College Clones Ch. 01: Discovery

Tricia took her head away from the door, then turned to put her binder and satchel down, when she noticed something. On the floor in front of her was a little grey box, about the size of a CD jewel case, but tall as about five stacked. On the lid was a symbol of two circles linked like rings. It sat there in the sunlight innocently, and Tricia simply stared at the enigmatic box for half a minute. She had not put it there, and her door had been locked. The only people with access to her room were herself and some faculty for inspection and emergencies. The floor inspection wasn't for another month though, so the R.A. would have no business entering their room, especially since he stated himself in the group meeting that he avoids invading personal space uninvited. It could very well be a thing given to everyone on her floor on their first week, so she set her effects on the floor near the closet and picked it up.

It was very light, almost weightless. She ran her hand over the glossy cardboard and lifted the lid. Under it was a sheet of protective fluff, which she removed to reveal a bracelet sitting on more fluff. It was what looked like a ring of glass with a black strip inside. The sunlight glinted off the unassuming bracelet, and Tricia felt she quite liked it. Taking it out of the box, she held it between her left forefinger and thumb, turning it to inspect it. There were four coloured circles under the glass; green, yellow, blue, and red, She held the box under her arm and slipped the ring over her right hand. She felt the ring begin to shrink to fit tighter. She gasped and dropped the box with a tap to the floor, and the under-fluff fell out along with a folded paper.

Tricia's heart was racing, what kind of jewelry actually moves to fit? It wasn't altogether unheard of for such things to exist though, she has seen more fantastic things than this on different eccentric websites. She took a few seconds to calm down in the silence of her room, then looked down at the sheet by the flipped over box. She picked it up with her left hand, holding her right hand out like it was bleeding or dirty. She had to use that hand to unfold it, so she did.

On the top left of the page was that logo again, two intersecting circles. The letters MTT were next to it, in bold letters. Tricia looked down and began reading;

OO MTT

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⦁ Model - ML-23.2: Potential tactical application in field, still in testing.

⦁ Currently 4 bilateral functions for physical input, and 3 for vocal command

⦁ Physical Input;

⦁ Green - Switch ... function for single unit to alternate between two vantage points in field

⦁ Yellow - Link ... function for unit to feel if proxy is endangered

⦁ Blue - Camo ... stealth function for unit in field or to conceal proxy (Ring visible to unit)

⦁ Red - Auto-Intuitive Mode ... (RISK - still in beta) function for proxy to react and base function while vacant

⦁ Vocal Command;

⦁ "Command" ... function to give unit jurisdiction over opposing unit in CQ (range 1.1 meter)

⦁ "Forget" ... function to have opposing unit forget any and all recent interaction with allied unit, yet retain instruction

"Link" ... (RISK - still in beta - application uncertain) function to have opposing unit share nerve signals with allied unit, possible torture deterrent

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Tricia had absolutely no idea what to make of this information. It seemed to be some kind of instructional sheet for the militia. She looked at the bracelet again, Under the glass, there were the four coloured circles each about an inch apart. Her hands were shaking a little. Under the printed text were some scrawled words in a unfamiliar handwriting;

"My division owed me a favour, enjoy your new toys.

Tap yours against the other one to activate it.

P.S. - There's a special surprise for the experimental."

With that, there was no more information. Tricia turned the page hoping for more clues, but there were none. She dropped it and picked up the box but it was also devoid of answers. She held it as something occurred to her ... it said "toys" ... it said "the other one". There was nothing else new in the room that she could see, did it mean she had to hunt for some other strange box with additional oddities and hints? She decided to sit down for a minute and went to sit on her left bed. She lowered herself onto the mattress and touched the bracelet again. Those four curious circles. She used her left index finger and touched the green one hesitantly. There was a little vibration like smart phones when texting letters, but other than that nothing. She tried the others with identical results.

Tricia sighed, looked up and froze. Her breath caught in her chest. There was someone hidden in her other bed. The shape of a body was visible under her sheet, and a little decorative red ribbon adorning it. She shot up and debated whether she should reveal the person, or just use her chair to beat them until they explain something. She looked over at her chair near the window that was pulled back from the desk facing her. Tricia considered this might just be some hazing thing, everyone hears about pranks in every college film ever made. Her posture stiffened as she became more convinced that this is what it was. She started forward, grabbed the sheet and ripped it aside. Her hands flew to her face as she let out a whisper of a silent scream and backed up a step. Her eyes flew over the form laying peacefully in the bed, seemingly asleep. She knew this person. Tricia has seen her many times before. Every day in fact. Laying in the bed was herself. It was a perfect copy of her, with dirty blonde hair spread out over the pillow and no clothing whatsoever. The hands were crossed over breasts, chest very slowly rising and falling. On her left wrist was another bracelet. It glinted in the sunlight just like Tricia's.

This was the most intense, surreal experience of her life and she was teetering on panic mode. Her heart pounded, and she couldn't stop breathing fast. There was no longer any chance that this was a prank, this was not a drill. Two crazy happenings in about as many minutes was almost more than she could take. Her hands dropped a bit from her face and she warily took a step forward. Tricia paused before extending a finger and poking the arm, withdrawing fast as if it was hot. She expected the duplicate to awaken, or explode, or... something. The copy of her just rested still. Tricia started to get better hold of her breathing, when she caught something near the pulled back blanket. This was indeed a perfect clone of her, same sized breasts, same lips, nose and hair. There was just one big difference laying serenely between her other's legs.

- Continued in Chapter 2 -