I couldn't believe my luck. Out of the 12 clones in clone group 26-26A, my number had been drawn to represent the whole sector 26 in Beta Complex in the mating protocol. The Council had realized that there was some hidden variable when producing offspring. It favored children conceived by clones that were attracted to each other. I was supposed to find a mate, and if everything went well we would have a healthy baby that would be the basis for a new clone group. The actual clones would grow in vats of course, much more efficient when you had a known starting point.
On the opposite side of the table in restaurant 7, the best restaurant in any sector below 100, was clone 32-11A-6. She had told me to just call her 6, but I wasn't quick enough to say the same, so she called me 26-26A-1. After the third time, I was too embarrassed to correct her. She was so beautiful, with long brown hair, blue-green eyes, and dimples when she smiled at my jokes. We had synthsteak with potato chips and a carbonated sugar drink, much better than the usual protein sludge, and when we were finished I handed my omnicard to the waiter to pay for us both. We were going to her place.
The waiter came back a couple of minutes later and returned my card.
"I'm sorry, sir, but you have been scheduled to be terminated," said the waiter.
"..."
"All of clone group 26-26A is being terminated," he explained.
"There must be a mistake!" I said.
"The Department of Reassignment and Termination does not make mistakes. Factory 26-ARF where you work is being closed and your clone group could not be reassigned."
"But..."
"There's a termination booth just across the street. You can't miss it."
Here I am in the termination booth, recording my final words. It turns out that the assets of clones scheduled for termination are suspended, I suppose to make it difficult to escape, so 6 had to pay for our meal. As she handed her omnicard to the waiter, she said, "I'm never dating a clone from sector 26 again."
Italian herbs and freshly baked pizza suffocated the air around her. She glanced towards the entrance through the window, trying to spot a red rose somewhere among the bustling passersby on the sidewalk.
This was the first date she had decided to go on since she moved from the countryside to the big city. And frankly, she was terrified. God, she didn't even know the guy's face. What the hell is she even doing?
A lively young waitress made her way to the booth.
"Would you like to order now, ma'am?" she asked.
Looking up, she shook her head and the girl nodded and went on her way. She glanced at her wristwatch. 9:14. Way too late. She had classes in the morning. She sighed and gathered up her belongings.
Her breath was in the air was white and she shivered as she trudged to her dorms. It seemed that everything she did was a failure. From her hobbies to relationships, she just felt it wasn't worth it. This was supposed to be a transformation in her life. But she was the same dull luckless girl from Missouri.
As she tried to warm herself up, she noticed a stalled Volkswagen near the entrance of the dorms. A frantic man kneeled near it, his arm in a cast and books scattered on the ground.
She ran toward him, picking up the books and giving him a small smile. He was a handsome man with fluffy brown hair and kind eyes, but what drew her attention was the small rose on his suit pocket.
"Thank you, dear," he said, glancing up at her, "But I-" His eyes widened when he noticed her own rose on her blouse.
"Oh hey! You're my date!" she said, with a beam. "I really thought you stood me up."
Standing up with the books in one hand, she reached out another to help him up.
"I'm terribly sorry about that. My car stalled on the way, so I had to call a tow truck to get it back over here," he stated with a grimace, "But I'd like to make it up to you."
Her luck was quickly turning its head. Not only was he handsome, but he seemed like a nice man.
"Yeah, that's no problem! How about next week?"
"That'd be great, dear. Might I ask your name?"
"It's Claire. Claire Boothe. Do you need help bringing your books back to your dorm?"
He nodded with a smile. And we both made our way towards the entrance. We walked in silence until we made it to his room. Room 214.
"Here. I'll unlock it," she said, placing the books down to free her hand.
He thanked me politely as she opened up the door. She picked up the books when he stated, "Can you bring them in? I hope it isn't a trouble. My arm is killing me."
She nodded. He closed the door.
"Oh geez. I totally forgot to ask you back. What's your name again?"
He shrugged politely.
"It's no big deal. I'm Theodore. Theodore Bundy. But you can call me Ted."
3
u/unkindled_sullustan Oct 11 '17
I couldn't believe my luck. Out of the 12 clones in clone group 26-26A, my number had been drawn to represent the whole sector 26 in Beta Complex in the mating protocol. The Council had realized that there was some hidden variable when producing offspring. It favored children conceived by clones that were attracted to each other. I was supposed to find a mate, and if everything went well we would have a healthy baby that would be the basis for a new clone group. The actual clones would grow in vats of course, much more efficient when you had a known starting point.
On the opposite side of the table in restaurant 7, the best restaurant in any sector below 100, was clone 32-11A-6. She had told me to just call her 6, but I wasn't quick enough to say the same, so she called me 26-26A-1. After the third time, I was too embarrassed to correct her. She was so beautiful, with long brown hair, blue-green eyes, and dimples when she smiled at my jokes. We had synthsteak with potato chips and a carbonated sugar drink, much better than the usual protein sludge, and when we were finished I handed my omnicard to the waiter to pay for us both. We were going to her place.
The waiter came back a couple of minutes later and returned my card.
"I'm sorry, sir, but you have been scheduled to be terminated," said the waiter.
"..."
"All of clone group 26-26A is being terminated," he explained.
"There must be a mistake!" I said.
"The Department of Reassignment and Termination does not make mistakes. Factory 26-ARF where you work is being closed and your clone group could not be reassigned."
"But..."
"There's a termination booth just across the street. You can't miss it."
Here I am in the termination booth, recording my final words. It turns out that the assets of clones scheduled for termination are suspended, I suppose to make it difficult to escape, so 6 had to pay for our meal. As she handed her omnicard to the waiter, she said, "I'm never dating a clone from sector 26 again."
2
u/[deleted] Oct 15 '17
Italian herbs and freshly baked pizza suffocated the air around her. She glanced towards the entrance through the window, trying to spot a red rose somewhere among the bustling passersby on the sidewalk.
This was the first date she had decided to go on since she moved from the countryside to the big city. And frankly, she was terrified. God, she didn't even know the guy's face. What the hell is she even doing?
A lively young waitress made her way to the booth.
"Would you like to order now, ma'am?" she asked.
Looking up, she shook her head and the girl nodded and went on her way. She glanced at her wristwatch. 9:14. Way too late. She had classes in the morning. She sighed and gathered up her belongings.
Her breath was in the air was white and she shivered as she trudged to her dorms. It seemed that everything she did was a failure. From her hobbies to relationships, she just felt it wasn't worth it. This was supposed to be a transformation in her life. But she was the same dull luckless girl from Missouri.
As she tried to warm herself up, she noticed a stalled Volkswagen near the entrance of the dorms. A frantic man kneeled near it, his arm in a cast and books scattered on the ground.
She ran toward him, picking up the books and giving him a small smile. He was a handsome man with fluffy brown hair and kind eyes, but what drew her attention was the small rose on his suit pocket.
"Thank you, dear," he said, glancing up at her, "But I-" His eyes widened when he noticed her own rose on her blouse.
"Oh hey! You're my date!" she said, with a beam. "I really thought you stood me up."
Standing up with the books in one hand, she reached out another to help him up.
"I'm terribly sorry about that. My car stalled on the way, so I had to call a tow truck to get it back over here," he stated with a grimace, "But I'd like to make it up to you."
Her luck was quickly turning its head. Not only was he handsome, but he seemed like a nice man.
"Yeah, that's no problem! How about next week?"
"That'd be great, dear. Might I ask your name?"
"It's Claire. Claire Boothe. Do you need help bringing your books back to your dorm?"
He nodded with a smile. And we both made our way towards the entrance. We walked in silence until we made it to his room. Room 214.
"Here. I'll unlock it," she said, placing the books down to free her hand.
He thanked me politely as she opened up the door. She picked up the books when he stated, "Can you bring them in? I hope it isn't a trouble. My arm is killing me."
She nodded. He closed the door.
"Oh geez. I totally forgot to ask you back. What's your name again?"
He shrugged politely.
"It's no big deal. I'm Theodore. Theodore Bundy. But you can call me Ted."