Dr. Turczan looked over his notes one last time. The project had been a failure, but he'd gained a lifetime of data. Success, in retrospect, would only have come if the unpredictable had been predicted. The impossibility didn't really make him feel any better, however.

Turczan's project had been a bold step in the field of genetic engineering. He had taken a subject, a patriotic Serco civilian, and cloned him. Not once, but three times. But clone was not the proper word; each of the three versions had certain genes enhanced and others removed. Their appearances also bore only a sibling-like resemblance to one another.

Turczan's first finished product was an example of decisiveness and loyalty. The body was augmented in standard Serco military fashion and and given the name Burwell Everson. He was designed to have all the traits of a perfect soldier.

The second version was designed for resilience. No defeat would ever demoralize this man, his genetic programming (along with some hidden implants) would make sure he always found one more reason to persist physically and mentally. Dr. Turczan and his assistants jokingly called version 2 "stubborness incarnate," but the man's ID said Nolan "Vehement" Faux.

Version three was designed to embrace rebellious traits. It was hoped that men like this one could be planted among the enemy to tear them apart from within. No name was given to this man before he was lost. When he was again found, version three was calling himself "Pancakes."

It had all gone wrong when version two had become sick from some of the implants Dr. Turczan chose to install. Version one had become attached; the two were like brothers. Following in his instinctive programming, the decisive model set out to 'save' Two by assisting his escape from the Doctor and Serco space entirely. Version three was brought along for the ride, because One had no desire to see history repeat itself.

Turczan's staff was caught completely off guard. Their decisive first model was exactly what the scientists had set out to create, but his loyalty was (rather naturally) to his clones and not to their project. In their excitement and eagerness to study version one, they did not pursue the recovery of Two and Three in a timely fashion.

Everson continued to perform in excess of their expectations throughout the course of the project. Indecision was never a problem for the man. His decisions, of course, were often unexpected (an incident with an Itani prisoner of war comes to mind) but always decisive and loyal to something.

Vehement had one life changing experience after another. He was nearly killed by pirates several times, was betrayed by more than one group of friends, and some of the scientists theorized that he developed some mental problems. Eventually he found solace in a woman (whom he married) and a new guild. Nolan defined himself by his work and his relationship with his wife, diametrically countering all his previous failures. The scientists only learned any of this after the man was recovered. He visited Serco space for some tech support on an implant, and the man behind the counter that day was a former participant in the project.

Pancakes rebelled against his immediate surroundings, traders on busy stations, by becoming a miner. Then he rebelled against mining by throwing a fit about UIT mining policies. When some lawyers reached out to show him how he could work within the law, he rebelled by attacking first Union allies and later the Union itself. He rebelled against eating by focusing on breakfast, and then against breakfast by virtually worshiping pancakes. Pilots need somewhere to dock, so Pancakes found himself in Odia. He gained favor with all the independent corporations, and then remembered that mining was one of his hatreds. He rebelled against piracy by stealing from pirates and rebelled against the independent corporations that had taken him in by attacking their station guards. When the scientists read the news from Fenos Outpost, stating that one of their most trusted pilots had unexpectedly attacked their station guards, Dr. Turczan sent an intern to investigate. Pancakes was all too willing to rebel against his crummy, independent life by going 'home' with the intern, figuring a change might be entertaining.

With all the data they wanted (a full year of it), and knowledge of the full extent of how their program had backfired, Dr. Turczan decided to close the project. To prevent any of their data from falling into the wrong hands, the scientists disposed of their three clones. Their possessions were collected from all over the galaxy and centrally located. Vehement's marriage was partially a problem; his disappearance would raise questions. Fortunately for Dr. Turczan, the original man they had cloned looked most like Nolan. The unclassified memories of all three were copied to the man, and he was sent on his way. He would seem like a combination of all three men. In fact he would just have all of their dominant traits in a weaker, natural state. The scientists showed some small humanity toward the woman Nolan married; he would take over where Nolan left off.

I allowed an intern to write this account of these events on the public domain so that those who knew my creations, Everson, Vehement and Pancakes, can understand what has happened when they meet the new Vehement. He is all three, and he is none of the above, if that makes sense. The friend or foe you made is still there, but different. It cannot be helped, and we have broken no laws. The clones were legal, and our property. Please make the man behind your acquaintance(s) feel as welcome as the clone version you knew. My personal apologies to Mrs. Nolan Faux, it is my hope that you can accept the original man as you did Nolan.

-Dr. Turczan

In your face, UIT genetics researchers! ;)

Nice read...