Napoleon

by Stephen Arseneault

  Naffi asked, “And the information you gathered?”

  “It was delivered to a French diplomat I had been seeing.”

  Reno looked through the archives. “He kept it. He did not pass it on. The uprising still went as before.”

  Naffi said, “Perhaps he is the remaining conspirator.”

  Vara shook her head. “No. I believe that to be an American. And one in a powerful position.”

  Reno asked, “The beating, are you OK from it?”

  “I'm a bit shaky, but OK. You were both right in the worst part being the mental challenge. But how fascinating a journey. I can see why you have continued, aside from your desire to change the present. That has to be the most fantastic thing I have ever done. And I would like to go back and finish my work.”

  “Warming and readying a new clone will only take about an hour, but unfortunately we are on the move to a new location, so any journey won't be for another eight hours. Are you comfortable with the same body or would you like another? It would of course be a different Human ethnicity.”

  “The same body is adequate. I will however, need to deliver this intel to someone more reliable.”

  Naffi said, “Go to Portsmouth. There you will find Captain Lafontaine. Pass him the information and tell him to get it to Napoleon, and to trust no one.”

  Eight hours later the clone of Vara was standing in a room in London, getting dressed. She hurried from the home and hired a carriage to take her to Portsmouth. Upon arrival, the captain was located and the message delivered.

  Reno asked, “How did you end it?”

  “Drowning. And I don't think I will do that again. It was quite painful and I was mentally unable to calm myself for those few moments of terror.”

  Naffi said, “There is no easy way. At least none that I have found. Only when knocked unconscious was it painless.”

  “What does the archive say?”

  Reno scanned through the data. “It says... you were successful. The conspiracy ring was broken up and its participants arrested. And the Apostle was none other than the American President, Thomas Jefferson. And it says here war was declared against the Americans. The French were at first successful at controlling the seas, but the American forces soon became their equal.”

  Naffi scowled. “Marwal.”

  “Indeed. Napoleon had an armada of five hundred ships that sailed for Nova Scotia to establish a beachhead. The Americans caught them out on the high seas with an undersea ship called a submarine. The French fleet turned and steamed back after a third had been sunk.

  “It says the sea battles rage for another ten years with the French attacking the ports of Boston and New York, setting much of those cities ablaze before being turned away. The American subs attacked Portsmouth, nearly blocking the harbor with sunken ships.

  “At the ten year mark, Napoleon negotiated a truce and trade was opened. The achievements from that point on show minimal advances in technology because both sides were focused on defense. And the Opamari ancestry... unchanged, as usual.”

  Naffi looked over the data. “It seems the regional bureaucrats used their positions to enrich themselves, again dividing the people into upper and lower classes. Even Napoleon himself seemed content with the state of the Empire.”

  Vara said, “As with our own society. The masses are distracted with the arts and entertainment, only the few have taken to the sciences.”

  “These Humans can be just as infuriating as our own people.”

  “So what do we do?” Vara asked.

  Naffi scowled. “We foil the American submarine attack and allow the armada to land.”

  “And how do we do that?”

  Reno cut in. “We develop what they called a depth-charge. It was the scourge of the submariner. I'm thinking two types. One that can be rolled off the decks of our ships and another that is fired from our cannons. If they want to attack with subs we make it costly for them to do so. I'll get to work on a design, immediately.”

  Reno moved to another console.

  Vara asked, “Is he OK? He seems stressed.”

  Naffi replied, “I think it is more frustration than stress. Just as with me. We can see the outcome we desire, but our efforts to get to that outcome don't yield the desired result. It seems every move we make is met with a counter move, often a few years down the road, that drives the people away from what we seek.”

  Vara smirked. “You are dealing with a billion people. Getting them to all march in the same direction would seem an impossible feat. As to bettering their world, as we can see, there are too many who take advantage and too many who just don't care. Have you thought of giving them a unifying reason to work together?”

  “As in?”

  “As in we tell them of the coming invasion.”

  “That invasion doesn't happen for more than two hundred years. Everyone alive in this timeframe will be dead by then. And we have no proof of an alien race coming.”

  “We know the future from the archive. At least as it currently is.”

  Naffi slowly shook his head. “You start spouting anything like that and you are likely to be burned as a witch.”

  Reno returned to the conversation. “I have several depth-charge designs ready to be uploaded to a clone. I'll be readying one to send to America.”

  “What date are you selecting?”

  “I was considering a gap at 1802 London that should allow me to put this in place. If not enough time, there is another gap in 1803.”

  Naffi shook his head. “I believe London to be a mistake.”

  “Why so?”

  “Look at the display. Marwal made his last jump to America in 1798. He had at least four years before his clone appears again. I believe that was time spent developing and manufacturing the submarines.”

  “I see. So what would you suggest?”

  “Allow me to go back and end his efforts before those vessels are built.”

  Vara said, “I might be able to aid in that endeavor. Let me track him down. I'll return, and you can finish the work.”

  Reno nodded. “I would not be opposed to that. Your prior performance was stellar.”

  Naffi scowled. “I suppose I can't argue with that. Nor can I argue with the need for her to get more experience with these journeys. What was Marwal's destination?”

  “New York. Manhattan. Are we scuttling the depth-charge idea?”

  “For the moment, since we have time while this station travels, take Vara with you. Show her the complete process of readying a clone.”

  “I can do that. Come with me.” Reno stood. “I think you'll find this fascinating.”

  Vara returned a coy smile. “Is this an attempt to get me alone?”

  Reno froze. “What? Well, no. I just think you'll find the process interesting.”

  Naffi said, “A wiz at science, a buffoon at relationships.”

  “What?”

  Naffi chuckled. “Just go, before I have to ridicule you again.”

  Reno walked beside Vara down the hall. “I'm glad you came. I mean, I'm used to working somewhat alone, but I am certain Naffi could use someone else to talk to.”

  Vara asked, “What about you?”

  “Me?”

  “Do you not get tired of only talking to him?”

  “Hmm. I suppose not. He can be annoying at times, but pleasant enough, I guess.”

  Vara smiled. “I think we are a lot alike.”

  They continued to walk.

  “How do you mean?”

  “In my line of work, I've talked to many people, but rarely on a personal level. I've just never had time. Naffi was demanding as a boss, but generous as well. I've had thoughts of retiring to a life of leisure, but then I ask myself what I would do. I'm not one for doing nothing.”

  “I know what you mean. I want to stay busy. When my mind is occupied is when I am happiest.” Reno stopped. “But you are a beautiful and very eligible Opamari female. You must have suitors.”

  “N
one that have drawn my attention. The businessmen who are single and successful are single for a reason. Most of them lack morals and tend to be self-absorbed. Besides, I tend to like the quiet and intelligent type. I'm fascinated by those of accomplishment because their drive is not aimed toward self.”

  Reno smirked as he returned a half frown. “I can be quite self-absorbed, spending countless hours at my work without paying mind to those around me. Take Credin. He was my aide for years and I rarely thought about how my long hours affected his personal life.”

  “You were not in a personal relationship with Credin. He could leave at any time. He stayed because he enjoyed the work as well.”

  “I suppose.”

  Bouthis's old lab was entered.

  Reno again stopped. “I enjoy your company, Vara. You have a way of putting me at ease when you talk. You come on strong, but are then very personable.” The former temporal scientist turned. “I gave you the short tour before. This time you will learn every aspect of readying a clone. We'll remove one from a growth chamber to put in storage. We'll plant a seed in the empty chamber and start it maturing. And then we'll draw one from storage to warm for the upcoming journey. How does that sound?”

  “Intriguing.”

  “Excellent. We'll begin by pulling this body from the chamber. There is a technique to it that requires minimal muscle. And when I say that I'm referring to my own physique and not yours.”

  “No offense taken.”

  A transparent door on the top of the chamber was opened. A gurney was wheeled over and the chamber flipped up on its side. Reno reached in and rolled the Human body out and onto the gurney, face down. The gurney was wheeled over to the storage room and pushed inside.

  Vara asked. “The rolling move back there, has a body ever fallen to the floor?”

  Reno chuckled. “More than once. But it's not like they feel anything. Depending on their size it can be a fair amount of work to get them back on the cart. Now here in storage you just position the cart beside the holding slot and roll it in.”

  A seed was then removed from storage.

  Reno gestured toward a wall full of small drawers. “This is our repository. We have about ten thousand of these starter seeds and room in this freezer unit for forty or so cloned bodies. Since we just removed a Caucasian male, we'll replace it with another male. If you noticed in the other chambers out there we have four of the eight units growing females. In here, we have three others at the ready should you need them.”

  “And if I need a different ethnic body?”

  “That would have to be grown, which takes approximately two weeks.”

  The seed was placed in the chamber, and the automated process began. A male and a female clone were removed from storage and placed in a warming chamber.

  Reno sat in a chair. “That is all we have for the next hour as they warm. From there we do a memory injection and then wheel them around to the lab.”

  “Seems easy enough.” Vara took a seat. “So tell me about Reno. What is your life history?”

  Reno sighed. “An orphan at a young age. Raised by the state. I found a fascination with science and originally decided upon the temporal sciences because I wanted to build a time machine. I thought if I could travel back I could prevent the accident that took my parents.”

  “An honorable mission.”

  “It was merely the thought that gave me an initial direction.”

  “And now you have a time machine. Do you still have the desire to bring back your parents?”

  “No. That notion has long since passed. But my fascination with the science remains.”

  “What you have accomplished here... it is nothing short of brilliant. I did some reading and no one else has ever come close. Even their theories have been debunked. And yet here you are, having done it.”

  “And I'm now a criminal for doing so. Part of me regrets my accomplishment, and the other part can't wait to go on another journey.”

  Vara leaned back in her chair, glancing up at the ceiling with a smile on her face. “Absolutely thrilling. To be in among a different species without their knowledge? And to be at a rather primitive time in their history? I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed playing Human and how much I look forward to more of it. It is refreshing being around people who display passion, unlike most of our own.”

  “Tell me about your own life. Parents?”

  “My mother is governor of the Debulox colony. My father dotes over her, but mostly spends his time facilitating meetings between trading partners.”

  “So you come from a family of means?”

  “I was placed in the finest schools and societal organizations. But my parents’ attention was on my three brothers. They were all educated and groomed to be politicians. I went the straight business route and found myself with a contract to a subsidiary of a subsidiary of Naffi Industries. That led to where I am today.”

  “How is it the connections to Naffi haven't been a problem for you?”

  “As Naffi's personal assistant, those connections have all been hidden away. As far as the Empire knows, I am a business consultant who has ties to a number of industries, none of which are directly connected to Naffi.”

  The conversation continued for the remainder of the warming time. Two new clones were revived and had their memories injected with the standard set of functionary attributes along with the localized memories of the 1800 English and European histories, languages, and cultures. Vara and Reno each pushed a gurney into the lab where a smiling Naffi was waiting.

  Chapter 19

  _______________________

  Naffi said, “Two clones?”

  Reno nodded as he prepared a waking shot for the unconscious female clone. “One for her, one for me.”

  “You?”

  “I decided it best that I go ahead with the design and manufacture of the depth-charges. We may need those in the future. When I return you can go back to take out Marwal.”

  “Do you have a third body warming?”

  Reno nodded. “For the last half hour.”

  “I suppose that is adequate.”

  The remainder of the station travel time passed with general conversation.

  When the station had slowed to a stop, Vara said, “I'm ready to go whenever you are.”

  Naffi gestured toward the table. “Assist me and we'll get the two of you linked up.”

  Minutes later, Vara sat up. The sensors were disconnected, and Reno helped her to a chair. Her clone was walking through the streets of New York. Clothing had been acquired and money had been raised.

  Reno said, “You make a good Human.”

  A smile was returned. “Thank you. You'll see in a few minutes if I make a good spy.”

  “You found Marwal?”

  “I did. You can't start building submarines without others taking notice. I'm heading to work in his factory right now.”

  “You've barely been there two days.”

  “I was given a mission and I focused on that mission. We knew he would be near the water and would select a site with manufacturing capability. The largest ship builder in New York was right next door, as were several of the mechanized factories they had building weapons.”

  “What is your plan?”

  The clone walked through a door and into a warehouse where giant beams held up a roof over the beginnings of a thirty-meter-long submarine hull.

  Vara said, “This is the first unit. It will be out for trials in two years. To the left are the insides. The power plant and the nose drill.”

  Naffi asked, “Nose drill?”

  “Those two scaffolds they are building will hold a pair of hard-mounted harpoons. They drive into the side of the ship with the harpoons and use the drill to cut a hole. A small explosive is pushed through and detonated to clear out any crewmen. A large explosive with a delayed fuse is then shoved through. The harpoon anchors fold in and the sub is backed away before the explosion. Crude but effective.”

&n
bsp; “How do you know this?”

  “I was given a short tour during my hiring yesterday. They wanted women who could do math to help keep inventory. I qualified. Today is my first day.”

  The clone walked down the side of the building and into a warehouse next door. It was a madhouse of people moving around carrying pieces and small assemblies. The building beside that was a machine shop where much of the custom metal work and other mechanical parts were being crafted.

  A group of supervisors were gathered around a raised desk where the clone of Marwal was seated. Instructions were given to the supervisors and from there they moved out to their respective stations. Vara's clone sat at a long table with a dozen other women who were keeping logs of any materials that left the warehouse heading for the final assembly building. Across the way was an identical table where incoming items were received and documented.

  Naffi scowled. “Look at all these people around him. We'll never get close.”

  Reno pointed. “And look at those three brutes behind him. Those have to be bodyguards.”

  Naffi chuckled. “You said brutes.”

  “And that's funny how?”

  “It's funny because it's a very Human thing to say.”

  Vara sped up the playback, slowing again when the Marwal clone stood to leave after a fourteen-hour shift. “Those three are indeed his bodyguards. I got one of the girls to cover my station as I went to follow. He never left the facility, instead going into a private area that I can only assume he is using for his quarters. The three guards stayed outside the door.”

  Naffi frowned. “This may be difficult.”

  The playback was paused. “We could always offer a delay. Set the buildings on fire. They are constructed of wood and will readily burn.”

  “Why did you stop?” Reno asked.

  “There are five more days of the same. He works fourteen hours and retires to his room. I terminated my clone after the fifth day. And I walked around the building. There are no other entries into that room and no windows on the outside.”

  Naffi stood. “Reno, if you are ready to go we'll send you on your way.”

  “We are on the move. It will be another seven hours.”