Chapter 32: More Clones
Ariel’s view
That night was spent frantically trying to figure out how to handle this new mess I found myself in as I slept. I was grateful that Sam understood why I was late and didn’t need me to explain. He followed me? Is he really that good at avoiding notice? Or do the guards just suck at their jobs?
If I really am going to teach soccer to all the teams and coach them as they train, then I’ll need a proper cloning skill that doesn’t rely upon pre-programmed actions. So, I’ll need to add an extra clone type. Limiting their power to rank 2, cuts the cost down a ton… trying to handle sensations, thoughts, and actions of multiple bodies at the same time is going to be too weird. I’m trying not to get too alien compared to what I remember being. It’s weird enough having a not fully solid body that only pretends at humanity.
New clone type: Max power of rank 2; all clones are copies of me. While each of us act and think independently, we all share memories, and since all the clones are copies of me, they will all think and act the same as I would (no independent or separate growth). This is going to get weird, but recalling everything shouldn’t be as bad as actually experiencing it all at once.
While I’m at it, I can have one of my clones in Gerland create one of these new clones, so I can continue to help out there, and I think I should also modify my existing clones a little. Specifically, I don’t think I really want to know what people are doing with them all, especially considering how many there are and how many aren’t even humanoid.
The other clones do not need to remember anything, and when I focus on them, all they need to report is how many people are nearby, and where they are. There’s no need for live feedback of their experiences, unless I transfer my consciousness over to them. Admittedly, the only real reason I’m bothering with this, is because unifying the systems employed by both clone types reduces cost.
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The next day
Sam:
“Are you going to be cooped up in the room here all day and just have your new clones doing things?”
Ariel:
“Yeah, my new clones can’t do much other than ordinary human things, so I’m stuck making everything they need.”
Sam:
“Anything I can help with?”
Ariel:
“I think the most useful thing would be to help out the one I gave the pink dress to. She’s in charge of organizing things. Between getting used to this new experience of remembering so many lives at once, and dealing with all the people who want to enter the tournament, that me is getting a little overwhelmed. I’ll probably want your help deciding how to organize the teams later too.
*groan* “This is so weird.”
Sam:
“What’s the weirdest part of it?”
Ariel:
“Probably the way my memories are starting to blur together. Whenever multiple of my clones are at the same event or participating in the same activity, I have a hard time remembering which memories are from which clone, and it all kinda blurs into one memory of the event with far more information that a single person could’ve gotten.”
Sam:
“Do you regret doing this?”
Ariel:
“No, this was something on the list of things I knew I’d eventually want to work on doing. I just didn’t think I’d get on it so soon. I wanted more time to figure out what I was doing and how exactly I wanted to do it. Being able to have multiple bodies and do multiple things at the same time is something I’d always sorta dreamt of. It helps solve the issue of having limited time to spend on people and activities.
“Everyone in Gerland was pretty happy to have me back again, even if I was a weakened version.”
Sam:
“They would be, huh. Adam especially. He’ll probably want to discuss everything.”
Ariel:
“I do enjoy teaching him, but I’m very glad he was able to run things without me. In the beginning I worried that he might become too dependant on me.”
Sam:
“I guess if this is what you meant about potentially having to share you, it isn’t too bad. I still have you to myself, it’s just others do too.”
Ariel:
“Definitely one of the perks of these clones.”
