Page 124 of Border Control
“A drug was introduced to her system, a drug found to have come from a planet these guilty clones had visited.”
Now the murmurs are cries.
Samara’s golden hair gleams in the artificial light. “He should be punished for Katyen’s death. I am recommending we write into law the punishment for murder is not instant death, but one which will deter any clones into thinking this is an option. Furthermore, I recommend stringent measures are made against all clones, effective immediately. How can we be sure the rest are not harboring thoughts of murder against us all? They outnumber us thousands to one. We are in danger by allowing the clones to walk freely.
“Trust in me and my measures, and we shall make it through this dark period. I promised you all when you voted me in, that I would keep you safe, and I will take any measure to do so.”
Cheers rise, sinking into my stomach like knives. Prif Samara regards me with a look that’s almost amused, as if she's already won. She has. My death won’t be swift, and after that, life for clones looks very bleak indeed.
But then, movement catches my eye. Another figure enters, and the world narrows, my focus snapping to her.
Law-rah.
She’s wrapped in layers of thin, golden gauze that shimmer like starlight with every step she takes, as if her aura is visible to all. Her hair, usually loose, is swept up into a carefully curled knot that reveals the curve of her neck. On top, banding her head and resting over her ears, are two translation orbs so she can understand Olorian speech.
My beautiful female moves to the center of the room to stand beside me. Her gaze locks with mine, unflinching, refusing to look away. My anchor in a twisted nightmare.
At last. Even though I crave her touch, her reassurance, her presence next to me is enough.
The Prif gestures to her with a slow, graceful wave of her hand, as if introducing a piece of art. “In order to test and improve our laws, we have allowed a human, Laura, to speak in defense of this… clone. I hope, ladies, that this does not sway you from what you know to be the right course of action.”
Her words cut me, but Law-rah doesn’t react. She just keeps her gaze steady, focusing on me.
As if I steady her as much as she steadies me.
I swallow hard, the chains clinking as I shift slightly. I don’t know what she’s going to say, and I don’t care. She’s here. That alone is enough.
Law-rah’s voice low but steady as she speaks, addressing the court. “On Earth, in my country, we believe a person is innocent until they are proven to be guilty. They are proven guilty through evidence presented to a jury of their peers, and these individuals must be satisfied beyond any doubt as to their guilt.”
She takes a shuddering breath. She’s nervous, yes, but she won't let that dull her edge. She's so strong.
"Ladies of the court, my argument is twofold. One, that we don’t even know whether a murder took place. I agree a tragic death occurred, but there is no evidence to suggest her passing was tampered with in any way.”
“There was a substance foreign to Oloria in her system—” Samara begins, but the Voice cuts in.
“The prosecution remains silent at this time, Prif Samara.”
Samara looks like she’s tasted something awful, lips twisting, but she doesn’t offer more.
“As I was saying,” Law-rah continues, “there’s no evidence, because the report doesn’t exist. Imaya, an esteemed scientist in your ranks, has kindly scoured all records for me, and agrees that there is no factual, written evidence to suggest Katyen’s passing was anything other than natural. I am not sure where this rumor first began, but I hope you agree that we cannot base judgements on anything other than cold, hard fact, and not on a feeling.”
She’s glorious. If I could see her aura with this collar on, no doubt it would be glowing with a bright pure light. Pride wells hot inside my chest watching her work. I try again to reach out to her to strengthen her, stretching my hand toward her.‘Law-rah, you're doing brilliantly. You shine.’
But she doesn't glance at me. She can’t hear me through this collar.
She continues, “I present further evidence that exonerates this clone."
She holds out a small holo-projector that hums to life, casting ghostly images into the air above us. I watch as numbers play out—scans of chip data, holograms of places I’ve never seen but recognize immediately. A compound for powerful females, where Katyen likely resided, and the Milagrove tree, a place of healing where she was treated.
"Look closely," Law-rah says, her voice resonant and firm, her words filling the silent courtroom. "The evidence does not lie. This clone’s chip number was not present at the scene.”
My own chip number, 3D0M, doesn’t appear on the screen above, but one of the flickering numbers nags at me. A4TU43. Once at the complex. Where have I seen that designation before?
Law-rah’s voice drags me back to my case. “Moreover, I have data on where he was at the time.”
Lines and images flicker up, painting a map above us. The cargo bays, offworld, then back to the offloading facilities before relaunching again. We were running ourselves beyond exhaustion to find what we could.
“He was elsewhere, far away from any potential crime. You can see it here, plain as day, or perhaps I should say plain as data." She takes a shuddering breath. I want to wrap my arms around her and congratulate her.
