Chapter 25

"Beth?" I admit that I was surprised. The afternoon had been full of surprises, but this one was a bit more than most. "The Confederacy ignores incest?"

Oliver nodded. "Jack explained the reasoning behind it before the exercise -- but neither Beth nor I took him seriously. In the first place, there is apparently an almost universal attraction between a teenager and his or her parent of the opposite sex. There is already a bond of love and physical attraction comes fairly easily. While there is a valid scientific basis for the incest taboo, it is somewhat overblown; there is very little risk of enforcing an unwanted recessive gene in the first cross, if you will. Animal breeders do this all the time, for instance. Only repetition over more than one generation brings increased risk. Finally, Confederacy medical technology is fully capable of detecting and correcting any issues that might surface."

"Okay..." I nodded.

Oliver gathered himself and continued. "Apparently, there is an established precedent of sons taking mothers and daughters taking their fathers -- and vice-versa -- during pickups. The choice is between committing a forbidden sexual act and losing a loved one forever. Given the removal of the purely medical and genetic reasons not to have sex with that loved one, the choice becomes simple -- a no-brainer, if you will. Jack says that embarrassment over the taboo nature of their relationship usually helps the concubine deal with the change -- more readily than the case of a wife turned concubine who continues to expect that she has a special status and certain perks of position when that position no longer exists."

I held Oliver's hand, caressing it -- primarily to give me something to do. "I see the logic..."

"After we um, dispatched Vera to give fellatio to Jack's superior, Jack surprised both Beth and myself by insisting that she fellate me. We'd both heard the arguments, and we'd been rather insistent with Vera, to the point of corporal punishment -- so Beth followed her instructions, more or less willingly." Oliver looked away. "I could have -- should have -- stopped it. But I was also under some obligation to cooperate -- and once she began, the forbidden nature of the act caused me to take an unholy pleasure in it..."

I was surprised -- but titillated. Unholy pleasure... "Jack says it isn't forbidden..." I offered.

"It isn't -- to Jack," Oliver replied. "But I'm not yet acclimated to his belief system. Perhaps at some point I will be, but for now, I've done something I shouldn't have -- and given an opportunity, I will again."

How terrible was this? Oddly, when I searched my feelings on the matter, I felt vaguely pleased! Oliver was capable of surrendering to temptation... He'd had his whole world upended in the past two days, poor thing! "What does Beth think of this?" It made a difference if Beth was horrified...

"She's positively without shame!" Oliver replied. "She told me in no uncertain terms that she was sexually available to me at any time as long as Jack approves. And Jack has tempted me with fathering a child on her!"

'Daddy's Girl...' I thought. I remembered vividly that day when I was thirteen that my father banished me from his lap for being a bit too obvious about rubbing my itchy cunny on him. Would I have had sex with Dad? Yes. Probably any time before the middle of my freshman year in college, when I'd garnered enough sexual experience to become sophisticated. "So it bothers you -- and it seems to bother no one else."

Oliver pursed his lips. "It may bother Vera; we haven't discussed it."

"I consider that whether it bothers Vera is only relevant if you want to humiliate her by having sex with Beth in her presence," I opined. I showed my fangs a bit. "Getting Beth pregnant would probably get her goat..."

"Then...?"

"I find it... titillating." It was MY turn to look away in embarrassment.

"You're not upset?"

"This Jack is right," I told him. "I fantasized about sex with my father frequently. Didn't you do similar with your mother?"

Oliver opened his mouth to issue a denial -- and closed it. "Yes."

"Well, then."

"You don't think I'm a monster? A pedophile?"

"Beth is in her twenties, is she not? Did you bother her before puberty?" I asked.

"The thought never entered my mind."

"Then you aren't a pedophile. This is a new thing -- and probably it is more an acknowledgement that she is a woman than anything else. Vera and I have to share you; when you get past that whole monogamy thing, the more, the merrier!" I eyed him sidelong, teasing. "I want to watch! Better -- I want to help!"

"I want to sex YOU right here!" Oliver erupted. "But I want Vera to watch -- up close -- more..." I was amazed at the venom he packed in that latter declaration...

When the receptionist at the Brinkman Foundation dropped myself and Corporal Brock at the desk of the Director's secretary, Doctor Hopkins was standing there. "In the interest of cutting to the chase, I briefed the Director this afternoon. He has his department heads in there; we're about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule as far as the surprise is concerned. I thought it might help if we got them past the first shock..." He paused. "Aside from Peggy, there," he waved at the Director's assistant, "and Britney, here, who has been with me constantly, no one else knows."

I pursed my lips. "And the alert roster?"

Doctor Hopkins pointed at the assistant. Brock circled around to look at the computer screen. "Locked and cocked."

I shrugged and looked at the woman. "Execute." She hit the return key. The escort was standing there, looking from one of us to the other. The assistant, Peggy, looked up at her. "Cynthia, 'the Empire Strikes Back.' Pass the word. The clock starts now..."

"Holy shit!" The forty-something blonde started waving her arms. "Holy Shit!"

"Now, Cynthia!"

"I'm gone!" Cynthia got her shit together and took off at a trot.

"Brock, go with her. Bring the team in. I don't need you here..."

"If you'll step this way, please?" Peggy got up, but the computer bleeped.

"I've got it, Peggy," Dr. Hopkins assured her. "Follow me, Major."

My husband Bernie is one of those computer geek guys. He is the IT department head for some small foundation doing number crunching for the government -- something about those aliens. I don't worry about that stuff, you know? I put up with him working all hours of the day and night and I cuddle him when he's home and I raise the kids -- we've got three. I'm lucky -- he's a sweet guy. He's a good provider and he keeps me happy in bed -- we'd have six kids if I wasn't on birth control, it's so good... Anyway, it was Friday afternoon and I was FINALLY getting out of the grocery store; I'd had to leave my cart and haul Jerry and Pat outside three times to listen to my sister Trinity's woes; she'd married this guy who just couldn't seem to stay out of trouble! He'd been arrested again, and she was unhappy about that, but she was ambivalent because the louse had beaten her the night before, so she was safe for a couple of days. "Why doesn't your husband Bernie have any brothers, for God's sake?" she'd whined... "Why did I have to be so stupid?" I was at my wit's end with her -- it went on and on and on...

My cell phone bleeped while I was loading the groceries; I eyed it crossly but ignored it. If Trinity didn't leave me alone for a few minutes I'd NEVER get done! But then Jerry's went off. Jerry was very proud of the fact that he had a phone at age ten and he was VERY careful with it... I closed the trunk and handed Patty into her booster seat -- she's not quite tall enough yet that seat belts protect her despite her complaints -- then turned to where Jerry was staring fixedly at the phone screen. "What's the matter?"

"It says 'The Empire Strikes Back', Mommy! It says 'The Empire Strikes Back'!"

"Sure it does..." Bernie had talked to me about this several times, and we'd gotten practice messages before. If there was a pickup at the place he worked, they would send out that message. We'd told Susan what it was supposed to mean, but limited Jerry to the fact that it was important and if he got it while he was at school or out playing, he was to call or come home immediately. I never expected to read that message; Bernie had talked about it and despite the alerts, most Confederacy pickups were closed -- if they took Bernie, he would be gone and that would be that... The only chance I had at that point was to be wherever the kids were. Still, Jerry knew it and the other message "Cylon Raiders" were important secret codes -- and he'd never lied about them... "Get in the car, Honey, and buckle in. Let Momma see..." Jerry dutifully handed over the phone -- and I stared at the message... Had he typed it there? Again, it wasn't like him... I circled the car and got in, grabbing my cell phone. The screen said 'The Empire Strikes Back'! "Jesus God!" I gasped. "Jesus God!" With shaking fingers, I typed "Confirm!" The message went. I waited thirty seconds and the reply came back: 'Confirm. Battlestar Galactica departs in 86 minutes.' "JESUS! GOD!" I started the car. Now what? "Jerry, call your sister! Tell her come home NOW!" Jerry obediently began fingering his speed dial list.

I called Trinity. "I didn't expect you to call -- I know you're mad..." she began.

"Be quiet and listen!" I told her. "Get in your car -- right now! -- and drive to my house! Don't stop anywhere! Don't take any detours! Just get to my house! You have -- I dunno -- forty-five minutes, maybe!"

"What are you talking about?" Trinity asked.

"Are you driving? ASK FROM THE CAR!" I erupted.

"Okay, okay!" There was a pause and some banging. "What's going on?"

Bernie and I had talked about this -- pillow talk. Bernie could take four, including me. He thought he might have to take office girls, but we'd specifically discussed Trinity. I'd never bothered to tell her, though...

"Wait a moment." I put the car in gear and headed out of the parking lot, being VERY careful -- an accident could ruin EVERYTHING! I turned to Jerry, "Has your sister answered?"

"No Momma -- she's at soccer practice, you know..."

"Oh, God..." She probably wasn't carrying her phone... I put the earpiece to my ear and asked Trinity, "Are you driving?"

"Yes."

"I have problems here. I HAVE to get a hold of Susan. I'm going to make this quick, Trini. Remember when you were complaining about Bernie not having a brother?"

"Uh huh..."

"Okay. This is a one-time offer. I will SHARE Bernie with you. But you MUST be at my house in forty minutes, or you'll never see ANY of us again! Do you understand?"

"No, but I'm driving! You'll explain when I get there?"

"Yes I will! Promise! Just BE THERE!"

"I'm coming!"

"Jerry, Sweetie, I need help. What can we do about getting a hold of your sister?" I had no ideas at all...

"What about her friend Harrah, Mommy? She's always complaining that she's on the bench..." Jerry offered.

"Oh, that would be good, Sweetie, if I had her number!" He was TRYING to help...

"Sissy's phone died the other day and she used mine!" Jerry said brightly. "I put Harrah on speedy dial!"

"You DID!" God above! "Would you dial it for Mommy?" The middle school was ten minutes beyond the house...

"H'lo?" Jerry had the phone on speaker.

"Harrah!" Jerry crowed. "It's Jerry!"

"What's up, Squirt?"

"Sissy isn't answering her phone -- and she has a very important message! Can you give her her phone?"

"She's on the field, Squirt..." Harrah said dubiously.

"Harrah, it's Felicity, Susan's mother. Look, Honey, this is life and death!"

"Okay, when she comes..."

"No, Honey -- NOW! I need her to help me by getting as close to home as she can!"

"Coach will kill me!"

"Trust me, Honey -- she'll understand! Just do it!" Susan could run home in ten minutes -- and I could meet her part way -- but the school was that much beyond the house...

"Phone... Phone..." There was some crashing and banging and Harrah announced , "Got it! What the fuck? Oops..." Then the thump of running shoes and Harrah panted, "Susie..."

Susie's voice sounded next, against the blast of a whistle and "What are you doing, Fields! Get off..." "Jeez, Harrah! What? What the...? HOLY SHIT! Where? How?"

"Jerry called. He said..." Harrah began.

"Is he there? Gimme that! Jerry?"

"Sweetie, it's Momma. RUN HOME! NOW! I'll try to meet you on the way. Your Aunt Trini is coming..."

"I'm bringing Harrah!"

"No promises, Sweetie..."

"She's fourteen!"

"RUN! We'll talk about it when you get there!"

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Coach! Harrah..."

"What?"

"Run with me!"

"Okay..." The phone shut off.

I wiped sweat from my face. "You did really, REALLY good, Sweetie! You're Mommy's bestest boy!"

"Aww, Mommy!" Jerry covered his face, thoroughly embarrassed. I should really treat him a little more like an adult...

I blew past the house doing twice the speed limit and started threading my way through the back streets along the drainage ditch that Susan's running path paralleled. No Trini. I hoped she would be there when I'd collected Susan...

Bleep! I snatched at my phone. If this was a false alarm, I was going to be SOOOO MAD!!!

'Galactica departs in 60 min.' SHIT! I zigzagged another block; was that them? Two blocks over? I roared off and went down two blocks and over two. Yes! Susan and Harrah came thudding up to the car, panting.

"Get in!" I yelled. The pair of them bracketed little Patty in the back seat and I backed and filled and headed back toward the house. Bernie was probably freaking...

"Would somebody tell me what's going on?" Harrah panted querulously.

"We're going to a pickup!" I related, unable to look at her in the mirror; I needed my attention for the streets -- I didn't want to hit someone's kids!

"Oh." Harrah sounded disappointed. "That's a waste of time -- my sister and her girlfriends used to chase them. Once they're locked down..."

"Harrah, Honey, this is a special case," I related. "Susan's father works for some people who work for the government -- and if we get this signal, it's an OPEN pickup -- and they're waiting for us!"

"Really?"

"Really!" Susan panted. "Have we got any bottled water?"

"Sorry, Honey -- it's in the trunk!" I turned onto our street, four blocks down. In the distance, a car was turning into a driveway; 'Please, God, let it be Trini!' I prayed.

It was. "Okay, so what's up? What's the hurry?" Trini asked.

"Just get in the car!" I yelled.

"Where?"

Shit! We were out of seats! Meanwhile, Susan got out of the car. "Mom! Pop the trunk!"

"Get back... Fine!" I popped the trunk. Why was EVERYONE fighting me? I could leave Harrah... No... "Jerry, Sweetie, get in the back seat. Trini, please get Patty and sit up here with her on your lap. Harrah, just toss the booster seat out in the driveway. And Susan! PLEASE! GET BACK IN THE CAR!"

Jerry, bless his heart, followed instructions, helping Patty undo her seatbelt and handing her to Trini, who was still standing there looking at me like I'd lost my mind. Harrah did as she was told and then helped Susan rip the plastic on the case of bottled water, after which they returned to their seats. Finally, Trini got in the car, buckled in, and settled Patty on her lap. I slammed the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway, almost hitting Patty's seat, then boiled up the block. I kept pushing it all the way to the main drag, where I HAD to slow down due to traffic. Susan tapped me on the shoulder with a water bottle. "Drink some, Mom -- you're freaking everybody out."

I handed Trini the bottle, and she opened it and passed it back. "Now?" she asked.

"Bernie's being picked up," I related after taking a swallow. "He's a seven point nine."

"Figures," Trini grumped. It was another indictment of her stupidity -- I got a smart one and she got an abusive one...

"The chances were that he would get picked up alone -- and if that happened, he would have to do some fast talking when they came to pick up the kids for me to be able to go," I explained, "but the place he works for made -- whatyamacallit -- contingency plans. One of those plans said that if I got a certain text message, I had a certain defined amount of time to get there -- but if I did, I could go! I just got that message."

"Okay..." Trini nodded.

"Bernie can take four women with him. If we get there, that's me and three others. Bernie said he might have to take a couple of girls from the office -- but if the heavy thinkers at the office fill their slots, he might not. If he doesn't, he'll have as many as three open slots," I explained.

"Yeah, okay..." Trini wasn't there yet. God, she could be SOOO dense!

"If I HAVE to share Bernie with three other women, one of them might as well be you! Bernie and I talked about it and -- if he can -- he'll take you!"

"Oh! Omigawd!" Trini FINALLY erupted. "So when do we have to be there?"

"Fifty one minutes," I replied. "And if EVERYTHING goes PERFECTLY, we'll be there in thirty-eight!"

Trini nodded. "And if they don't..."

"Bernie's gone," I finished.

Trini looked away. "You shouldn't have waited for me."

"I didn't -- getting Susan was more trouble," I assured my sister. "Since you were there when we got there, we didn't lose much." I put us up on the freeway, hoping the rush hour traffic wouldn't screw us up.

I looked in the rearview at Harrah -- who was looking back. She knew the situation. I couldn't make promises -- and while I liked the girl, Susan's friends had never come up as a subject of conversation when Bernie talked about this.

I drove just slow enough not to attract twelve police cruisers. There were times when I thought I would tear out big hunks of hair due to slowdowns caused by idiots who insisted on driving slow in the left lane, but in the end we got to a strangely empty parking lot in front of a VERY vacant-looking building!

Scared to death, I leaped out of the car and ran for the door wailing, "BERRRRNIEEEE!!!" We were there on time! Where was everyone? But a really, REALLY big guy came out of the building waving his hands for me to pipe down and said, "Take everyone inside, Miz Rawlins -- your husband is just helping us finish up packing the machines. You got here in time. Give me your car keys -- we're scattering them out so things aren't so obvious."

"Oh thank God!" I thought my heart was going to burst! I handed my keys to the Marine and waved everyone inside.

I ran down the hall toward Bernie's office, but he wasn't there; instead, I found him with a bunch of guys taping boxes. "I brought Trini," I panted, "and Susan brought Harrah..."

Bernie looked over at Trini and Harrah, then over his shoulder at an older guy in a suit who looked like he seldom wore one. "It's okay, Son," the man said. "We're running a no-limit game here. Besides, we'd have given you six, anyway, with your scores."

Bernie hugged me to him and said, "Honey, have you explained..."

"Uh huh."

"And..." He shifted his glance to Trini.

"I'm thrilled to death!" she declared.

"Harrah..." Bernie looked bothered. "She's not ours..."

"She's fourteen, Dad," Susan explained.

"Oh." Bernie eyed Harrah. "Um..."

"Is it okay?" Harrah asked.

"Well, Honey, I was going to ask you the same thing," Bernie replied. "You know what we're talking about here..."

"Yes." Harrah threw her shoulders back. She didn't have a lot up top. "What are you gonna do about Susie?"

"She's still thirteen," Bernie pointed out.

"Yeah, for like, three months," Harrah shot back. "Then what?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Bernie replied. I already knew the answer; it depended on Susan's scores. Bernie was certain she would pass -- but if she didn't, she would have the option of staying at home -- and bearing his children, if necessary, when someone complained. No one would force it on her, though.

The Marines were shoving boxes at this glowing disk on the floor -- and they were disappearing. It wasn't like Star Trek -- they were there and then they weren't, no fuzzy stuff. "That's it, I think," Bernie announced. The older guy said, "Okay, move your herd through the transporter and we'll close up shop. Just then somebody came tearing through the door and said, "My husband!" Well, I knew the feeling...

Bernie gave me a peck on the cheek. "You done good, Hon. Take Jerry by the hand and walk through that thing. I'm right behind you."

He was.

It all went off pretty much like clockwork. There weren't more than a half-dozen extras, all well-justified. When everyone else was gone, I handed the front door keys to Doctor Hopkins; he locked the doors and took the young lady who had been with him all afternoon out to his car and drove away. For the rest of the day, he was Lieutenant Harper's problem.

Jack was home when we got there. Beth and Frieda were at work; I gathered that they had planned some dramatic exit from the grocery and an equally dramatic entrance at home. Jack's new women -- the black ones -- were flitting here and there. They were dressed, in short skirts and halter tops -- and Jack was playing with the children; the boy continued to hold himself aloof, but the little girls were taking runs at him and crawling on him and screaming their delight with the situation.

Vera was nowhere in sight.

I asked Jack her whereabouts, and he replied, "Working upstairs, at last check."

I then asked Jack if he had a record of Vera's confession. Jack looked uncomfortable, but he led me out to the van and produced the equipment he had surfaced the night before and activated it. This time, Vera's tale came from a set of speakers instead of a headset, but it was the same tale. Britney listened to it to the end and sat there looking sad. "Oliver, you know there is nothing you can do to her that is worse than what she does to herself daily."

"What?"

"As far as she's concerned, she's been living a lie all these years."

"Well, she has!"

"No. She tried to change her life; she tried to make something better of herself. But she never succeeded in convincing herself that she had really changed."

"What are you saying?" I demanded.

"I'm saying that she believes that she is every awful thing those boys ever called her. If you call her names -- a fat whore, a slut, a pig -- she'll merely agree with you, because it is what she believes herself. She knows what she did to you, and she hates herself for it -- but she honestly cannot envision you having had anything to do with her if you had known her as she knows herself. She lived with that lie as the price she paid to be with you."

"So you feel sorry for her."

"Yes."

"What about me?"

"I feel sorry for you, too -- and I recognize your right to be angry and punish her. You realize that she now expects you to punish her, right?" Britney eyed me.

"That's reasonable."

"She'll probably welcome it. She probably expects you never to forgive her. She'll never forgive herself -- she hasn't up to now. At this point, she has the satisfaction of having raised her children -- she succeeded there, more or less. But with you it was more likely a case of her thinking, 'I knew this was going to happen someday'."

I was a bit frustrated at this point. "Let's go inside." Once inside, I went to the base of the stairs and roared, "Vera!"

Vera was almost too quick to peek around the top of the stairwell, "Master?"

"What are you wearing?"

"Nothing."

I turned this over in my mind for a moment and the thought of humiliating her in front of Britney was attractive, but Britney squeezed my hand and gave me a significant look, and I abandoned the idea. "Find something similar to what Jack's women are wearing and come downstairs to meet Britney."

"Yes, Master."

Jack cleared his throat. "Vera, you are aware of the lack of underclothing?"

"Yes, Jack."

Jack turned to Britney, "I'm a purist; I like for my women to be nude. But Oliver's daughters are coming in and they don't know what's going on, so I think it's rude to give them that kind of shock right away. On the other hand, I enjoy having access... Tara?" Tara, who had been listening, grinned from ear to ear and flipped up her skirt, revealing her pubic bush.

"What about the children?" Britney asked.

"They need to get used to it," Jack replied. "But not today. There is nothing wrong with the human body -- but they haven't been raised to it. Young Abe, in particular, might be scandalized. We're still trying to find common ground, as it is." Tara had deliberately masked herself from Abe for the display, I noted.

So we waited for Vera. This didn't improve my mood; it wasn't her job to keep us waiting. On the other hand, she hadn't been prepared -- not that I was particularly inclined to make allowances. I waved Britney into a chair and stalked around until Britney got up and came to me and said, "You're looking for excuses."

"They're not hard to find!" I retorted.

"I didn't anticipate having to mediate..."

"Neither did I!"

Vera came downstairs at that point. The outfit -- a jean skirt and a midriff top without a bra under it -- belonged to Beth, if memory serves. Vera didn't wear anything TOO revealing; it was one of the things I'd put up with all these years. I schooled myself to civility and made the introductions. "Vera, this is Britney. Britney, this is my concubine, Vera."

They did the female version of the handshake, Britney merely smiling graciously. Vera said, "You're beautiful." Her tone and expression added, 'Of course.'

"You're too kind," Britney replied. "I've heard quite a bit about you."

"Yes, well..." Vera looked away.

"Britney continues to be a guest at this point," I interjected. "This was to be an introduction to the family without commitment and recent events have removed some of the urgency involved. Given my behavior recently, she may be rethinking her position. I'm going to go freshen up; I'm leaving Britney in your hands, trusting in your skills as a hostess." I nodded to Britney and took my leave, unable to see how I could help the two of them.

Britney eyed me sympathetically. "You've had a rough couple of days."

I nodded. "I haven't done well. Oliver is extremely angry because..."

"I heard it," Britney interjected. "You're too hard on yourself."

"So there is a recording," I sighed.

"Yes."

"I always knew that if I lost my position, demands would be made -- and sooner or later, questions about my nature would surface and there would be trouble." I paused, trying to control myself. "But it happened so FAST!"

"It will be all right," Britney assured me. "Oliver won't stay angry -- it isn't his way. You know that."

"Oliver has to change, too," I retorted. "All this time, I told myself I was in charge -- that I could hold things together. But that was a lie, too! I was NEVER in charge! Ollie has ALWAYS been the ultimate arbiter! And look how I rewarded his tolerance!" I shook my head. "I don't have much of a future here."

"You're the mother of his children," Britney replied.

"The grown ones," I replied dully. "There will be a new batch -- why shouldn't they have a new mother?"

Britney shook her head. "I'm not here to replace you."

"That wasn't his plan," I agreed. "But that was then, and this is now..."

"Wait it out," Britney counseled. "Ride out his anger. Give him what he wants. He will back off."

"He deserves better," I insisted. "He always did. He doesn't deserve a fat, ugly whore who enjoys servicing her men in twos and threes but insists upon lying about it and wouldn't even give him a taste of what so many others had used..."

"You were trying to change your life," Britney insisted.

It was sweet of her, but... "By lying about it and pretending to be someone else! If I'd been honest with him, we might have worked our way through it, but instead, I hid and pretended..."

"It's not too late," Britney said quietly. "It never is."

"How I wish THAT were true!" I retorted. "We won't go forward. Sometime soon, Oliver will decide that having me around is a constant reminder of my deceit..." Suddenly, it hit me -- the solution -- and just in time... Buoyed by the realization, I managed a smile. "Let's put this away -- it will resolve itself soon. Can I get you a drink?"