Chapter 32
Green Mountains, Homeland
Edgar led the twelve identical clone girls on foot through miles of woodland toward the remaining distance to their destination.
“Hold it right there!” a shabbily dressed man, pointing a rifle at them said.
Edgar froze and the girls all stopped walking.
The armed man pointed the rifle barrel to the ground and said, “Edgar? I almost didn’t recognize you with your face. And so many girls. That’s pretty crazy.”
“I know.” Edgar was starting to feel proud of his rugged individualistic new look.
The guard said, “Go on ahead. That’s really crazy.”
At last the secluded ramshackle farm was in sight. It was a collection of a half-dozen minimalist lean-tos among some trees. Brush was scattered on top of the make-shift habitations so they were not as conspicuous by air as a resistance militia camp by UN drones.
Edgar was spotted by Katrina, who ran out to greet him. She was a beautiful blonde, fitting the genetically engineered ideal, except that like the others at the farm, she looked thin and underfed, which concerned him even more because she was carrying his child. Katrina and Edgar embraced and kissed passionately while the twelve Julias all stood watching something actually happening in front of them that was prohibited and supposed to be chemically inhibited among clones.
“Your face,” Katrina said as she held Edgar’s head in her hand so she could get a look at his injury.
“It’s fine,” Edgar said, as he placed his hand on his unborn child.
“What is this?” Katrina said, looking at the juvenile audience with their dirty identical faces and tattered clothes with their identification tags.
“It’s a really long story.”
“Those uniforms bring back old memories,” Katrina said. “You were gone so long, I was worried.”
Edgar said, “I missed you.”
“Me too. What about the seeds?” Katrina asked about Edgar’s original mission, which was to go into a populated area and go through the garbage looking for fresh produce table scraps that would have the seeds in them for planting.
Edgar said, “I got sidetracked. Anyway, don’t worry; I can go on another trip.”
Katrina said, “No, I want you to stay here.” She pulled herself close again. “It’s too dangerous out there for my baby’s daddy.”
Edgar said, “Our leader will be worried that I brought all of these girls here to feed. I may as well face her now.”
They walked up a small grade into the center of the tiny village. Several hungry people were sitting around cracking hickory nuts and trying to dig out the tiny edible parts. Some chickens ran freely about. The people sneered at the dozen Julias, uncertain as to how another dozen hungry girls would fit into their already difficult situation.
Katrina asked, “Where’s Jenn?”
One of them pointed to an area where they did most of their gardening.
The procession found Jenn, a fit woman in her seventies, out working the stubborn ground with a hoe.
Jenn saw their shadows coming up from behind. She turned and raised the brim of her floppy straw hat and wiped sweat from her brow and said, “You gotta be kidding me! Where did you find all these girls?!”
Edgar hung his head, waiting for his scolding for bringing them there.
“This is fantastic!” Jenn said. “These young girls are exactly what we will need to get this soil worked and get our crops put in!”
Edgar looked up, surprised by the response.
Jenn’s eyes narrowed and she said, “You girls will work, won’t ya?”
They stared at Jenn with dirty faces and big nervous eyes, never having seen anyone who looked anything like her. Most of them nodded silently.
Jenn said to Edgar, “Did you get some more seeds like I wanted?”
“Um . . . no, not yet.”
Jenn tossed the hoe down and she said, “Well you better go and try it again. It shouldn’t be that hard to do. Don’t mess around this time. Depending on what you find, we might need to get them planted right away.” Jenn was an expert organic gardener. While organic gardening was the normal agricultural method practiced in the ISA, it was almost a lost skill in Homeland, which relied heavily upon chemical fertilizers and genetically modified seeds. “We always save at least some seeds, but we can always use something new. Meanwhile, the girls and I will start working the soil. I’ll have to see if I can find enough tools for all of ‘em. I’ll have to get some of those other lazy slugs around here to fix up some kind of a cozy place for the girls to bed down tonight.”
Katrina said to Edgar, “I’ll go with you.”
“No,” Edgar said, “We went over this the last time. It’s really not safe for you to go into town.” Edgar also knew that there were those who were intensely looking for him and running with a pregnant woman wouldn’t be so good.
Jenn said, “Maybe Katrina should go. Then maybe you will stay on task better the next time.”
“I’ll be fine,” Edgar said, “I know how important getting more seeds is and I will get the job done.”
Jenn said, “C’mon, all you Julias. Let’s get you all ready to do some work. We work every day around here.”