Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars

by Melisse Aires

  "This is incredible," Maddie said in awe. "How are we able to see this?"

  "Every clone is tagged with a chip. From there, we can use computers, sensors, and cameras to find our specific clone at any given time," Jackson informed her.

  "Fascinating," Maddie marveled. "So this is how you've been able to keep up with my whereabouts."

  "Pretty much. You are my favorite TV program," Mack joked.

  "You watch a lot?" Maddie asked, surprised.

  "When I can. Probably more than I should." Mack frowned.

  "How did you get involved in this?" Maddie asked.

  "Do you remember working for Samberg Industries?" Mack asked.

  "Of course. I was an engineer for Samberg before their offices moved to Florida."

  "Working for Samberg Industries, I got attention for my work with technologies. I could also hack into any program with ease. So I was brought in as a defense programmer initially," Mack explained.

  "So when you say that you work in defense, you just work on computers?" Maddie questioned, not sure why Mack or herself would ever be in danger if that was the case.

  "Sort of. I started off designing computer programs for defense. Then I started creating programs for other planets and, eventually, software for our ships. Three years ago, I became a field agent, then quickly becoming a squadron leader."

  "Ships? As in space ships?" Maddie asked.

  "Right, for space travel. How else do you think we were getting to other worlds?"

  Mack had a good point. Maddie hadn't even thought about it.

  “We have many different kinds of ships in our hangar. It ranges from life pods to two-man fliers to cruisers. All of our ships are designed to run with minimal crews," Jackson explained.

  "I'd like to see them," Maddie said.

  "Curious?" Jackson asked.

  Maddie nodded.

  "Maybe I can arrange something," Jackson told her.

  "I'd like that. So you are now a squad leader?" Maddie inquired, turning her attention back to Mack.

  "I still work on computer programs. I am actually working on a new defense program that should be very beneficial. But most of my attention lately has been in the field." Mack smiled over at Jackson.

  Maddie began to wonder about the smile Mack and Jackson had shared but didn't know if this was the proper time or place to ask such a question. It really wasn't her business, after all.

  "So clones were created to not call suspicion to this secret government organization." Maddie thought out loud.

  "It was necessary," Jackson told her.

  "When I was approached to join the agency, I knew what it would entail. I knew this would be more than a job. This would become my life. I knew when I joined there would be no going back."

  "And this...agency? This security commission? Why is it here in South Carolina?" Maddie asked.

  "Needed to be hidden. This isn't exactly where you would picture the planetary defense center, is it?" Jackson asked.

  Maddie shrugged. He had a point.

  "So you joined and I was created?" Maddie asked.

  "The day I agreed to join ISC the commanding officer, Charlie Westlake, gave me the option for your, er, creation. I didn't want my family to be without me, but how could I turn down the chance to implement real change to not only Earth, but other worlds? I knew I would never be with them again. Those are the rules in joining. I couldn't lie to them about my whereabouts. And I couldn't just disappear on them. The very idea that I would vanish and they would search and never find me..." Mack's voice trailed off.

  Jackson placed a gentle hand on Mack's shoulder. She rested her head on his hand for a moment before continuing.

  "So I went to a lab where all kinds of tests were run. There was a big, technical machine I couldn't even begin to tell you how it works, but it copied my memories. You were created with all my thoughts and memories, with a few differences of course."

  "Differences?" Maddie prompted.

  "There are certain rules regarding the clones that must be followed. It... It was the hardest decision of my life, deciding to leave everyone behind. Even though I can see them through my monitor anytime I want, it's not the same. I haven't held the twins in my arms or sat on the couch and watched a Green Bay Packers game with Dad or a Washington Capitals hockey game with Noah. The only comfort was knowing that as bad as I missed them, they had you." Mack's voice was rough with emotion.

  "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be insensitive, but what rules?" Maddie asked.

  Maddie and Jackson shifted uncomfortably in their chairs.

  "Clones are supposed to be more docile than ourselves. From the moment a clone is created, their lives are carefully structured. They have a boring job and lead boring lives. Clones do not adapt to changes," Mack explained.

  "Also, our duplicates do not have the ability to defend themselves aggressively. In the case of danger arising, an instinct would kick in that the clone would attempt to flee the situation," Jackson continued.

  "Are you kidding?" Maddie asked.

  "As I told you before, our lives are linked. It's something in the cloning process. If you were in a dangerous situation where you might get killed, it could affect me as well. So it's just best for you to avoid the situation entirely," Mack said.

  "Remember outside the call center?" Jackson asked.

  "I don't think that's a fair example. I mean, who wouldn't run for cover when a gun is fired?" Maddie challenged.

  "Right. But you cowered in the car after I saved you," he pointed out.

  "I pulled out my pepper spray," Maddie stated.

  "But you didn't use it. You screamed when you were pulled into the car but calmed down after you saw me," he said.

  "I was scared."

  "No, because something in you told you that you were no longer in danger."

  "I kept my pepper spray on you until I deduced that even if I were to render you helpless, there was no way I was getting out of the car," Maddie told him.

  "That... that may be true," Jackson slowly said.

  "Plus, I attempted to hit Mack with a lamp," Maddie pointed out.

  "Fair point." Jackson nodded.

  "So I have acted defensively and offensively," Maddie said.

  Mack and Jackson exchanged a nervous look.

  "What else? What other rules?" Maddie asked.

  "Female counterparts do not form attachments other than the ones already formed," Jackson told her.

  "Why is that?" Maddie asked.

  "Another situation best to avoid. You don't have the ability to procreate. Apparently there was a problem before our time so clones are sterile. Best to avoid the situation entirely instead of giving cause to ask questions about genetic makeup," Mack answered.

  "So, no romantic relationships?" Maddie asked.

  "No romantic desires, really. Well, for women. Men still do. There was a problem that occurred when the man's sex drive was taken away, so they still have the same makeup as any other man, just to a lesser extent," Mack said.

  "That hardly seems fair." Maddie gave a disapproving look.

  "Don't fuss at me. I didn't design the protocols. Also, clones don't form new friendships," Mack told her.

  "That sounds like a lonely existence," Maddie stated mournfully.

  "Does it?" Mack leaned her head to the side.

  "Well, doesn't it?" Maddie questioned.

  "It does to me. But I'm surprised that it does to you."

  "I guess I never really thought about it," Maddie wistfully said.

  Maddie could feel Mack tense up. She was beginning to understand why. From what she gathered, the so-called rules and beliefs of what female clones are capable of doing were wrong. At least wrong when it came to her. What Mack and Jackson said did make sense to her, but at the same time, she didn't feel like she fit the description they'd given. She had pulled pepper spray on Jackson as he was bringing her to the ISC. Also, she'd had a crush on John Brooks since she started working at the call cente
r five years ago. If Mack joined the agency while working for Samberg Industries, that meant Mack never started working at the call center. Which meant Maddie's crush on John was her crush, not residual feelings left over from Mack. As far as adapting to changes, well, she seemed to be handing the news she was created in a lab well. Maddie wanted to ask her counterpart about it but wasn't sure if her observations were a good thing or not.

  "You said I've been alive five years?" Maddie asked, changing the subject.

  Mack seemed to relax a little at the new line of questioning as she nodded in agreement.

  "So not long after breaking up with Brad." Maddie thought out loud.

  "That's right." Mack nodded.

  "Did you joining lead to the breakup?" Maddie asked.

  "No, your memory of the breakup is correct. We were good together, but we just weren't right for each other. He met Kristina and found his soul mate. I was happy for him."

  "Why do you go by the name Mack here? If you and I were not supposed to interact, why change your name?"

  "Madison was the life I left behind. When I came here, I decided I needed a change. Mackenzie represented my new life. I've always liked my middle name anyway. Then everyone started calling me Mack, and I just never corrected anyone."

  Maddie nodded. Her mind began to race with the new bits of information they gave her. According to them, she didn't fit the mold of what a clone was supposed to be. Was there something wrong with her? The mere thought made her head spin.

  "How are you feeling?" Jackson asked, studying Maddie's face.

  "This is a lot to take in," she said.

  "Come, I'll take you to your room," Jackson said.

  Mack looked relieved at the distraction. The more she learned about her counterpart, the more she realized the Commander was right. Somehow, Maddie was unique. A part of her started to feel guilty for only thinking of her counterpart in unemotional terms. They weren't exactly strangers, after all. Regardless, Mack felt Charlie may have been right in putting Jackson in charge of Maddie's security. She needed to get back to work on her satellite defense system.

  "It's been harder on Mack than most of us," Jackson told Maddie as he walked her back to her room.

  "What?" Maddie asked.

  "Leaving everything and everyone behind. It's difficult for everyone, of course, but Mack was so close to her family...it's just been tough on her," Jackson kindly said.

  Maddie knew he meant to be comforting but that only made her feel even worse. She kept thinking of Mack as a stranger, which wasn't exactly true. They really were the same. It was only the experiences from the last five years that made them different.

  "You care deeply for her," Maddie noted.

  "Of course. She's the leader of our squadron."

  "There's something more between the two of you."

  Jackson seemed to hesitate.

  "You love her," Maddie stated.

  Slowly, Jackson nodded. "We joined the ISC at the same time. I've been in love with her since we met."

  "And she loves you?"

  "Can you keep a secret?" Jackson leaned in.

  Maddie nodded eagerly.

  "We secretly, got married two years ago."

  "Why secretly?"

  "Agents are not supposed to get married. We chose this life over the conventional which meant giving up on the idea of marriage and having a family. But Mack said she didn't care. We were married on another planet named Gallina Five."

  “That's very sweet." Maddie smiled.

  Jackson leaned away from her, smiling.

  "You certainly are different than I expected you to be. Even your eyes are different."

  "What do you mean by that?" Maddie blinked.

  "I'm not sure." Jackson shrugged.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The rest of the week, Mack kept her distance from Maddie. Maddie was told that she was safe inside the government compound, but Jackson still stayed close to her side, acting as her protector. Jackson gave her a tour of the ISC, which was massive.

  Outside, the ISC looked like a standard building. Most of the windows facing the outside world were offices, training rooms, and apartments. All the agents lived in the ISC, which impressed Maddie. The ISC held nearly everything the agents could want or need. The agents typically didn't leave the ISC unless it was for missions or basic necessities. But there were two areas that fascinated Maddie the most: the labs and the hangar.

  The hangar bay was intriguing.

  One of the engineers had designed a program that would hide the coming and going of ships to the outside world. A generator was on the roof, giving the reflections of a passing airline or military planes. No one would really study the roof long enough to tell the difference. It was brilliant to her.

  There were hundreds of different ships in the hangar of various shapes and sizes. The life pods, Jackson explained, could fit up to four adults safely and were designed for short flights. There were several different kinds of fighter planes that could only seat two people: the pilot and the gunner. The cruisers were designed for long space flights. There were only a few cruisers in the bay due to its size.

  The cruisers were big enough to contain crew quarters and a mess hall, as well as a meeting room and the flight bridge. It could run on a minimal crew, which really impressed Maddie because of its size.

  Maddie begged Jackson to let her look at the engineering specs for the ships but he refused. He said he would need Commander Westlake's permission. When Maddie asked when she was going to meet the Commander, Jackson didn't have an answer.

  Jackson told her all sorts of stories about Mack and some of their adventures. It was evident to her how much Jackson loved Mack. She tried to brush away the little amount of jealousy she felt at the look in Jackson's eyes when he spoke of her counterpart. She wondered if one day someone would speak about her like that. Then she remembered what she was told about clones not having romantic relationships. It just made her even more jealous of Mack.

  The Brooks brothers began to hang out with Jackson and Maddie a lot as well. She couldn't help but like all three of them. What struck Maddie the most was how similar the agents were to their duplicates.

  Seth was very easy-going and funny. Whenever a conversation seemed to be getting tense, he always knew a way to lighten things up. His twin brother, Logan, seemed to be the exact opposite in terms of demeanor. Logan was serious and looked like he was ready for an attack at any moment. Both men were tall and muscular with jet black hair well past their shoulders and deep green eyes.

  Facially, the twins were identical. It was the differences in their physiques and the bleached blonde streak through the left side of Seth's hair that helped tell them apart. Logan definitely had more muscle on him than his twin. On his left arm, Logan showed her the intricate tattoo that wrapped from his shoulders and trailed down to his ribcage. When Maddie asked about the tattoo, he stated it was a Samoan tattoo, depicting his life up to that point. When asked if he had Samoan heritage, he merely said no.

  "My brother is such a chatter box, don't you agree?" Seth teased.

  "He is a man of many words," Maddie jokingly agreed.

  "In all seriousness though, we don't come from a Samoan background. At least, not that we are aware of. Logan has faith in a lot of Samoan practices and principles," Seth explained.

  "Oh really?" Maddie asked.

  "Honor, discipline, loyalty. He respects the Samoan culture."

  It amazed Maddie how different John was from his older brothers. He was slightly taller than the twins but with the same muscular build. His short, copper hair was always unruly, as if it hadn't been brushed in days. John had striking blue eyes that always looked like he could see into Maddie's soul. John's sense of humor was more sarcastic than Seth's, and he shared Logan's fighting spirit.

  Any time John was close to her, Maddie could feel the electricity flow between them. She had never felt a connection like that before. A part of her wanted desperately to explore the desi
res she felt. At the same time, she was afraid of how strong her feelings were. She didn't know what would happen after this situation was resolved. Maybe it was best not to open the can of worms. Besides, she kept having to remind herself that, as a clone, she should not feel romantic desires. That thought was harder for her to digest every time John looked into her eyes.

  The men kept her occupied all week, which she was grateful for. Logan had taken her to the gym a few times after much pleading on her part. Seth and John loved hanging out and watching movies with her. She watched wrestling with Jackson. Friday evening, the four of them showed her one of the bars where a lot of the guys liked to blow off steam. Maddie was able to show off her prowess at shooting pool, much to the surprise of her four companions.

  "You got lucky," Seth stated after losing to Maddie in a game of pool.

  "You're a sore loser." Maddie teased.

  Seth bought her a victory beer as they joined Logan, John, and Jackson at a table.

  "Has Tamma been busting your balls for hanging out this week as much as you have?" Jackson asked.

  "Tamma?" Maddie asked.

  "My girlfriend. Nah, man. Tamma is cool. Besides, she is off-world right now. She'll be back in a few hours. I'll see her in the morning unless she gets delayed," Seth explained.

  "Wait, I thought agents couldn't have relationships?" Maddie asked.

  "We're all adults here, Maddie. You can't stop human nature," Seth said.

  "Relationships are forbidden. Just not the ones the Commander doesn't know about," John said with a wink.

  "The relationship rule went into effect two years ago," Jackson said.

  "I see," Maddie said.

  Right around the time Jackson and Mack secretly got married. She could understand it, but the rules didn't seem fair.

  "So tell me about yourself," Seth asked, after filling a bowl of peanuts for the table.

  "Me?" Maddie was confused by the question.

  "Of course. I think I know my brothers fairly well." He teased.

  "Why do you want to know about me?" Maddie inquired.

  "I'm curious." Seth shrugged.

  "But you know Mack," Maddie pointed out.