This is the personal log of Ruken, date is… I really don’t know. It’s been a few weeks. Met this guy named Max, he promised his org would help me find out who I was if I joined him. I really felt duped that I signed a clan application along with the application to his organization but he was quite the salesman. He did however, at the least attempt to keep up with his end of the deal. He introduced me to a man in Tir, pretty aggressive guy, named Simon something-or-another. Simon then introduced me to a nano woman nick-named Amenti, she was to perform several tests all on the low-tech scientific side, taking measurements and the like.
“How was that?” I said after a successful burst off my perennium.
”That doesn’t count. It’s a burst. I asked you to take one shot at the target.”
“I did take one shot, and the target is now gone.”
”Would you just STFU and fire?”
She really couldn’t take any humor… I guess that means she does her job well but she was way too quiet for me. Every day, after my “tests” she would go and report her findings back to Simon. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me, and I followed.
”Simon, it’s far stronger and faster then Ruken was. Its accuracy is about the same though. We’re looking at a pretty strong creation.”
”How are we supposed to fight them if they’re turning our own against us? Omni-Med is going too far. For year’s we’ve known that Omni-Med has two sides, but this is a little deep.”
”Simon, weren’t our own people working on the same technology?”
”Of course, but we we’re using volunteers, not the dead.”
”So then what should we do? Should we tell him?”
”Tell me what?” I stepped forward.
The two turned around, a bit startled, but almost relieved that they didn’t have to explain it all to me. The fact that I knew bad news was coming was almost enough relief for them.
“Ruken, you have no memory because you never had it. Your make-up is that of an Opifex man, a clan leader that passed away two years ago, named, Ruken. Omni-Med has been working on specific cloning technology for quite some time.” Amenti explained. Poorly I might add.
”Why me though? Why Ruken?”
Simon then spoke up. “Ruken, the original Ruken was the leader of many organizations here on the side of the Clans and also had his flagship organization, Pandora’s Wrath, in quite a bit of research. Ruken was looking to coming up with a way to clone someone who was assassinated by those Omni bastards by removing their “right” to clone. He did not succeed, but he did something extraordinary. He with the help of his staff, managed to create a technology that allowed the safety’s to be broken on the reclaim protocols. Allowing the “soul” to be placed into a different body, and having that body accept the new soul. Cloning a soul… somewhat, but not exactly. A person that was cloned with a deadly cancer could in essence, clone themselves into a totally new body, one that is not pre-disposed to cancer. We have not heard from, or about Ruken for several years. The doctor, Rostiline brought it to our attention that you called yourself Ruken and upon testing, she found that you shared several traits genetically, as he did though clearly, you are not.”
”You still didn’t answer me. Why Ruken?”
”Ruken was the only man to date that successfully went through the soul-cloning process. We believe that some of Ruken’s former staff sold this information back to Omni, who then took an interest in him, and then, those bastards killed him.”
”Now we don’t know that, Simon.” Amenti said.
Simon gathered himself. “Of course not, but one can only assume.”
“So I’m not Ruken?”
”No.”
”Not quite.” They both stated in unison.
“Well then? Who or what am I?”
”In some ways you are an experiment, in some, you are Ruken himself. You’re truly only parts of both. In time, I believe you will be 100% Ruken.” Amenti stated. For the first time I saw compassion, she understood and I believed her.
”What about his… I mean my memories?”
”Those may never return. I also suggest that you never speak of this as Omni may seek to reclaim you.”
”Why did they let me go in the first place?”
”We’re not sure. We believe that it’s because you’re listed in the global customs reclaim registry you’re safe. The GCRR has a flagging system when someone is killed or “put down, not to be revived via reclaim.” You cannot simply remove a registered customer. You CAN however wipe them clean and dump them somewhere to get eaten over and over again. Best I can figure, you were on your way to some drop-off point and your drop-ship came under attack; by aliens no doubt. So to answer your question, you weren’t let go, you were lost. They may be looking for you, so I would keep your head down for the time being.” Said Amenti.
“Am I a prisoner?”
”The clans are a free people, as long as you are one, you will be free, my men will see to it!” Simon said seemingly proud of himself, like he’s said the line many times before and received a standing ovation.
“What do I do?”
”You will have to find your own way. I have contacted the caretaker of Ruken’s estate, an engineer named Kethis. After displaying facts to him, he has agreed to help you in any way possible. Including this.” Amenti said in satisfaction.
She held out an access card, on it had several million credits.
”Ruken’s fortune.” Amenti nodded.
”I see. Well… then I will be going. I’ll start looking into more of my past after I get settled in.”
With that, I left Tir via whompa for Athens.
