It Ain't Easy...

[Ashley Walker]

She set down her tool, "Well, come on. Let's get the others and see what we can do to help. Unless you want to stay here."

[Jack Ryder]

"Lets get our projects taken care of... that will help." Jack telepathically contacted Kirby. "Kirby's on the others. Olivia... I trust in your timeline they taught you how to prep for evac? Stronger protect the weaker. Everyone has a buddy. No one gets left behind if we can help it. We regroup in a section of the station that can be jettisoned, that should buy us time. Granted they can lock on and fire, but once we're space borne I can manipulate those in Ops telepathically."

[Ashley Walker]

"Well, if they are fighting your friends they are likely to be distracted. So, we can do what is needed, and Bob's your uncle. Now, the question is what section. We ought to bloody have that figured out sooner than later."

"What about here," Livvy suggested wide-eyed. She had gone to find then at the onset of the attack, and now she was wondering if that had truly been the best decision. "Everyone knows where this lab is, and no one would think it strange that we are here."

[Jack Ryder]

"Would Dominus actually put us in a section that can break off easily?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "But that is a brilliant idea luv. Gold star." he said with a chuckle. "Alright, we make our stand here, but first..." he walked over to one of the clones that was on a chair resting, he had a full face helmet on, feeding him information. "Wake up mate... time to get to work."

The clone nodded his head and gave him a thumb's up.

"Don't try to speak too much yet... vocal cords are still fresh, save your voice." Jack said with a finger to his lips. "Livvy, not gonna lie... this is going to be a very dangerous escape. Start gathering up some of the people we discussed earlier. Kirby can help. I'll need her to help defend us. Walker, get some of the younger ones here. When we make our stand, it's going to have to be fast. Too fast. We may lose people because we won't have time to get everyone in here before we jettison. Moment's notice. We're leaving as soon as I sense someone I recognize and hope they can transport us all aboard before the station gets a weapons lock or... well it's been lovely working with you Princess." he said the last part under his breath.

[Ashley Walker]

"Okay sure," Livvy said reluctantly. "I'll spread the word."

"Don't be getting all emotional on me there Ryder," Ashley said with a grin. Without thinking she reached out and a tricorder flew into her hand. She was distracted. Could this be the day? Her last day in Hel?

"Jack, I am not liking these cortical readings. Blood pressure and heart rate are elevated, and I am reading pathway degradation along the parietal lobe. Whatever it is that you have planned you better make is soon."

[Jack Ryder]

"They'll normalize." Jack said as he glanced at her, he didn't say anything about the way things just flew to her hands, telekinetically, yet it was interesting. "Remember the old pathways are going to die to make way for the ones we're implanting. Granted this isn't exact... we've rapidly made these new lives and dumped an extraordinary amount of data into their brains using the rough equivalent of cobbled together scrap heap parts and systems." he started shutting down some of the other equipment. "Dominus will get a few clones, make it seem like we did something... the rest are ours to help defend us. Hopefully we can finish them and ensure they actually survive beyond today."

[Ashley Walker]

Ashley frowned, she wasn't entirely certain she wanted to use these people as canon fodder, but then again how sentient were there? Were they nothing more than a fleshy tricorder? The ethics of the situation, and Jack's casual disregard turned her stomach. She had already made peace with her death. She was suddenly not so keen on the idea of creating life for this fate. To top it all off she had let Jack and this Sandoval woman in on her darkest secret.


Ashley set the tricorder down, and backed away. "I uh... I'm sorry Jack. I got caught up in the excitement of the science, and I never took the time to consider if I should do it... I have to go mate. I can't be a part of this."

[Jack Ryder]

"You misunderstood Ashley, when I said, we all get off this station, that includes all those we created for Dominus. Save a couple simply because they need to run interference and I cannot guarantee their survival, but..." he gestured to the helmeted clone. "This one is ready to do what it takes."

"Aye." he said in a familiar voice. "Universe already has two Jackson Ryder, doesn't need a third or fourth. But we'll be damned if we let y'lot lose your chance to escape." the Jack clone said as he removed his helmet. "I think y'focked up slightly mate, this helmet was a lot looser when I put it on."

"Or you grew." Jack said as he raised an eyebrow. "Bloody recessive Ryder height gene. You're a full three inches taller. Bloody hell in a handbasket."

"Should make it easy to figure out which one I am then. Dr. Walker, you are a good woman, I remember everything from the moment I gained sentience. Still a bit blank beyond the basics Jack telepathically inserted into my noggin, but you always seemed to be a caring person." he took her hand. "So care for the others, and the rest that were stuck in this hellhole so long, I was literally born yesterday and even I know this is a hellhole."

"And we can't let my wife see this... I am not menage a trois'ing with my own clone." Jack said with a wince. "Her counterpart kinda wanted to do it with both me and my counterpart..."

"Ew... that's focked up mate. Speaking of... down there." the clone Jack pointed to his pants. "Functional or... y'know... blanks?"

"Functional... if you actually want to make it happen. I suggest taking your time with Xenexian woman." Jack teased.

"I dunno... they seem awfully magical from what you've implanted. Oh and call me JJ. Of the three of us you made, I'm the most functional." JJ said and cocked his head. "But I can continue where you left off with memories and such, give 'em what I got. Self replicating essentially." he put a tag on Walker's hair. "Oh and you're going to be joining the rest, you aren't stayin' here. You got two of us annoying Ryders telling you to go. So... bloody go. Ye're literally my mum... and I'm going to say this... if it comes down to me and the rest of the clones, it's me. I'll stay, I'll make sure you get out of here. I don't have a wife, children... I got no one but the two of you and you two are getting free. If I can make my way there, I will. But I may not, I may just... bounce around. Don't worry Jack, I'll change my face. But if there's one thing you gave me, it's that what you two did was iffy ethically and morally but... you may have saved a lot of lives. More than you realize." he took a deep breath. "Jack, give me your clothes, I'll turn myself into Dominus with a couple of the other clones, the ones that are barely functional. I can pretend I'm you easily enough."

"Be safe..." Jack said as he handed him his shirt. "Seriously... "

"You just get back to your family and you get her back to her family. That's what's important. Don't tell your father about me. He'd probably try to rescue me too. Like i said, you're plenty for this universe. But if I make it out, I'll let you know." JJ said and gave his creator a hug and then kissed Ashley on the cheek. "Live. Do that for us. Live."

[Ashley Walker]

"Okay," Ashley sighed. "Okay, I'm on board as long as our friends here choose to join us. I already have this on my conscience, I don't need to bloody add their forced deaths on it too."

[Jack Ryder]

"Welcome back aboard." Jack said as he handed her a tool kit. "Let's get to work, only a matter of time before the shite really hits the fan."