The 8th Clone

"See that you do Exodus. See that you do."

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A heavy shock hit her chest. Sitting up quickly, she began heaving and coughing in an uncontrollable fit. As she blinked her eyes, she could see her coughing was much more than just air. A stream of pink viscous liquid shot from her mouth each time her chest heaved reflexively. Her arms flew out in a panic with her fingers extended outward. She probed for something to hold onto. Razor sharp edges sliced and stabbed at her fingers on both hands. Jerking her arms back, Shea held her hands to her chest and murmured fearfully, "What is happening?" Slowly her mind was becoming more aware of her surroundings as she woke from her hibernation. Women were screaming and fighting around her.

"No Ruby, I broke the tank! I get the first meal!"

"Bitch! It's my turn! I've gone the longest without food!"

Shea's tub of pink amniotic fluid shook as a woman's body slammed into it. Her arms and knees pulled in tight against her body; a simple rapid defense mechanism response that crawled out of her lizard brain. She threw her hands over her face, unwittingly smearing blood all over it. Blind and helpless, she let out a scream frightened by the unknown violent world she'd woken up into. Her sudden outburst ended in dead silence.

After a moment, a surprised female voice said, "Holy shit Gumbo is alive!" She heard a slap and a "Shhhh!" as if that was not supposed to be said. The voice spoke up again a little more indignant, "What? Why did you hit me? ...It's gumbo." A collective welling of whispers and gasps filled the room.

With her nerves on edge from being cut combined with the screaming and fighting, Shea broke down and began to cry. "What is happening...?" Shea blubbered into her hands. Why am I surrounded by sharp things? What is all this commotion and who the fuck is Gumbo?"

There was a caring female voice that spoke out, "For the love of all that is holy, someone help the poor girl."

Another anonymous voice chimed in, "Fuck that! YOU help the elephant woman if you're so noble."

The soft and caring voice chided them saying, "What a bunch of children. Give me a towel to throw over the broken glass...Mica!"

Shea started to understand what was transpiring. She pulled her hands away from her face. Blood from her cut fingers and dead flesh fell from her face into her hands. Screams and shrieks of terror filled the room."

"Swamp beast! How does it live?!"

"How could Exodus be so cruel?!"

"I'm going to be sick!"

"Somebody shoot me. I can't un-see this!"

Shea had enough. Her memory was coming back. She knew this room well. She yelled, "Be quiet! Someone help me to the showers so I can clean this crap off!"

Another jeer came from a random voice, "Oh honey that shit aint washin' off. I'm pretty sure that is part of you."

There was a hand on her shoulder and a soft female voice, low and powdery tones filled her ears, "You're going to be just fine. Don't listen to them. They're like giant children and not much smarter. Take my hand now. I've covered the broken glass with a towel. It is safe to climb out.

She accepted the hand and climbed out of the tub. Walking behind her guide, she could hear people scurrying to get out of the way. It would be a while before her mind woke up completely but she had enough of her senses to know something was wrong with her. Unable to see clearly, Shea flinched at every loud noise. She recoiled expecting to get hit or attacked.

The woman escorting her had enough. She snapped, "Stop it! All of you! Can't you see she's scared out of her mind! Have you all forgotten your first moments and how traumatic the experience was? How terrifying it can be when it's just you, alone in a peaceful quiet room? Imagine if your cloning process had been such a miserable failure; how would you feel? With all of your jeering, laughing, and fighting, it's a wonder she hasn't had a heart attack. Now back off and put a sock in it!"

The woman's yelling was answered by perfect silence. She'd struck a note of truth with the others. Each of the clones had let their emotions get the better of them. They were all very hungry and panicked. The women started looking inward at how atrocious their behavior had become.

Shea's escort continued her rant, "Obviously this one is alive! So there will be no food today! You should all return to your rooms. Rest and meditate sisters and I will deal with this. We must work together if we want to survive this mess."

There was the murmur of voices and the shuffling of chairs. Some screeched along the hard floor but even Shea could tell that the women were leaving and the room was becoming quieter. A voice close to her spoke, startling Shea. This girl walked in perfect silence.

"Dorian, if you need my Sword for any reason, do not hesitate to call upon me."

She could see the blurry outline of a woman with a sword in her belt bowing to her escort.

Dorian responded, "Thank you Umi but I don't think we need to worry about her. Please just go back to your quarters."

Another voice blurted from behind the bowing Umi, "Stop calling it a sword Umi. It's a hickory handle you cut off the mop in the north Janitor's closet."

The statement was quickly followed by the sound of a mop handle whirring through the air and cracking against the woman's skull. The recipient of which yelled out disdainfully, "Oow! Holy fuck Umi, why are you such an asshole? We all hate it when we have to clean the north sector. We have to bend over the whole time because you've ruined the mop to make a play toy."

Umi burst out, "This is no toy Ruby and you will learn to show some respect!"

She spat back at her, "Not to you...you...you crazy bitch."

Dorian yelled much louder than both of them, "Okay! Take it outside ladies!!"

Shea was gripping her head. All the yelling was nerve racking to her newly born body. She could hear the two women continuing to argue down the hall as they walked away.

"You're too serious Umi. You really are."

"And you allow your tongue too many liberties Ruby."

"Yeah well the blood on my forehead tells me you're overreacting."

As their conversation faded into the distance, Dorian spoke softly to Shea, "I'm really sorry about all this. I just want you to know that things are not normally like this around here. These girls are really good natured most of the time. They would do just about anything for you but right now things have been really tough."

Shea felt the edge of the shower stall and paused. She turned to the blurred face of Dorian trying to see her expression. She inquired, "How have things been really tough, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Are you sure you want to hear this? You've only been alive for a few minutes."

"I'm not a clone Dorian; I'm the commander of this station. Now tell me what is happening."

Dorian did not respond right away. After a long pause she said, "Hop in the shower and I'll tell you what I know. You'll feel better once the nanobots have been deactivated."

Doing as she requested, Shea stepped into the shower looking down at the lightning below the stainless grid. There was something about this room that bothered her. She had an image of pink lightning dancing around a body followed by a flood of memories. For the first time since her awakening she smiled and walked directly under the shower head. She curled her hands into herself like she was cold. A small trickle of blood ran down the center of her chest from the slices in her hands. She spoke to Dorian again saying, "Okay, I'm ready."

She heard the door to the shower close. Dorian spoke to her through the overhead speaker, "I'm sorry love, I really am. You were born malformed and there is nothing any of us can do. This space station already has a food shortage for those of us that live here. I'm sorry if you don't understand."

Shea did not respond to her. She just stood under the shower nozzle shivering with her arms tucked into herself. When she finally realized what Dorian was up to she yelled, "No Dorian! Do not do this! Enough clones have died in here!"

Dorian stepped back and said, "Computer, initiate particle destabilization sequence." Her words were emotional and heartfelt. Shea could tell she had a hard time saying them. As she tried to speak again, she broke into tears, "Forgive me..."

Nothing happened. The uncomfortable silence was broken by Dorian. "Computer?"

"(Beep) Error, cannot comply."

Shea spoke, "Dorian I don't blame you for what you are doing but I am the commander like I said earlier. The computer cannot harm me. Now I'm begging you to stop what you are doing before it's too late."

Dorian wasn't hearing any of her words. She poked furiously at the buttons on the wall panel. "Look, I told you this is nothing personal. The computer is not what it used to be. I only have to use this manual override and soon you won't have to worry about being a clone that's disillusioned and malformed."

Shea said in a frightened tone, "Dorian do not do this I'm begging you. You don't know what happens to clones that attack the commander."

Poking frantically at the panel, Dorian was becoming more desperate by the minute. "There has to be some sort of system error going on. I don't understand. Manual override, start...particle destabilization...enter. What is the problem computer?"

Shea spoke again desperately, "Dorian please..."

Unable to suppress her emotion any longer she snapped, "Stop saying my name! You are not the commander! There is no commander on this derelict station. All of us have lived here on this ship for over a year and there are no people, no officers, and no stupid commander! Everyone knows you though. You're clone tank A-365n. This old computer has glitches and you are a glitch. This space station makes beautiful, perfect, Futa clones. It takes just under a month for each one. You on the other hand, have been in that soup for well over a year; longer than any of us have been alive anyway. That's why Ruby was calling you Gumbo. Today we decided to break your tank and feed you into the particle destabilizer because we're out of all food. Every rat, insect, and living thing crawling through the bowels of this ship are gone. We've eaten everything.

You were just a mass of old flesh that could be processed into food as far as we were concerned but the computer warned us to never touch you. She told us nothing about what you were doing in there for so long. All she would say is, 'Classified, this chamber is classified.' Obviously after a year, we put it together that the computer was missing some wires or there was a sensor malfunction. We took a vote yesterday and decided to crack open your tank...who knew you would actually be alive in there." Dorian continued to poke at the computer panel on the wall. She was frantic and a little off now that things were taking a turn for the bazaar.

Shea nodded realizing that she wasn't getting through to the girl. She said softly, "Computer, activate the nanobot neutralization program."

"(Beep) yes commander."

There was the familiar flash of light and suddenly Shea could see clearly. The moment the nanobots stop communicating and their network is silenced, the human brain begins to function normally. Shea could see Dorian clearly now. She had long blond hair tied in a single braid that fell over her left shoulder. She was tall and thin with full lips, high cheekbones, and a small Barbie nose. She was a little thin and Shea could see the impression of her ribs through her clothing.

Keeping a straight face as she looked in Dorian's eyes she said, "Computer, activate shower please."

"(Beep) Aye aye commander."

Water covered Shea and she began scrubbing at her skin casually. She even started humming. Dorian stared at her dumbfounded.

Shea finally caught a glimpse of herself in the shower glass.

"Oh fuck, I look monstrous." Her head was huge and lopsided. One of her shoulders was twice the size of the other and she had what looked like a club foot. Her skin looked as though her entire body was covered in wet corn flakes.

Dorian was backing away slowly with a fearful expression in her eyes.

Not reacting to her fear, Shea continued to shower like everything was completely normal. She spoke up again, "Computer, I know you explained the side effects of this procedure to me but I look wretched. Are you sure this comes off?"

"(Beep) yes sir. The cocoon will dissolve in water and break loose from normal movement."

As if the computer was psychic, a large hunk of the flesh fell off of her right shoulder, landing on the shower stall floor with a dead splat. Her skin was shiny and smooth with a deep blue color underneath. Dorian fell to her knees with her hands over her mouth. She was puzzled and horrified by what she was seeing.

Shea moved her hands slowly over her body working to break the tissue free. After a little scrubbing, large pieces of it plopped off of her until she was standing in a large pile of the cocoon-like husks; it was the first time her completed body had ever been visible and Dorian's mind was completely blown.

As Dorian's eyes combed over her every curve, she finally saw her for what she really was. The commander had long white hair that actually glittered. Her smooth round hips were toned; muscularly sculpted but round and feminine. Her cock was flaccid and dangled just past her testicles. Rolls of crumpled silky blue foreskin gathered behind the glan. She had large round breasts with a naturally perfect teardrop slope. A flash of light caught her eye, something shimmering. It was the gold scarab beetle ring on Shea's left index finger. Frightened, Dorian reached up and pressed the intercom button mumbling, "Please...everyone come back to the hatchery. She is...um...I mean...I can't...just come quickly."

Leaving a large pile of genetic material in the shower, Shea walked to the shower glass, now clean and naked. She spoke in a dominant tone, "Computer, open the shower door.

There was the familiar computer beep followed by the shower door popping open. Walking out of the shower she looked down to the beautiful Dorian. Shea knelt down beside her and took her hand. The tall blonde woman was clutching her head with the other hand.

Shea spoke softly to her saying, "Talk to me Dorian. What are you feeling?"

She moaned painfully, "My head it...it really hurts. I feel like I shouldn't be here anymore."

Those words hit Shea like a punch in the stomach. She took a deep breath and exhaled saying, "I'm so sorry love. You've flipped the switch in your brain. Is there anything you want me to tell the others?"

The blonde nodded and squeezed Shea's hand. She mused, "When you told me to stop. When you said enough clones had died in that shower...you were talking about me weren't you. Reaching up she whispered into Shea's ear. The naked blue woman nodded squeezing her hand tightly. She kissed Dorian tenderly on the forehead and ran her fingers through the woman's hair before standing up and facing away from her. She was about to start crying and she couldn't have that happen during this woman's final moments. She had to be strong.

Listening to every sound around her, Shea could hear several sets of footsteps running down the hall. There were four sets of feet. Each pair sounded distinct. The very idea bothered Shea a little. How could she possibly know that from so far away?

As the women rounded the corner, the one in the lead was the Japanese clone Umi. She was slightly shorter than the other women but her dark brown eyes told Shea that she had the heart of a lion. She was holding her mop handle firmly in a bushido grip as she ran up and stopped four feet in front of Shea. She squatted in a sword fighting stance. Her mop handle moved slowly in front of her until it was at her side.

Knowing this stance Shea murmured, "Sha No Kamae."

The Japanese woman's eyes popped open wide hearing this but she did not speak. The other three stopped behind her looking shaken and worried.

As the commander, Shea had to assess situations quickly. She knew her key to winning the room was through the Japanese woman. The others would follow like sheep. She put her hands behind her back and spread her legs in a casual military stance. Looking directly into Umi's eyes she said confidently, "I mean you no harm. I am the commander of this ship and I will have order."

Umi was surveying the room and taking in every detail. Without looking away from Shea's eyes she called out to Dorian, "Are you okay? Why are you on the ground?"

Her head felt like it was spitting in two but Dorian answered, "She's beautiful...the com...the commander is...help me someone...please."

Yelling at Shea, Umi demanded, "If you hurt her I swear to god I'll kill you!"

"Do not threaten me clone. I am the commander and there are consequences for attacking me; consequences that have been built into your clone minds. Do not be rash, I beg you."

Umi's upper lip curled in a sneer. Hatred filled her eyes and she yelled, "I think you're full of shit! You're a slippery one aren't you? I think you will tell us what we want to know once we've tied you to a chair."

Shea knew her intentions and locked her feet to the ground ready for combat. They looked into each other's eyes. Neither of them moved an inch. They stood like marble statues and when it happened, it happened fast. Umi brought her mop handle up swinging it high to hit the commander in the head. Shea pivoted on her heels; spinning her entire body sideways. As she bent backwards, her eyes were calm and relaxed. Shea watched the handle pass and miss her face by less than an inch. Umi turned her stick in a perfect arc bringing the second strike straight down. Shea knew this escape too. Quickly side stepping into Umi, she grabbed her by the wrist and guided her momentum into a small circle. The effect flipped Umi onto the ground and brought the mop handle into Shea's hand. Holding her foot on Umi's neck, she twisted the woman's wrist and locked the bones in her arm causing her an enormous amount of pain.

She spoke softly and in control of the situation, "Jo-Tori." She'd used an aikido technique to remove the threat.

Umi howled in pain. Her arm felt like the bones would either snap or her elbow was going to hyperextend. Still prideful she looked into Shea's eyes with fire.

In all the commotion, nobody but Shea had even noticed that Dorian had walked into the shower and closed the door.

In tears and with a pained expression on her face, Dorian said, "Computer, activate your particle destabilization program."

"(Beep) Initiating particle destabilization."

Pink tendrils of electricity danced inside the shower room. Dorian screamed as the energy forced her muscles to contract. Her body danced in convulsions on the stainless metal grate.

Umi screamed out, "I yield! I yield! Help her if you're the commander!"

Shea spoke in a calm and regretful tone, "I cannot. She will only find another way to kill herself. Now that she has attempted to kill me, her suicide trigger cannot be undone."

There was that familiar sound that they all knew as Dorian's body exploded into pink foam. The three other girls fell to their knees unable to speak. Their faces painted in horror. Shea let go of Umi, giving her back her mop handle. The fight in her was gone now.

Umi stared angry and defiant as she held her arm. Shea walked away from the beaten Umi and said, "You're lucky that is a mop handle and not a real sword or you'd now be joining the late Dorian by your own volition.

Standing naked in front of the clones, Shea clasped her hands behind her back and started pacing back and forth. She began her speech, "You clones...you have not one but two suicide triggers in your brains. The first one you know very well I'm sure. If you have sex without a master's permission, you self terminate. The second trigger is all about me. If any of you attempts to take my life, you will self terminate. Like I've said many times already, 'I am the commander.' I am not here to be your friend. I am not here to fetch you meals or do you clones any favors. This is my space station and I will have it back in perfect running condition as soon as humanly possible." Shea turned on her heels and stared each one of them in the eyes in turn continuing her speech, "You were all created as property of this station. Your lives and your very existence belong to the FutaNow cloning factory. You will do as instructed or I will end your lives as well. You were all created for one single purpose; you are sexual fetish toys. You are the greatest toys ever designed. This is the reason for your overpowered libidos; your unquenchable thirsts for sex. It is also the most common way that we have lost clones in the past. This is your sad and miserable heritage." Looking at their forlorn expressions she knew she didn't need to browbeat them. All four of them were terrified by what had just happened.