Chapter 3: Allegiances

“I can see Lieutenant Cruz well enough, holding you on her lap. You are fortunate not to have a back to be worrying about. Lieutenant Cruz infamously swaps sides when it suits her.”

“I’m now your new President? I hope you will agree to continue to serve in my cabinet, although Secretary of Defense would suit you better than Surgeon General.”

“I would prefer Attorney General, head of the Justice Department.”

“Done! As my Attorney General, you will head National Security. Historically, notoriously, unconstitutionally, unlawfully self-styled as independent, the former FBI and CIA behaved as if they were above the law, laws unto themselves. That error will not be repeated. You work for me, report to me. I am above the law, you are not. We both serve a higher authority. Freedom. Agreed?”

“Thank you for asking. I’ll agree to serve Freedom. Whether you agree or not, I will be keeping a close eye on you. If you behave monstrously, I’ll put you down like a monster. Now! For the umpteenth time! Where are my friends Olé and the rest of our group?”

“Ask, Cruz. She is in charge of personnel. My mind is occupied with more important issues than tracking my people’s locations. Your first mission as AG is to clean up the new territories we acquired. Scour them clean of corrupt officials and criminals posing as police.”

“Calm yourself, Doc. Everyone is safe and here on the moon. All are happy, in high spirits, and presently drinking beer.”

“How do you know that Lieutenant?”

“That’s my job. Olé, Bella, Warren, Linda, Anna, and Chichima are with the clones. Join them if you wish when Bobby dismisses you.”

“Bobby? Chichima? Clones? Explain who they are Lieutenant.”

“My endearment for the Man in the Moon is Bobby. He’s not offended, he likes it. Don’t you agree he sort of resembles a fishing bob? He is constantly fishing in my depths. Chichima, you haven’t met yet, is one of Warren’s women. She’s the one who waited in the limo, too shy to come inside the NCO club back at the ranch. She may be shy, but she’s viciously ambitious. She envies my lap job.

The clones? Nanobots constructed cyborg copies of Olé and Bella as staff for the Empress. There are six hundred and seventy-six of each type. Each of the 676 Bellas and an equal number of Olés has a unique designation, two letters such as EZ, XY, PT, and so on. After the Empress vanished, and for your info that was Bobby’s doing, President Wabbit offered to give Bobby the clones. Since the clones were not publicly known, the ocean liner pretext wasn’t a necessary ruse to excuse their departure. Bobby simply teleported the clones directly from the palace to the moon. Most of the Bellas will serve as caregivers and nurses. Original Bella has registered nurse training and naturally, her clones copy memory too. This moon base is designed, intended to be, and is a hospital and assisted living facility. Some Olés will be assigned as orderlies, guards, and maintenance staff. You can requisition Olé clones as agents, and Bellas too if you need them. Bella agents will require training in spycraft and warfare. Olé’s clones already possess Olé’s superb training. Any questions?”

“Too many questions, for now, I’m thirsty and anxious to join Olé. Just a few now, more later. Where is the Empress? Dead, I hope?”

“Death is so permanent and irrevocable, don’t you think?”

“Nope, I favor the death penalty for enemies, traitors, and monsters.”

“Bobby can afford to be merciful and maybe only because he has unlimited resources? Bobby resurrected a practice Earth could no longer afford when Real Estate values made prison colonies impracticable. Bobby has empty universes he could never hope to fill. He transports prisoners for life with no chance of return. Bobby generously allows criminals to fend for themselves. Not solitary confinement but solitary freedom to survive all alone if they can. Those who like violence will feel at home. Violence is a survival skill in a raw, uncivilized land filled with dangerous predators. With no society to milk or prey upon and where the only potential victim is them, they quickly learn self-reliance or die.”