricket…A true Cressida, one foot in every camp, eh?" smile. "As for this 'Helena'…I want her in our hands as soon as possible…"
"I do too, sir but I feel we should stick with our timetable…Let the sisters believe she's left on her own accord in a couple of days. She's sure to get restless and will start out, I believe, without any prompting from us. That way…No questions will be asked that could create problems, Sir."
"Sounds like the thing's being mollycoddled…You don't go in for 'mollycoddling' do you, Major? Because if there's one thing I can't stand…It's 'mollycoddlling'."
"No, sir. I don't." Paul noted quietly. "She's a murderess and a fanatic. I've no desire to 'mollycoddle' her, sir."
"Yes…Well, good…Good." The General leaned back to eye Paul carefully. "You do know there were a few, just a few mind you, who questioned whether you'd become too involved with our units female. Quite an alluring bunch, I gather. But I and most of us always believe you were the sort to keep your head in such matters, Dierden. A man who can see the big picture, the forest rather than the trees…Even if the trees are rather deuced pretty, eh?" grin.
"I've done what I've considered to be my duty, sir. I have tried to treat the ladies with some consideration, that's all."
"Indeed…Commendable, Dierden, yes. And as we always have, which is why the other unit isn't our objective right now. We can be generous when time and duty allow. But, in the present case, we may need to move things along a bit, you understand…"
"Sir?"
"Our goal, Major…" expansive look… "Is not merely to 'make babies' as poor ole Duncan used to say…Sad ole fellow…But to create soldiers for the Empire. Endless numbers of men who'll follow orders without question and fight as we did in the days of the Raj. Women, or whatever one chooses to call them, who'll stand ready to back up those men and who, when called upon for the Empire, will act as perfect and interchangeable agents for the Crown…Together creating a force that will allow our Empire to once again stand triumphant, guardian of the world…Sweeping these multinationals like those Dyad chaps and others unworthy of their cheap mantles aside. Taking our world forward into a glorious, peaceful future, Dierden."
"Yes, sir."
"But, to reach such noble goals, occasionally a few lines must be crossed, a few rules bent, an ethic or two slightly and temporarily violated. You do understand that, Major?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good…" The General sat up and rose from his seat. "So you can understand that while bearing a new clone line successfully would be useful information, it would not be our final goal. We want our Leda and Castor lines properly merged and subject to full control. We want Dyad's further research, their most classified. And we want Dyad out of the picture, at last…No more foolishness with them stumbling around, creating needless risk for the projects. And we've waited patiently for the day when that would be possible…When ole Duncan's foolish burst of morals and the sad damage it did us can be rectified."
Paul quiet, no comment…
"It's a force that will be needed, Major. Anyone with eyes in his or her head can see that and could thirty years ago. The world's not a secure place and our mighty young cousins are already tired of the job of policing it. That means it's time for us to resume our post, eh?"
"Yes, sir. But are you suggesting, sir, that…"
"It would be easier if the thing will speak up, let us know who the father was or father(s) were…After all if it'd been violated, it…She…" shrug… "…Would probably be as anxious to get rid of the result as we are."
"Sir?" Paul stared.
"If the embryos are doing well, we'll have the information we need to proceed…It'll no mercy to let the thing carry this to fruition, Dierden. As you've said, it…She…Is a murderess, dangerous…Not likely to be a gentle and caring mother, not quite frankly likely to ever see the light of day as a human being, or its rough equivalent, again." Hard stare.
"You understand my meaning, Major?" The General, coolly.
"You want to abort the embryo or embryos…" Paul, calmly. "Sir, I must with all due respect…"
"Objection noted, Major. And sorry to say, already considered from other sources and rejected. You weren't the only one with reservations here. But not to worry…The thing seems to want to bear and we've a desire to see the same, just not this particular bearing of fruit, eh? We'll do our best to be quick and painless and with luck the…Girl…Won't even know what's happened. But first, I mean to have a bit of a chat with her. See if I can pry a bit loose, eh?"
"If she wouldn't talk to our people, sir…"
"I've got my own persuasive way about me, Colonel…Oh…" grin… "Cat out of the bag, eh what? Didn't mean to spoil HQ's surprise and all but well, now you know, so…Congratulations, Colonel Dierden."
"Thank you, sir. But as to this matter, sir…And as to your speaking with Helena on her arrival, sir…Rachel might well respond to your 'techniques'…But Helena…"
"Now, Dierden…" broad smile. "I won't hurt either of the bloody things, I promise…Merely going to put a few questions, just a polite little conversation once this has come off. I've always had the knack of getting people to chat freely."
You…And Heinrich Himmler…Paul thought…
Still, on the other hand…
You…Interrogating Helena…A just off any drugs, medically violated Helena…Possibly backed up by Rachel to scheme?
"Yes, sir. Very good, sir." He saluted.
"That's the spirit, Colonel." Tap on shoulder with baton. "And be careful with the civilian authorities. We do have friends among them but we want this kept on a need to know basis."
"I'm not sure that all the civilians will cooperate…Officer Bell…"
"Police? Hmmphf…Usually not a problem…
"A very dedicated officer, sir. Former Marine…"
"Ah…Well…That could be a problem…And probably best not to kill him or the others…" the general drummed fingers on desk.
"Well…Cooperate, to a point, as we agreed. Let them take the Dyad down as planned and exploit that situation but don't let them get their hands on either Helena or what's in the top security areas, right?"
"Right…Sir…"
"And see that our special guest and if possible her negative control are here within the week. We need to get cracking, Colonel. Takes a while to grow these things you know…Unless…" smile.
"Sir?"
"Unless the special section holds what we hope it holds, Colonel." Beam.