White Space Season 2

have you done?”
    “They’re clones,” he said, “clones of several of Hamilton Island’s inhabitants.”
    “Why?”
    “Part of our project,” Blake said, as if offering the Rosetta Stone of answers.
    As Sarah stared through the glass at the girls in the boxes who looked so much like her daughter that she couldn’t sift reality from sham, she felt herself swelling with a sickening realization.
    “Wait!” Sarah turned from the empty box to Blake. “Is the girl you brought to me one of these … clones?”
    Blake smiled, “No, no. Emma is the real deal.”
    Sarah shook her head, not sure she believed him. “How do I know you’re not lying?”
    “Well, you can’t ever truly know, I suppose,” Blake said. “I mean, you could ask your daughter questions and see if she passes some test of your design, but anything she knows, the clones know as well.”
    “How?”
    “They’re all … connected. Whatever one feels, sees, does, the others experience. In fact, we’ve sent clones down while some of the islanders have been up here for extended evaluations.”
    “So you’re saying there have been times when my daughter wasn’t really my daughter? That I’ve had one of these — these things — in my house without even knowing it?”
    “No, we never send children down because they’re more likely to notice when things aren’t quite right, or get the feeling that they don’t belong. We tried it early on but had a few of our subjects lose their minds.”
    “How do you get these? How do … wait, the body Jon and Cassidy buried? Was that one of these? ”
    Blake nodded, “Yes.”
    “You killed one of these children?”
    “Well, I didn’t, but yes. However, Sarah, you really shouldn’t consider them children. They’re clones, medical subjects. Bred for our needs. It’s best not to get attached.”
    Sarah couldn’t believe her ears. “But they’re people, right? People you somehow grew, by taking our DNA and eggs or whatever, and growing them in a dish or something, but they’re still people — flesh and blood and hearts and souls, aren’t they?”
    Blake nodded.
    “You have your daughter now, that’s what matters, right? Emma was receiving too many of the clones’ memories up here, and treating that recall as her own. I had to do something because I’ve no idea how much her clones know, and can’t afford to take any chances. Would you prefer we had killed her for what she knew, Sarah?”
    “You would kill your own grandchild? What kind of monster are you?”
    Sarah also wanted to ask what memories Emma had picked up on, thinking the clones were asleep.
    Blake grabbed her wrist, hard, and yanked Sarah’s eyes up to his. “I didn’t kill her, did I? I brought her here to be with you. You would be well served to show some appreciation!”
    “You killed a child! And what? Dumped her on the island so people would stop looking?”
    “We’re through here,” Blake said, his voice icy. “Chamber lights, off, all.”
    The coffins went dark. Blake turned, and started walking back the way they’d come.
    Sarah stared after him, unsure what to do, but not wanting to follow.
    He called out, not bothering to look back. “I suggest you come along or I’ll leave you here, alone in the dark.”
    The thought of being trapped in the blackness with who knew how many clones scared the living hell out of Sarah. She quickly followed the man she now hated.
    Blake said nothing as he led Sarah back to the garden where Emma and Bernice were still sitting on the same bench. Blake turned to Sarah, “I’ve arranged for you and Emma to share a new suite, something larger, more like home.”
    Sarah wished she’d kept her mouth shut in the clone room. There were so many things she wanted to ask, chief among them, when could they go home? Had Blake been lying to Emma when he said they’d discuss it later? Or were they stuck among the stars, maybe forever?
    “I hope you’ll excuse me, ladies. I have a meeting. Bernice will show you to your new quarters. Please let her know if you need anything. I promise she will take excellent care of you.”
    “Wait, Grandpa,” Emma said. The word “Grandpa” was a blade in her gut. Sarah wanted to wrap her arms around her daughter, protect her from the monster who had made many in her likeness.
    Blake turned, a warm smile on his face as he looked down at Emma with something that looked close to actual love. “Yes?”
    “I thought you said we could see the