Clone City. The main assembly room. Jav and 'Mu come for a visit.

[random_xtras]

Jav looked around as he and his wife stepped through the portal, still thinking that Fi was nuts.

But then he blinked as they came into a huge room (it must have been intended as some sort of hanger) that teemed with clones. All were busy pursuing recreational activities as diverse as sitting and listening to someone talk or playing DDR on the row of machines against the inner wall. Others were good-naturedly yakking away to the accompaniment of mild violence and laughter. And here and there one could be seen seriously teaching some small colourful pet toy this command or activity.

The hyper clone's mouth spread into a wide grin as he reached for Jeimu's hand. "Would ye lookit that?"

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[random_xtras]

Jav's hands twitched from wanting to go over his ears. But all he did was give a slightly stunned nod. That kid had VOLUME.

"Yeah, lots of people here." A clone frowned with concern, then brightened and pushed through the crowd to where another little dark-haired child was being passed around and made much off.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Wow," Jeimu said, craning her neck to look at the other clones. "The innocence here is just... astounding."

She realized that she couldn't begin to understand how Sal had done it.

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"He's gonna hurt hisself." Jav winced, then turned toward Jeimu and looked at the other baby and the men around him.

"Yeah, well," he said quietly. "Nobody figured they'd ever have a life, so they didn't need to know about it."

"Here, I've got some cake." One of the guys carefully pulled a package out of his cargo pocket and unwrapped it, then beamed as the baby grabbed it and made it disappear.

"Hey," said another one hopefully. "Can you say 'buir'? Huh? C'mon, say 'buir'."

Puzzled green eyes smiled up at him. "Boo?"

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

Jeimu chuckled, standing on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Fair enough."

Kal disappeared with Baby Loudmouth, and she waved an absent goodbye in his direction.

[random_xtras]

Jav wrapped his arms around her, loosely enough that she'd be able to turn and watch the others if she wanted. His dark eyes followed that dark-haired baby as he was passed around and cuddled and beamed over.

"We was all like that fer a little while. Even Ordo 'n the other Nulls."

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"I figured. But they're as old as you are and they seem infinitely younger."

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"I'm a Commando. We were engineered fer strength 'n some brains. They were just made to obey orders and fight."

"Ow! @#$%&$#," said a voice from the direction of the nearby couch, and then a clone shoved his way through the crowd around the baby too look at Jeimu with woebegone hopefulness. "Do you give hugs?"

Jav blinked.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

So did Jeimu.

"Um... what?"

[random_xtras]

"He hurt his leg," said another clone.

"Here." A third handed the baby over. "He gives good hugs."

The clone who'd wanted the hug sighed and cracked a slight grin of relief as he returned the toddler's embrace. "Thanks."

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"I... uh... wow."

She blinked.