Every Last Mother's Child
Page 83
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The line at the convention center wrapped around the convention center twice. It surprised everyone, and caused the Mounties to assign additional officers to the location. This was day two of the event and now an additional ten freelance ships had arrived and were setting up shop. As per the agreement the Non-Governmental Organization’s had to have a large sign telling people who they were and what world that the NGO was going to take people to. Pastor Gloria was sitting in the booth at the convention center watching people walk down the aisle they saw Lashkey snickered and walked by. On either side of her there was standing room only. One of the worlds was for Haven, an imperial world that many retired imperial marines and interstellar rescue service people retired to. Many of the people in that booth had the look of the military. The other one was a place called Industry, that booth. while not having as much as that of Haven had a fair number. As she watched the crowd she noticed a nondescript man picking up trash, watching the crowds more than anything else. She thought it odd. But as she watched she saw a Thonian walking the crowd who wasn’t checking out the booths. She had heard about the bombing and had looked at the damage caused by it when she came in but was surprised that the damage wasn’t that extensive. As she watched the crowd she became more concern when she saw a clone that was walking through the crowd who seem more intent on watching the people than checking out who was offering what. She saw a police officer and went up him.
“See that man with the broom and dustpan?” Pastor Gloria asked the police officer.
The Mounty looked over and saw Kellogg and said, “What about him?”
“Well he and a Thonian and a couple of others seem to be just walking around not checking things out. They didn’t stop at the booths on either side of me. No one’s stopping at my booth, but they are stopping at the ones on either side of me. If only to get the freebies!”
“I see,” the police officer replied. He knew who Kellogg was. While the man was not undercover he didn’t think it wise to announce who he was. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
Kellogg had walked through the crowd a couple times and was about to go on another tour of the exhibit area when a commotion broke out near one of the booths. He wandered over and found a bunch of biopeople yelling and screaming at the people in the booth.
“Ain’t no way you are going to take me back to a company world!” he heard someone yell.
“What the hell’s going on?” Someone asked.
“These bastards are from the company!” someone said, “I escaped from Yankenov. These bastards are from the company!”
“We’re not from Ebio!" The man said. He knew he was found out. He didn’t know why the company security unit thought this would work to recover some of the clones who were on Trena.
“We’ll find out real quick!” Kellogg said, he took out a retina scanner and scanned the suspected company security officer’s eyes. Within seconds Kellogg had his answer. By this time a Mounties and a couple of Companions arrived on the scene. Kellogg was tempted to let the clones tear the company officer apart; but not wanting to betray Lord Wilson’s hard earned trust, he took out his newly issued Royal Trenaport Mounted Patrol badge and said “Harold Stevens by the power granted me by the Queen I arrest in the name of the Court of Trena for crimes against humanity. In particular the enslavement of bioengineered human beings, and the attempt to recover emancipated clones on the planet of Trena. Officers this man and his ship are to be confiscated, any and all crew men aboard the ship are to be held for trial by the Queen’s Bench.”
“Aye Sir,” the Mounty said, it was the same one who had been talking with Pastor Gloria.
“Sir your under arrest, you have the right to remain silent, you have the right to counsel, and to have that counsel present at any interrogation. Anything you say will be recorded, and will be used in preparation of the case against you.” The Mounty said, “Pursuant to Evacuation Order 16, a deadly force authorization has been granted when dealing with any Ebio security personnel, or Ebio personnel resisting arrest.”
It was then that the Ebio Containment officer realized the Mounty was a clone.
Over the next week or so some ten thousand people from all walks of life made their exodus to other worlds that would have them. With the success of the effort by the NGOs and the security of the convention center, the Ministry of Labor once again had their employment fair, it too was a success. But they only took a portion of the people of Trena to safety. The Crown had been overwhelmed by all of the people who wanted to be part of a pioneer party. It astounded them all. They all had assumed that many of the people of Trena would sooner want the easy life of a fully developed planet and not the hardship of a planet being developed. That left the question of who would go first.