Another fresh New Earth series entry this week! This is a pivotal chapter with much to be revealed. Let’s get right into it.
Tao, Reed, Liberty and Kai are on planet Alpha and guests of its quirky ruler known as Chef—the clone processor. These Clones are being created for Maxwell Rhodes, the genius technologist, who wants to save humanity by populating the galaxies using his ships, products and clones.
Here are the key plot lines:
The genius technologist, Maxwell Rhodes, has become the dictator of New Earth and his hyperdrive technology has hastened humanity’s expansion to other planets
The secret organization known as The Formation is accelerating humanity’s expansion to other planets to get ahead and contain this expansion
Tao’s parents (who are part of The Formation with Tao) are on Earth trying to guide the political and social environment with their powers to instill morality in human decisions. Their main target, JJ, Max’s right hand man
Max’s AI—Kairo—flew Tao, Liberty and Reed to planet Alpha to save humanity but struggles with its next decision
Chef is running planet Alpha for Max and has trapped Tao on the operating table to use his brain to help him create clones that can dream and be more humanlike to populate the worlds
Chef had Reed and Liberty whisked hours away with two clones that Reed named Howie and Will. They are hiking across the lands to a special location that the clones insist on taking them.
This is where this week’s entry of New Earth picks up below. I hope you enjoy it.
All the previous entries of New Earth are located here. Paying subscribers can read the full arc on one page here.
Peace.
Chapter 8, Part 3
Reed looked at the big sky of planet Alpha. As they hiked across the open terrain, new grass was forming. Part of Chef’s terraforming work to make a self-sustainable planet. One day, this would be a prairie like the ones Reed loved so much on Earth. To their left, far off into the distance, were a string of interconnected, round-roofed caves. Reed’s concern, however, was in the opposite direction—where they had come from, where they had left Tao Lynn.
Reed thought, Why hadn’t he insisted that they stay together? He remembered wanting to do so, ready to insist they all stay together—but his concern disappeared. His temperament switched and he became at ease. These swings, he recalled, seemed to happen often these days.
Liberty brushed against Reed and looked up. “I’m worried about Tao,” she said in a hushed tone. Their clone escorts were only ten yards ahead. “I think we should go back. I don’t trust Chef.”
Reed and Liberty slowed their pace. Their distance from the clones grew.
Reed leaned down toward Liberty’s ear. “My motto is to never trust a planet with one sheriff in charge of everything.”
“Especially one isolated with clones and robots,” Liberty said. “Tell them we want to go back.” Liberty pointed at their clone escorts. “You named them both after all.”
Reed wondered which clone he should approach.
There was Will, whose discussions always seemed to come down to the logical or illogical—hence the name Will. Then there was Howie, who had no concept of individuality. Everything was done for the collective—the “we.” Reed was almost certain they didn’t take offense to the names he gave them. Clones did not seem to have any emotion. But at this moment, he wished he had kept his mouth shut. It was something he wished he did regularly.
Reed stretched his stride to catch up with the clones. Until now, he hadn’t noticed they hiked up an incline to a hillside. Unlike Howie, Will still wore the form-fitted head cover attached to his uniform. Reed was out of breath when he tapped his shoulder.
“We’re nearly at the location.” Will observed Reed hunched over. “Would you like to take a break?”
“I-I…” Reed held up his hand as he sucked in planet Alpha’s air. He pinched his fingers together. “Maybe a little one.” He turned to Liberty. “Must be the oxygen level.”
“Right,” she said. “Maybe we should head back?”
Will shot them a glance. “Head back?” The focus of his eyes changed. Each eye shifted rapidly from side to side.
“We are to go to the caves,” Howie said. His face turned uncomfortably while he smiled. “It is a must-see.”
“Those caves?” Liberty pointed to the side, down the hill at the smooth oval rock structures. Dozens of them.
“I appreciate the guided tour,” Reed said. “It does help with my homesickness.” Reed and Liberty stopped walking. “But we really should head back.”
Will said, “Between the hike to the station and the train back, the return trip is three hours. However, the first cave is only twenty minutes away. It is only logical to continue to the caves.” Will gave a big smile, revealing his front teeth. Holding that smile, he directed them forward with his arms.
Howie urged them, “Think of this as our gift to you. A gift of life on planet Alpha. Please accept it.”
Reed suddenly went back in time. He was a child again, listening to his grandmother. He could hear her voice clear in his mind. Reed repeated her words out loud, “The Supreme Ruler provided the gift of a life to live and an eternity to serve.”
“What is the Supreme Ruler?” Will asked.
“It is the ruler of everything,” Reed said. “I don’t quite understand it all, but it’s just something that my grandmother told me. In fact, I don’t think anyone ever understood it.”
“It is illogical to think there is one ruler over everything,” Will said.
“Yes, there are many rulers,” Howie said. “There are government rulers. Business rulers.”
Reed reflected, “I’ve spent years camping under the stars. Look into the sky and beyond—who is in charge of that? It seems Maxwell Rhodes is trying to be that ruler. But I’m here to tell you, I believe there is one ruler for everything. This ought to have united humanity so that we look out for one another.”
“Why didn’t it?” Will asked.
“Because humans choose power,” Liberty said. “If you clones could figure out how to fix that, let me know. Now, enough talking. We’ll make it to the caves in ten minutes.” She shot past everyone, leading the way.
Eight minutes later, breathing heavily, the four stood at the large hillside entrance of the first cave. Reed took a gulp of water and looked into the darkness that began a few yards into the cave.
The four stayed in tight formation as they stepped into the cave. After just a few steps, it was almost pitch dark.
“So what’s to see, exactly?” Reed said.
“Shh.” Will raised his hand. “You don’t want to wake them up,” he whispered.
Reed and Liberty both said, “Them?” Howie waved his finger at them and rested it on his lips.
“Sorry,” Reed murmured.
As they slowly went further into the cave, their eyes adjusted to what little light made its way in. Instead of one giant blackness, shades of black formed. And then shapes.
Very large shapes.
Liberty whispered, “Do you hear that?”
“Yes,” Howie said.
“Hear what?” Reed asked. But then he heard it. Breathing. Slow, steady breathing.
Something snorted. “Are those bulls?” Reed whispered.
Liberty’s neck twitched. “What are you clones up to? Take us back, now!”
Suddenly, shadows shifted and broke apart like puzzle pieces. They scattered and surrounded Reed and Liberty.
A voice—a new voice—said to them, “Quiet. You must come with us if you want to live.”