Chapter 1

"... And I tell you brethren, these parodies of human life are a menace to us all! I urge you all to deactivate these abominations and return them to the devil organisation from whence they came!" The speaker paused to wipe the spittle from his mouth.

"And then what? Who's going to work for you?" A voice shouted from the assembled crowd. There was an intake of breath as this was said and people began moving away from the speaker. A man stood there regarding the speaker.

"With the freedom from these abominations we will be free to work for ourselves, not to depend on the devil workers to drag our souls into purgatory!" The speaker said as cowled shapes moved into the space created to surround the man.

"The Replicants were designed to help mankind; they are here to provide us with all that is needed." The man was quoting from the Company's handbook which had become a new bible to many.

"An unbeliever is amongst us... CAST HIM OUT FROM OUR SIGHT!" The preacher demanded and the cowled men rushed the unfortunate man pulling him out of the hall.

Outside the hall in a side alley the man was held up against the wall, "We don't like your type in our place of worship." One hooded man hissed and pulled his arm back to deliver a blow to the stomach of the restrained man.

A sound of electricity could be heard and the attacker was suddenly shaking as a Taser blast struck him.

"Enforcers! Release that man and show your faces!" The local police force (4 men and a dog) were in the alley-way.

"You don't frighten us; we have God on our side!" One of the cowled men said bravely, only to be floored by another shot from a Taser.

"You seem to have a problem then, the God Below is on ours!" The Enforcer said calmly.

"You're Miners! What rights do you have to..." One of the remaining men said although he was now looking around.

"This is our planet, our laws apply. You people can just take your faith and go away; we don't need you kind here causing trouble." The Enforcer said moving closer holding restraining cuffs in his hands.

"Are my brethren causing a problem, Sir?" The Preacher had come out from a side door and stood, unthreateningly, before them.

"We stopped them beating up that man, Preacher, they are very violent." The Enforcer said pulling one tasered man to his feet to place the restrains on him wrists.

"Those will not be needed; my people will come with me." The Preacher said.

"Sorry Preacher, but they're going to be facing the Judge when he arrives next week!" The Enforcer said.

"No my son, you don't understand..." The Preacher moved quickly guns appearing in his hands as he shot the four Enforcers, each shot between their eyes. "My men are of God and so cannot be stopped!" He turned to the heckler who was watching in shock.

"My god, you're a... a." Was all he could say before he too was shot!

The Preacher shook his head sadly, "Many men have to face their god when they die!" He said and with a gesture summoned the cowled men and together they left the carnage behind.

The dog was crouched down on the floor; his tail was tucked between his legs which was how it was found later the next day as maintenance droids discovered the five bodies.

"Captains Log, 20^th May 2309. SS Rochester, Freighter vessel, currently en-route to SS Pleiades in Alpha Centauri Sector.

I have been reminded that this is the 4^th anniversary of Molly's awakening on this ship; Milly has been going through records to see what type of party would be acceptable to celebrate this event.

It's strange to see this young person, who hasn't aged at all, still running around without a care in the world, even with the help that she have given us — I don't mean the personal service, but the work that she had put in for the ship as a whole.

Although I shouldn't mention this in reports — Milly assures me that this will be encrypted — Molly has learned so much that she has acted as interpreter in some worlds and our trade has increased exponentially.

Our current assignment is to transport replicant crew for the SS Pleiades — this is completely against normal operational running, but I feel that they need to show that Replicants are as good, if not better, than the normal crew, indeed I can only say that Molly and Scott are a indication of what can be achieved.

Log Ends."

Captain Reilly sat back in his chair, although his cabin was much the same, although tidier, the ship itself had been changed over the past four years. The holds were larger and, because of the route they were travelling, the outer planets being sparsely patrolled by the Space Army, the ship was now armed against attack.

Milly was still the main computer, but she also had two separate systems in charge of defence, one for each half of the ship. But all under the main control of Milly, Sam - the Port side computer often disputed her orders but carried them out anyway, Donald allowed himself to be directed by Milly.

"It's daft that I'm supposed to be in charge of the Port guns when I'm perfectly capable of keeping an eye on all sides!" Sam would protest and it would be up to Molly to talk to him to calm him down.

In fact it was a redundant system, should one system go down then the other one would be able to take over, it was the same should Milly ever break down — but Reilly shuddered at the thought of that! Milly was so integrated in the body of the ship that only a catastrophic event would damage her.

The other change was to the manning of the ship, Jordan and Günter had moved on to another ship, The SS Newcastle, with Jordan as Captain and Günter as First Officer. On the Rochester, Lloyd was now 2^nd in command with Adams as Mid-shipman; this meant that new crewmembers were recruited, Mid-shipman West and Ordinary Seamen Bassett and Pendle. These new recruits were aware of Molly and her function but didn't know about Scott.

This was the second cruise with the new crew and they were settling down into the normal space routine.

Reilly was thinking about the first time they had boarded and met with Molly when Milly interrupted his thoughts. "Captain, I've checked the mail that arrived, I'm afraid there is bad news for OS Pendle which you should be aware of. Here's a copy of the mail concerned." She said her tone muted as she conveyed her feelings. - Milly, as a security officer was authorised to scan any mail for 'dangerous items', and to use her initiative should anything unusual occur.

"You think it would be better if he heard it from me?" Reilly asked after he had read it

"Yes sir. I think he'll also need a comforter, it is part of his religion." Milly said and then added, "Molly has been authorised to act in that capacity.

"Really? I must admit I've lost track on all the work Molly's doing, anyway Pendle?... He's on watch at the moment, I'll call him here." Reilly said after checking the rota, although he knew it by heart having compiled it several months ago.

"He's on his way Sir. Molly will be here a bit later, she's... busy at the moment" Milly said realising that she'd used the captain's authority without permission Reilly looked up to where the sensor was located.

"I thought we'd discussed this before?" He said as a knock sounded on his cabin door. The door opened with the expected 'whoosh'

"You wanted to see me Captain?" Pendle said standing just outside the doorway.

Reilly nodded, "Yes Mr. Pendle, I think you'd better come in and sit down." Reilly said indicating a chair near his desk.

Pendle sat down with a worried look on his face, "Sir, if it's my non-using of the pleasure unit, it's just that she looks too..." Pendle stopped as Reilly shook his head.

"It's not that Mr. Pendle, the ship's computer has passed this on to me, and I think you need to read it in private." Reilly said handing the mail to Pendle.

Reilly had turned away while Pendle read through the mail, he head the intake of breath and a small cry. "I'm sorry, do you need any time off, I understand you were close..." Reilly started to say but Pendle shook his head.

"No thank you sir, we're too far from anywhere to just stop, I'll get in touch with my people later." Pendle said, "I don't understand what happened? He was just a part-time enforcer, it doesn't make sense.

Reilly shook his head and got up, "Death never does, it's the one mystery that none of us know about." He said quietly. "I've got to check up on things, my com unit is over there, you can call from here." He said.

"Sir?" Pendle was confused.

"You have my permission to call from here, you won't be disturbed, Milly will see to that, Do you want any service performed here?" Reilly asked.

"No sir, he was a Miner, believed in the God Below, he'd be happy now digging along with the others." Pendle said — Miners held that once dead they would all join up with the God Below, forever mining and finding their just rewards — and made the sign of shovelling.

Reilly left his cabin, not allowing himself to listen to Pendle as he began to mourn the loss of his brother.

Molly was in the off-duty cabin of Bassett when Milly alerted her, she quickly finished fucking the tired man and gave him a goodnight kiss and, after dressing, went to her cabin — after two years Reilly decided that she deserved her own space, although she spent more time still in his!

She carefully showered to remove any sign of Bassett from her and then sat down on her bed. "What's the problem Sister?" She asked.

Milly sighed and then spoke, "Its Pendle, his brother was killed a week ago, and we've just received the mail." She said.

"How's he taking it?" Molly asked, although she was the pleasure unit she also took seriously the task of moral officer for the crew.

"He put on a show for the Captain, but its hit him hard!" Milly said.

Molly brought up Pendle's record and noticed his religious beliefs, "Can you find out more on how he died, and I'll get ready." Molly said.

She went to a replication unit and entered in a command, a mixture of mud and shale arrived in a small container, also a jump-suit, with tears in the fabric, covered in the same mixture.

She undressed and put on the torn, shabby jump-suit smeared the mixture on to her hands and face in a particular pattern. Milly provided her with all the reports on the incident which she read carefully.

Then she walked out of her quarters to the Captain's cabin.

Pendle was just signing off from his communications call and had his head in his hands when there was a chime from the door — it wasn't a normal chime, it was just like the mine bell.

"The God Below has taken your brother's soul and they will work together for the source." Molly intoned taking the text from the Miner's Bible.

Pendle looked up to see the girl, dressed in mourning clothes, his face was troubled, "But he wasn't in a mine when it happened, the God Below doesn't know about this." He said.

Molly shook her head sadly — she already assimilated the information on the death and was prepared for this. — "You are mistaken, for he was a Miner and the God Below watches all Miners, even those who are killed in the line of duty, as it is written in the words of Maurice Mattock the originator of the belief. 'A Miner is of the God Below no matter where he falls, the God Below will accept him into the deepest mine of all' Rejoice for your Brother is with the God Below." Molly said.

Pendle looked at her, "How can you say this? You are not a believer of the God Below, you don't understand our beliefs, and yet you..." He began.

"I come as a handmaiden of the God Below, dressed in the clothes of a Miner in acceptance of your belief, through me your faith is pure and unsullied, will you join me in prayer for the soul of your brother and those who fell with him?" She said and her voice carried such conviction that Pendle found himself making the sign of the shovel again and the pair began to pray.

It was a subdued Molly who left the cabin to return to her own quarter, Pendle had found comfort in her actions, which was what she had intended, but there was something else she had to do now.

She quickly showered and dressed in a new jump suit, and then she went to the Bridge and saluted Mid-Shipman West. "Replacement Ordinary Seaman Molly reporting for duty sir."

West looked at her with a smile on his lips, "Where's Pendle, I didn't think he went in for your type of jokes Molly?" He asked her.

Molly shook her head, "I'm sorry Mr. West but Mr. Pendle has a family death that he's currently observing, I'm here to take over his duties for the time being. The ship's computer has details of my membership in the guild."

West checked the computer and noticed that Molly had been paid into the guild by the SS Rochester crew three years previously with a note that her status had been noted and due to the actions of Molly was allowed by the guild under special dispensation.

"That's all in order Ordinary Seaman Molly, welcome to the bridge, please take a place at... 2b." He said with a smile

Molly started to move and then shook her head, "Sir, why do you want me to stand on the chart table?" She asked and her hands went on to her hips.

"You can't blame a man for trying, Sorry Molly can you take navigation point please." West said.

Molly saluted, "Yes Sir, thank you sir." And she took her place.

Brother Xanadu was pacing the floor of the space ship — The Lord Endeavours — it used to be the SS San Francisco but was liberated by the faithful and the ship's computer stripped down to barely functioning state.

A signal was heard in the room and Brother Xanadu went down on to one knee, "Your servant hears you Lord." He said.

A high pitched, modulated sound was almost heard and then Brother Xanadu spoke again. "This is disturbing Lord, your servant will do his best to stop the cursed Company from succeeding, you can rely on your servant Lord." Brother Xanadu said and stood up.

He went to the Bridge, "I've been told that the Cursed Company is trying to bring down the Lord's faithful, it's sending Replicants to Alpha Centauri where a ship is waiting for them, this cannot be allowed to succeed!" he told the people at the consoles.