The Clone Trial

By W. F. Owen

Earth ran out of oil. Nuclear power is the main alternative. Simultaneous human and natural disasters created massive radiation leaks rendering human life infertile. Thus, cloning is legalized. Clones and off-world species provide the workforce. Each “original” or "host" is allotted two clones. Watch what happens in the first trial of a host accused of killing his clone. A short story mystery!

AN EXCERPT:

The jury room was sparsely furnished with a long rectangular see-through glass table and metal chairs tucked in around it. There was one entrance and a closed door leading into a restroom. No windows, no distractions. Along one side of the room about halfway up was a movable belt for garbage disposal. On the other side were dispensers for food and drink. There also was a metal bar hanging down from one corner creating a perch at its end.
“I suppose we should settle in and introduce ourselves to each other,” a human female with long blonde hair with streaks of green said.
“My name is Nancy,” she said. “And, um, I’m a human as you can see and let me make it clear that I am no copy!”
Suddenly, a flapping sound startled everyone as a creature took its place on the perch. It was bright blue with yellow tipped wings. It had a face similar to a human baby’s features.
“What are you looking at?” The bird entity asked indignantly. “No copy, no copy!”
“D-Do you have a name?” Nancy asked.
“I am Grllic from the planetoid Xerkas. You cannot pronounce my first name so call me X. It is a place you humans have staked out as a colony for mining and drilling. No oil! No oil! You should get used to my, um, what you might call outbursts. It is a natural way we converse on my planet. I have, I want, I mean, I have wondered about something.”
“Go ahead,” Nancy said.
X continued, “Why are there off-worlders on a jury about a human crime?! Humans! Clones! Copies!”
“I can answer that,” a voice from a corner of the table said.
“I am Randy2, and you know from my name that I am a first clone of Randy––my, uh, benefactor. So, I am a Second Citizen. For those off-world colonists here, let me give a bit of brief Earth history. I pride myself on being a student of history. At the turn of this century, there were several simultaneous catastrophes. Well, that was just the beginning. Earth finally ran out of oil––natural gas, too. Many nation states had built nuclear power plants and, unfortunately, too many in the wrong places, like on ocean coasts. You all no doubt know the disasters in the early twenty-first century in what was known as Japan. Then they had the big one in 2047. Of course, we all know, there is no Japan now and few Japanese. The same can be said about Old France and much of Old Asia. Not a bad review for a copy, huh?”
“What happened?”
“I’ll tell you what happened!” a new voice yelled out.
“I am Reddy of the Mars Colony. You can remember that from my red skin. You humans burnt your gonads! The radiation from core meltdowns rendered your planet sterile!”
“It’s true,” Nancy said. “But calm down please Mr. Reddy.”
“Just Reddy or Red, please.”
“Well, I can add some to your story, Red,” Nancy said. “I do have a Master’s degree in Earth History. I believe the story is that the more recent radiation leaks rendered most, if not all, of the planet’s inhabitants sterile. That is why our space program was re-energized to explore planets for resources and, well, species to make up for the humans who are dying off. We need a work force. So yeah, none of us––yes, that means me too––not one of us can have children. I . . .”
“Why is that?”

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Owen
• Release date: Aug 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465713575

W. F. Owen

I'm a professor of communication (thirty years) and a creative writer. My main interests are haiku and related forms, and science fiction. I've published in all of the major haiku journals (e.g., Frogpond, Modern Haiku) and several anthologies. Also, I have won several contests sponsored by the Haiku Society of America. Finally, long ago, I taught SCUBA diving as an occupation. I lived in Hawaii for ten years.In the past five years or so, I've rekindled my interest in photography and, most recently, graphic design. Check out my sites on Fine Art America ("Bill Owen") and RedBubble.com ("BillOwenArt"). Thanks! ?

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The Clone Trial

W. F. Owen

SmashWords Edition

Copyright 2011 W. F. Owen

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person with whom you share it. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

Cover photo and design: W. F. Owen.

For Caroline, Kennedy and Corey

~~~~~

The main problem responsible for limiting the number of iterations of clones to two reproductions is to reduce the possibilities of anomalies and related social disruption. We at the commission are aware of the buildup of biological urges responsible for wanting to extend these limits but, if followed at the recommended age-span differences between reproductions (popularly known as copies or clones), the lifespan of the host (popularly known as originals) will cease before the last of the copies expire. Thus, the commission will prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.

–– The Judiciary Division of the Cloning Commission, Section I, Sub-section C, 2113

Around the room was an odd assortment of officials, record keepers, journalists and witnesses. There sat two male witnesses, each looking exactly the same, albeit for their slightly different clothing. Even their fidgets and personal mannerisms were alike. Opposite them, was a pair of females, one quite old, the other estimated at about twenty-five. They looked like mother and daughter. Then, there was the murdered victim’s consensual partner.

Twenty-five, Jack Otherby mouthed quietly. What a joke that was. That was the cut-off for copies. Clone copies were genetically engineered to grow till about thirty-five or even forty, though there were anomalous mistakes. Accelerated development they called it. The science wasn’t perfect. How well he knew that. He was on trial for eliminating his first clone that had reached only his early twenties. Eliminated, he stifled a smirk, killed was more accurate.

The trial had taken just a week for being the first of its kind. Never before had a sentient human been accused of killing a clone copy. There had been many circumstances in which copies had expired under suspicious circumstances, but those typically