Page 62 of Prize for the Alien Grumpus

Red eyes snap open in the pod, matching my own. Steam hisses as the dome slides back. My duplicate rises, muscles rippling under blue fur identical to mine.

"Beautiful, isn't he?" Gregor's voice oozes satisfaction. "Your genetic template was perfect. All your strength, speed, and power - but none of those pesky moral hangups."

"You cloned me?" The words taste like ash in my mouth.

"Had to pass the time somehow while you were on ice. Think of him as version 2.0 - new and improved."

The clone tilts his head, studying me with predatory focus. No recognition in those eyes. Just hunger.

"Kill him," Gregor commands.

My duplicate launches forward with devastating speed. I barely dodge the first strike that leaves a crater in the wall behind me.

"Nice punch." I roll away from a kick that would have taken my head off. "But I've got something you don't."

The clone snarls, all animal instinct.

"Experience." I duck under another wild swing. "And better fashion sense."

We trade blows that would shatter concrete. Each impact sends shockwaves through the room. He's strong - maybe stronger than me. But his attacks are pure aggression, no technique.

"Having trouble?" Gregor taunts. "He's everything you could have been without your foolish ideals holding you back."

The clone catches me with an uppercut that lifts me off my feet. Pain explodes through my jaw.

"You know what else he doesn't have?" I spit blood and bare my fangs. "Someone to fight for."

Mel's face flashes through my mind. Sam's innocent smile. The thought of them gives me strength as I square off against my savage reflection.

"Let's dance, handsome."

My clone's fist whistles past my ear. Raw strength, no finesse. Three centuries of combat experience tell me exactly what to do next.

"You're telegraphing." I catch his arm and twist. "Amateur move."

He roars and breaks free, but I've already ducked under his wild counter-swing. His momentum carries him forward as I drive my knee into his gut.

"See, this is why you need proper training." My elbow crashes into the back of his neck. "Natural talent only gets you so far."

The clone stumbles, then charges like an enraged bull. I sidestep and grab his horns, using his own force to slam him face-first into the wall.

"You're just copying what you've seen in action vids." I dodge another haymaker. "I learned the hard way. In real fights."

His attacks grow wilder, more desperate. Each miss leaves him more exposed. Time to end this.

I feint left, then spring right as he takes the bait. My hands lock around his waist and I heave with everything I've got.

The clone sails through the air, right into the starship's control panel. Sparks fly as circuits overload. The impact finally puts him down for good.

A deep rumble shakes the building. Warning klaxons blare as emergency lights start flashing.

"What have you done?" Gregor's voice crackles with panic over the intercom.

The starship's engines cycle up with a rising whine. Looks like my clone's crash landing did more damage than expected. Sometimes luck beats planning.

The ship's engines scream to life, lifting the vessel higher into the night sky. No time for stairs. I smash through the nearest window, glass tinkling around me like deadly rain.

"Mel!" My voice echoes off concrete and steel. The ship hovers hundreds of feet above, its hull gleaming under city lights.

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