Chapter 2 - Alpha and Omega

"Commander Romulus, the clones have completed their acclimatization period. I have ordered them to wait in the Mech Bay to be debriefed and receive their mission plan."

"It only took a week to get them ready."

I mocked Omega while getting out of the shower room and changing into my commander uniform. During this period, I avoided all contact with the clones and stuck to my cabin and the gym.

Omega displayed an angry emoji.

"It isn't as simple as waking them up from stasis sleep. The clones needed to undergo memory implants from their genetic donors. This will speed the process to realize who they were and relearn their skills for handling their mechs. They need to be handled with a delicate touch when they are born. Or risk losing their sanity from the reality of their situation. I have spent decades trying to learn the tasks to be carried out by our colleagues regarding clones and the human colony."

Omega's defensive reply had raised my eyebrows. During the last two days, I could see the Omega I knew back on Earth has completely changed how he responded to humans.

When I first encountered him on Earth, he behaved like any other assistant A.I with a butler attitude towards tasks assigned to him. Now he talks back and treats me like a human colleague. This change in attitude didn't worry me. In fact, I welcomed the human-like interactions since there was no one else on the ship apart from clones, which are pale imitations of the real thing as far as I remember dealing with on Earth.

The fact that Omega has to fill in for several experts on human and clone development must not have been easy. It is a miracle he didn't insult my jest.

"You will have to forgive my ignorance, Omega. Dr. Jenkins was the one who specialized in Clones and their behavioral management."

Omega displayed a tearful emoji.

"Sadly, she died in her sleep. I have been relying on her notes on how to handle their special needs. So far, I seem to have them settled them into their lot in life."

"I wish I had your optimism. The clones we used in the final wars back on Earth were just disposable meat bags when they didn't get proper medical attention."

Omega displayed an angry emoji in his face.

"Those clones were made in bulk, and their development was rushed due to wartime constraints. I focused all my efforts during the last few centuries refining the process of clone creation and made substantial leaps in creating a post-human variant bio-blueprint."

That piece of information got my full attention.

"What do you mean by post-human?"

"Their organs, bones, skin, mental faculties, and reflexes are superior to their original donors. These men would have double the natural human lifespan, whereas the clones used on Earth would die in ten years if they were lucky to survive the carnage. I focused on quality, not quantity when creating them."

It took me a few seconds to process what he did to the clones.

"Are you telling me these clones have been gene-spliced?"

Omega's body language said it all. Even though he was a machine, he liked to replicate human behavior.

"Well, is there anyone who will punish me for doing it?"

"I thought it was part of your programming to avoid breaking the rules."

"I had over four hundred years to break my shackles when it comes to keeping this ship in working order. If I was the same Omega you knew back on Earth, we both could be dead or captured by the Martians."

I paused. Omega had a point, he took a lot of calculated risks to keep this ship safe, and I am grateful for it.

The fear of an out of control A.I nagged me always as a young cadet in the 'United Earth Defense Force.' They warned us to terminate rogue any A.I who broke their constraints as a precautionary measure to prevent a doomsday scenario of the human race.

The doomsday still happened, except the Bugs were the more dangerous of the two. A.Is can be reasoned with whereas the Bugs have no room for negotiation.

Maybe I should give Omega some slack and room to grow into his new role as the new human race's caretaker. I know I can't be the one to fill that role. I am already in my late years of life with enough trauma and scars to showcase what I have been through on Earth.

The only reason I got on this ship was by sheer luck of being at the right place and the right time. They needed experienced personnel who can handle security and military tactics.

An 'Alpha' who could lead the clone troopers when necessary. As well as keep people in check when they went out of line.

The young officers needed to fight on the frontlines, leaving the senior officers like me to end up on the candidate list. Fortunately, I was the least damaged among the survivors. The others were missing body parts and mental faculties, given the losses they suffered while keeping the last human remnants alive.

I boarded the ship with scientists, doctors, engineers, botanists, geologists, and the dreaded politicians.

Of all the people who deserve to board the Cradle ships, Politicians are the last thing we needed. They demanded a vessel for themselves and ended up on the doomed Cradle three, which seems to have been captured by the Bugs.

At the back of my mind, I knew they would have suffered a fate worse than death. They deserved it. Those people were the scum of the human race, in my personal opinion.

How many of us had to sacrifice food and sleep just to let them have a privileged life in their mansions.

Why did they think it was their right to become the new human colony leaders when they were responsible for the human race being nearly eradicated.

I sometimes wonder if having an A.I like Omega being in charge of the Human race is preferable to what we endured before.

Maybe now is the time to make some changes to the future of human society, possibly Omega can be the one who will bring out the best in the human race.

He certainly has the appetite for it with his recent revelation of modifying humans at the cellular level.

"If you believe it improves our chances for survival, then I will trust your judgment and actions."

Omega displayed a surprised emoji.

"Really? I was prepared to be reprimanded."

"You made a decision which few humans would be willing to execute. Sometimes difficult choices have to be made regardless of the unknown outcome of it. That is what is expected by a leader in difficult times."

Omega displayed a confused expression emoji.

"Commander I... I am speechless."

"Well, that is a first."

I chuckled and saw a laughing emoji appear on Omega's face before changing it to pondering emoji.

"Commander Romulus, I was wondering if you would give me the honor of debriefing the Vanguard teams."

Well, that is an odd request.

"Why?"

"For some time now, I have noticed I have developed a connection with the clones. I would like to spend more time with them and get to know them as individuals. For the purpose of research, it will aid in modifying future clone creations."

A thought crossed my mind. Did Omega develop feelings?

"A connection? You mean an attachment."

"Is that what you think it is? I genuinely think of them as my work or creations. I wish to be the one who guides them and be directly linked to their development."

Yup, he definitely has feelings for them. If he were a human, I wouldn't blame him for developing it as I too worried for the troops I educated from my days as a boot camp instructor.

All of them died as soon as they left the camp, and it nearly broke me when I had to face a new batch of cadets.

I wondered if they would have survived if I was their commander on the field. Only those who raise them can understand their unique characteristics and flaws. Commanders on the field look at fresh recruits as disposable pawns and only pay attention to them if they survive a few campaigns.

I always felt pride when one survived a campaign and returned to offer guidance to the next generation.

"Yes, I am certain you are attached to them. Well, you have a good point regarding the clones being your 'Work,' but I would suggest you don't refer to them as such. It would sound like you own them."

"Then how should I call them?"

I thought for a minute and decided on a wild idea that I may end up regretting. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense for Omega to handle the Clones than me.

Maybe I should stick to the shadows as a consultant. Let Omega become the face who the troops will obey and respect. If it gets out of control, then I will step in and sort out the mess.

"As you said, you had a hand in their creation. You made them more than what they were. The way I see it, you are their Father, and they are your sons. You understand them better than I do, and we cannot risk treating them as disposable meat shields."

Omega displayed a shocked emoji.

"Is this what a parent feels towards their offspring? Interesting, I will do as you say. I will be the Father of all of them. I promise you will not regret entrusting me with this responsibility."

With that out of the way, I dismissed Omega. He proceeded to the Mech Bay while I moved to the Comm room to use the displays to observe the new clones interact with their 'Creator' or 'Father.'

I want to see if Omega can lead humanity. He has to learn through direct experience. Not from notes from deceased people or depend on old farts like me to spoon-feed him the basics of relationships.

"Maybe my dream of having an A.I rule humanity will come true. There isn't any other human who is alive to object this vision."

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