She watched as Justine walked onto the flight deck. She leaned in close, murmuring. "The replicant's already up and about."
Justine blinked. "Wait...replicant? So..."
"Did you not follow?"
"That wasn't Hiro last night?" She stared into the middle distance, thinking, before looking at the replicant like it was his fault. "I...need a minute."
Emilly looked concerned. "Well, yes? And no? Mostly? Sort of."
Hiro looked between the two women, baffled. "What the hell is a replicant? What are you talking about?"
Justine wrapped her arms around herself tightly. "Okay...small words, and slowly? Walk me through this."
Hiro looked confused. "Huh?"
Justine looked upset, watching Hiro, then turned away again, eyes wide, looking at the Duchess. "Small words. Like I'm five."
"Justine--I don’t know anything about a replicant," the replicant said slowly. "What I do know is Tannhäuser Gate Security System sent an alert on a poison pill. And well...I know I designed the security system, but I am drawing a blank on this."
Emilly flailed a bit, then tried to look reassuring. "You've been...ill...for a while. I'm sure those memories will come back." She hated to play that card again, but on the other hand, telling him he was ill had worked after she'd gotten him out of the asylum, so...
"But why would we close the gate? Like, close access to the wormhole? How, why? What is so special about now?" He fidgeted in place, frustrated.
Justine heard a beep, and checked her comm to find a security alert. She looked up, expression bleak. "We're in lockdown."
The Duchess sighed. "Well...hell."
Justine stared at the replicant, remembering last night, her jaw clenched. "Did you both get the security message? Someone want to tell me what we do now?"
It's a good question, the Duchess thought. What should come next? And what were they going to do with Hiro Secundus in the meantime?
(Continued in part VII.)
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