Chapter 33

Saturday morning -- my last day on Earth, version two point oh. I hate alarm clocks; I nearly killed two of my concubines trying to find and silence the damned thing before Beth wrestled it from my hands and shut it off. "Coffee!" I croaked.

"Yes, Master!" she smiled and leaned in to kiss me and morning breath and all the day improved right there. I gave her broad ass a playful swat and she rocked it salaciously out the door. I was instantly horny, but we had no time for such things -- not today!

"Up and at 'em!" I wielded a pillow to get the attention of the rest of my harem, "We're outta here!" Tara, in particular, looked rough this morning -- last night may have been a dream come true, but it was hard on her. "Frieda, get everyone else but the children up. Tara, hit the shower and see if that helps you any. Keisha..." I knee-walked over to the thick black girl.

"Yeah..." She eyed me nervously.

"Tonight," I told her. "If all goes well, we'll handle our unfinished business tonight."

"You mean you'll...?"

"Yeah," I clarified, "Take your cherry."

"Gawd, I hope so!" she swore. "If I hafta just watch again, I'll go nuts!"

"Go get the kids going," I directed. "Breakfast for them will be in orbit, I think."

"Okay." Keisha clearly didn't understand the implications -- and she knew it -- but she also knew that her job was simple and familiar -- get the kids up and ready to go out. She threw on her nightgown -- we'd all gone to bed nude -- and headed off to handle it. I wondered vaguely why she bothered, but didn't bother calling her back. I threw on some undershorts and headed for the kitchen, stopping at the bathroom on the way. Tara was in the shower and looked surprised when I wandered in; well, she would get used to THAT, too.

Beth was making sure I had a cup in my hand when Oliver came through the door, trailed by Britney and Vera. "I see you survived the night."

Oliver chuckled. "I amazed myself."

"Me, too!" It was a chorus. Britney looked at Vera and they both broke into giggles as Vera headed to the cupboard to get Oliver a cup.

Oliver settled into a chair and dragged Britney onto his lap. "How did the outing go?"

Judith, looking haggard, answered the question herself as she came through the door, "Apparently, I'm my mother's daughter. I even did anal -- and enjoyed it."

"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it?" Oliver queried.

"So everyone keeps telling me," Judith muttered, hanging her head. "Everyone at our little party seemed to think so. But I haven't actually seen much of that version of Momma..."

"Don't feel bad, Dear," Ollie replied. "I got my formal introduction to that version of your mother only last night." Vera turned around and eyed Oliver anxiously from behind, so she didn't see the feral look on his face -- but she did hear him say, "I think I'm going to have a bit more fun with this version than I had with the one who raised you."

Vera looked relieved; Judith, thunderstruck! "Um, yeah..." she muttered, looking around. "Should I be nude?"

I shrugged. "No one here owns you."

"The way things are going, maybe I SHOULD apply..." she mumbled.

I cut it off. "We may be pressed for time. How many bathrooms do you have, Oliver?"

"Two," he supplied. "One in the master suite and the one you have no doubt been using." He frowned, divining my point. "Given the unholy number of females we have on site..."

"Exactly," I nodded. "Transport by nine a.m. doesn't appear to be feasible. I'm going to jump the line and get some of them quartered in orbit, then pop out to the site. Can you get everyone corralled and ready here?"

"I should think so," Oliver agreed.

"Very good. Judith and Maureen should probably have priority, since they are unassigned. I'll settle Keisha and Tara and the kids aboard the Valhalla and then return for them. We'll do everything by transporter, I should think, to avoid travel delays."

Oliver eyed Judith. "Alert your sister." Judith nodded and headed out.

"She did fine," I noted, "but she isn't happy about it."

"That will take time," Oliver murmured. "Vera still has her issues, although she's given up method acting." Changing subjects, he added, "Use the master bath."

I nodded. Beth bustled past me, muttering, "I'll show you where everything is." I followed, wondering if she really knew. Apparently, she did, because I got everything I needed. I kissed her a couple of times and played with her titties while she washed my hair, but I didn't let her slow me down significantly -- besides, she DID wash my back... When I was out and dressed, I checked on Keisha and the kids. Tara was helping get her brood together; from what I could tell, they were about ready. I stepped outside and collected the transport pad the AI had delivered by drone and brought it inside and set it up in the living room. Going back upstairs, I collected the five of them. "Okay, uniform of the day is nude, as in naked. Keisha, get that thing off and pop it into a suitcase if you really don't think it has outlived its usefulness."

Keisha took off the threadbare garment, eyed it, eyed Abe -- who grinned at her -- and dropped it on the floor. "Okay."

"Let's go, then." I led them downstairs. The transport pad began to glow. "Tara and Elise first, then Abe, then Keisha and Shawna. I'm right behind you." I threw a jaunty wave at the crowd gathered to watch and pointed, "Go!"

Tara stepped forward, Elise on her hip -- and disappeared. Abe stopped, nervous, but Keisha chivvied him forward, "Go on!" He disappeared, and I watched Keisha take a breath before making her own move, but she did it -- and she and Shawna disappeared, too. I counted a second or two and followed...

... And stepped out into Transport Room Fifty-Two. "That wasn't so bad, now, was it?" I asked the milling group.

"Wow! You're a heifer!" the transport crewman exclaimed, eyeing Keisha.

Keisha looked mildly disgusted. "Is that good or bad?"

The crewman sucked his teeth. "Depends, I guess." He threw a look at me.

I shrugged. "My daddy always said, 'Heat in the winter, shade in the summer, and a soft place to lie down year 'round'!"

The crewman cracked up. "That'd be good, then. I may have to put a few pounds on one of mine!" Keisha rolled her eyes. I knew she probably wasn't thrilled, but, hey...

"I got tired of swimsuit models," I related. "Besides, she's got 'Mama' written all over her!"

"Yeah, that's important." The crewman got serious, which surprised both of my women, I think. "Kids, too. Very cool!"

"Thanks. Okay, we're out of here!" I announced, "Next stop, breakfast!" I had the AI re-route the exit corridor to the corridor between Holding Areas 52C and 52D and led my little family to Passenger Mess 73. The mess was a self-serve replicator system; detecting children, the AI shifted the menus to pictures. "What meal?"

"Breakfast," I declared.

"Please select food items." Pictures of various types of eggs, breakfast meats, breads, pancakes and waffles, and so on appeared on three screens, one of which dropped to eye level for Abe.

"Watch me," I said, "and don't get into the fun of it to the point that you order more than you can eat." I poked the picture of scrambled eggs and a pop up asked how many -- by displaying various numbers of eggs. I chose two, then another pop-up asked about cheese; I passed. Moving on, I ordered four slices of bacon and dry raisin toast. "Got it?" I asked the women -- and Abe. I got nods. "Approached correctly it can deliver bottles of formula, baby foods -- you name it.

"Delivery in thirty seconds at Port Four," the AI declaimed over the speaker.

"Don't get fancy -- we're in a hurry," I told them. "Quick and simple. I want you in quarters before I leave. In fact..." I turned my attention to the AI, "deliver all orders for this group and this meal to my quarters."

"Delivery to Officer Quarters Cluster Seven Alpha Forty-Three confirmed," the service AI confirmed. "Next order? Please select food items." I helped Abe, who got a big kick out of it, while Tara and Keisha selected food for themselves and the girls.

"Okay, ready? We're out of here!" I whipped out my comm link and got a map of the route to my quarters. I'd been moved -- probably because of my acquired concubines. I'd been in Officer Quarters Cluster Seven (Deck Seven) Uniform (for Unaccompanied) Two-Forty-One. Alpha meant 'accompanied' -- larger suites for officers with concubines in attendance. We were ONLY using Deck Seven of the Valhalla on this pickup -- and it was plenty for our purposes; based upon how things went, the other decks might get reconfigured to accommodate changes we discovered were needed to support the extraction process. The recommended route was lengthy enough that an internal transport pad was recommended to get us outboard to officer country. This was a dedicated point-to-point pad set that only cycled between a few selectable locations. The Valhalla was BIG -- meant to accommodate a quarter of a million passengers and several thousand crew; you could spend forever walking the decks. I didn't HAVE forever, so we used the pad; everyone was a good bit less leery of them the second time.

My quarters were modifiable, but not self-contained, like a pod; the Valhalla wasn't a cargo ship delivering what amounted to travel trailers and mobile homes, it was a passenger liner -- passengers would receive their quarters on arrival. As such, I had a stateroom -- or a small apartment -- the ship's AI modified spaces based upon concubine and child counts and age and sex distributions -- and took requests. Crew quarters differed; there was a one concubine limit, so standard layouts were easily organized; besides, crew quarters tended to be intermixed with the engineering spaces in a cylinder through the center of the ship -- which resembled a big-ass Borg cube more than anything else. I wasn't crew -- I was supercargo, a guest of the Captain, more or less, being the rep from the destination world -- so we were out on the fringes where there was a view... I got everyone inside and briefed the women quickly, while we extracted the queued up meals from the replicator:

"Okay, it's like this -- the AI won't open the door for you without my say-so. This is for your own protection, since you can get lost around here pretty damned quick. If something comes up, ask the AI to call me -- I know this is a pain in the ass, so I'll respond as soon as I can. Get comfortable -- even I don't know the layout in here. Remember, Beth and Frieda are coming -- they'll be here tonight." I turned my attention to the AI, "Set up a clock for Central Daylight Time -- we will sync with ship's time after the extraction is complete. Query me on this in 48 hours, Earth time." A clock display appeared on the wall -- a projection, rather than a device. Returning my attention to the women, I said, "Phase One of this crap should be over by five or so. I might still be knee deep in alligators, but I'll be aboard." I shifted back to the AI, "Level Two authorizations are granted for my concubines. Requests for meals, entertainment, and other support are to be granted within those limits until further notice."

"Acknowledged."

"Minor floor plan rearrangement to support headcount is also authorized."

"Acknowledged."

"That means that if things just don't look right for handling the kids or sleeping arrangements, the AI can change the layout -- within limits. I don't know what those limits are and don't have time to find out. Recommend that you set up a room that will hold ALL of us, but also set up a ready room where some of you can get away from the crowd. Hook the kids up as seems sensible." I took a swig of coffee. "I've got to go. Ask the AI for things -- just look up and ask the question and it will respond." I gave them both quick kisses and grabbed two slices of bacon and got the Hell out of there!

After a mad dash back to Transport Room 52, I was again at Oliver's. On the way, I had the sense to ask where he was quartered, and after a bit of wheedling and discussion, got authorization to move him into the cluster next to mine. That should simplify things, even though it made me responsible for Oliver and his brood. Well, technically, I was going to be responsible for eighteen thousand people by evening, so...

I realized that I hadn't even asked after the Brinkman contingent -- which was already aboard... I shook my head; I was going to be multitasking for days, no doubt... "How are we doing?" I asked Oliver.

"Everyone is ready, I believe," he replied. He picked up his laptop. He was dressed, as were Judith and Maureen; no one else was. That wouldn't fly during the early going... I examined my plans and prejudices...

Maureen and Judith needed to be on the ground and allowed to mingle with the parents and staff and get a first look at everyone with eventual positions in mind. I wanted Beth and Frieda with me as examples (hopefully) of perfect obedience. Frankly, Oliver, Vera and Britney were superfluous -- but the clock was ticking and I had no time to deal with them properly. "Everybody dress!" I erupted. "Standard is as last night -- I want you to be able to be nude rapidly, but we need to keep a low profile, initially."

"Go! Go! Hurry!" Oliver chivvied his women off and mine made a dash for the stairs.

"I'm an idiot," I confessed. "I should have thought of this, but everything has been hurry up and get sidetracked..."

Oliver nodded. "As much as I would like to assist, I just don't know what is going on well enough to be of any REAL assistance."

I thought about it. "Well, there ARE a couple of things..." I fished the keys to the rental car out of my pocket. "I had THAT delivered," I pointed to the transport pad, "but pickup tends to be a more difficult issue -- and it would be convenient if we had the rental car at the school. I can save time if I transport out with your daughters and Frieda and you and Vera and Britney bring the transport pad and the rental car to the school. Can do?"

"Certainly."

"There is a standard power button on the side, there," I pointed it out. "It's not dangerous or anything once deactivated."

"Fine." Oliver nodded.

Frieda came thundering down the stairs, Beth following more slowly while she tied off a wraparound skirt. I looked to Oliver. "Close the place up or walk out and leave the doors open -- it's up to you at this point. If you have questions, this is my cell..." I rattled off the number. No, my comm link ISN'T a cell phone -- but it can replicate one. "Let's go, girls. Keep walking when you pop out so the next person doesn't step on you -- but don't go far; we'll be turning right around once I coordinate with the transport crew." I waved at the pad, and characteristically, Frieda took the first position on the way out, followed by Maureen, Judith, and then Beth. I waved at Oliver and his women, then stepped through myself.

On arrival at Transport Room 52, I told the crew chief, "Get everyone warmed up -- this thing kicks off officially in twenty minutes. Unofficially, who knows? Re-route to Pad Four at the school, please."

The crewman gave me the eye. "You really like heavies, don't you?"

"They're sisters," I replied. "And one of them is a Civil Service sponsor. Be nice to her -- she'll be helping you."

"I was just asking..."

"You would probably be surprised to find out which two are mine, which one is the sponsor, and which is available," I told him.

"Really?" He replied. "I get a slot for this run... That one is cute..." He pointed at Judith.

"Give the man a cigar!" I chuckled. "It wouldn't hurt her self-image if you told her you were interested... We need to go, though."

"Right." He realigned the transporter. "You're clear." We both stopped, though for the unfinished business. "Hey, Honey..." he beckoned Judith. "I'd love to see you naked. If you don't like what you see on the ground, remember me, okay? You might just have something I want."

Judith blushed nearly purple. "Thank you, uh, sir..." She turned and dashed for the pad. Frieda giggled, then followed her. Maureen eyed the crewman and said, frigidly, "I heard what you said about 'heavies'." Then she flounced into the transport beam. Beth just looked at us both and skittered through.

"I'll explain it all to her on the ground," I told the crewman, chuckling, and stepped through, myself.

On the ground at the attendance office at Seifort Academy, things weren't quite pandemonium -- yet. With twenty minutes to go, early arrivals were clustering outside the doors while the staff hurried in to take their places. The Major cocked an eyebrow, "I was beginning to wonder."

"Family issues, Sir, lots of them," I replied shortly. "But I bring help..." Turning to Mark, I said, "Decurion Tillotson, this is Maureen Hopkins -- a sponsor who has volunteered for your Service. She, um, respectfully requests that her billet not involve supervising a brothel, if possible..."

"No promises," Mark grunted, then inspected Maureen from head to toe and apparently found her wanting. I hid a smile behind my hand as he rasped, "What's the problem? Weak stomach?" Then he waved it off, "Never mind -- pimping is men's work." He rubbed his face for a moment, then added, "Well, you won't have any authority, so we'll need to make it LOOK like you have it for you to be of any value to us. Transport back up to the Valhalla and have a crewman get you a headset comm link, then have an AI provide you with a set of greys. You'll need something for your collar, so have it issue you Decurion's pins." I hid another smile; undoubtedly, Maureen would BE a Decurion soon.

Maureen rocked and blinked for a moment and turned toward the transport pad, then turned back, "Do I salute or something?"

"Since you don't know how, we'll pretend you don't," Mark replied, waving negligently in her direction. Maureen turned and stepped off again and I remembered something.

"Maureen, wait!" I called. Shifting my attention to Mark, I murmured, "Different issue," then I moved to catch up to her. "About the remark that crewman made..."

"Yes?" Maureen cocked an eyebrow.

"You may know this, but it probably hasn't sunk in," I offered. "Confederacy medical science can literally make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. That said, it happens to concubines routinely. Most concubines are altered in some manner to make them more pleasing to the eye, if you get my meaning. Given the prejudices drummed into most males by television and other media sources, large seldom describes any part on a concubine's body other than her bust."

Maureen frowned. "So..."

"That crewman undoubtedly has a pair of supermodel knockoffs at home -- just about everyone does," I amplified. "The fact that he took a second look at Judith is an indication that there is a certain amount of backlash going on. If you think about it, in an environment where no woman is chunky, a heavy woman might tend to be..."

"Exotic?" Maureen offered, blinking.

"Exactly," I confirmed. "Discovering Beth caused me to surface a previously unrecognized hankering for an Earth Mother type -- and it's an even money bet that I'm not alone..."

Maureen cocked her head. "What are your plans for altering Beth?"

"I don't know," I related honestly. "I imagine I'll look at making her happier about her breasts by raising them a bit and maybe either filling them out some or shrinking them. We'll get the braces off, of course."

"What about her face? Her ass?"

"I'm going to want to be very careful to retain the essential Beth," I mused.

"And the lisp?" Maureen appeared to be dumbfounded.

"I'm not sure it's curable," I related. "Some things aren't. Besides, it's cute..."

Maureen shook her head. "You're a weird guy -- but I'm beginning to like you." She turned to the transporter, stepped forward, and disappeared.

I went back to Beth and Judith. "That one is mildly cute," Mark mused, eyeing Judith.

"Beth's other sister, Judith," I amplified. "She's here looking."

"For concubines?"

"A sponsor."

"Why didn't you take her, instead of her sister?" Mark asked.

I sighed. "One -- we didn't meet until last night. Two -- you know, I'm just not going there. Beth and I have chemistry, okay? Don't try to analyze it."

"Yeah, whatever." Mark looked around. "We'll be letting the herd in soon. We'll have our hands full with the specials."

'Specials' were a problem. We were going to get scans of every CAP card as the visitors passed through the security scans -- which meant that we were going to know what everyone's scores were -- and why. Even when you're taking 'everybody,' it's not REALLY 'everybody!' Some people just aren't going to make the cut, largely because they're sociopaths -- or just crooks. Why buy trouble?

On the other hand, there were those few who fit the grey areas. The school had a few students whose parents were perhaps not stellar citizens -- but then again, might not be absolute horrors, either. We were going to have to do a little weeding...

The school's doors opened at nine, and the early birds and those intent on being on time rushed in -- and the fight to KEEP them in without letting everyone know what was going on began... Dean Atkinson was scheduled to give a little speech directing parents to different locations at nine-thirty, but the students knew where they were supposed to be. The problem, alas, was parents -- those with no attention span, and those who naturally assumed that they were special -- you get the picture. Specials figured into this, too -- we had them scheduled for 'parent-teacher conferences.' The primary method of collection was to gather a group of parents and children in a room, ostensibly to meet the teachers and see that grade's 'special project' -- but the 'special project' was a team of three crewmen from the Valhalla giving a VERY special briefing... Grades were staggered, naturally, but it was an 'open house' -- anyone could arrive theoretically at any time. That kept the door crew busy... I helped with one of these just before ten -- a couple dragging their third grader out the door, the husband complaining, "Crayon drawings don't excite me a lot..."

Susan Bowman ran interference. "Mr. Fartblossom? (I forget the real name, so...)

Fartblossom Senior came to a halt. "Yes?"

"My, I'm SO glad I caught you!" Susan gushed. "We're ever so pleased with young Reginald's progress here at the academy! In fact, the Dean has asked me if you could spare him a moment of your time?"

"Uh, er, why certainly!" Fartblossom Senior puffed up remarkably. He was a toad, CAP in the mid fours -- but a doctor. Young Reggie was probably here more as a status symbol than because dear old Dad believed in the school's educational goals. It was evident that Fartblossom Senior had started late -- he was nearly forty. The little woman was a few years younger and a lot smarter, but a real mouse; he probably picked her up as he was finishing medical school and she was a senior in college and desperate. She would make someone a fine concubine -- and young Reggie actually had a shot at being a sponsor. She was actually taller in heels than Fartblossom Senior, and somewhat comely, despite being well-padded; Mark would have eyed her in disdain and claimed she was fat, but she had less extra poundage on her than Judith. Susan, chattering away, led Dr. Fartblossom toward the counselor's offices; Reggie followed, and the missus brought up the rear. I put a hand on her ass to chivvy her along and got a startled look -- but I left it there and she said absolutely nothing about it... Suddenly, I realized that I knew exactly how this was going to go...

We entered a counselor's office and Susan said, "If you'll excuse me..." and headed out, making the battle handoff to me. I got right to work; we had a lot of culling to do.

"So, what do you think of the school's curriculum and goals, if you don't mind my asking?" I began.

Doctor Fartblossom rounded on me, seeing me basically for the first time. I'd carefully distanced myself from the little woman in order to avoid any upsurge of protective instincts. She kicked off with "Well, I think..."

But the good doctor overrode her, naturally... "Quiet, Eleanor. I think they're hogwash, but Reginald is doing well and the school is well thought of. Why?"

"So if I were to offer you immediate emigration to a colony planet, your interest level would be...?" I asked.

"Space aliens exist only on television. Eleanor found the school and it has been effective in pointing Reginald in a positive direction, but even if this was not a joke..."

"It isn't," I broke in.

"... I have my medical practice -- and I can't just leave it. I have a reputation to uphold!" Fartblossom continued to rant.

'Not to mention the fact that it is lucrative,' I thought. "Yes, I can see how that might be important. I'm sure you're aware that although we might be able to offer you something in the medical field, Confederacy medicine operates at levels where your education and experience would make you a witch-doctor by comparison." Yeah, the insult was deliberate; he pissed me off. "Tell you what. This device has a short presentation on the benefits..." I shoved the hypnotizer into his hands. It went snick and he froze...

We'd actually prepared a number of sites where the student 'displays' contained devices designed to induce a preparatory state -- quick stuff, subconscious programming after the fashion that TV had been accused of for decades. Doctor Fartblossom went right under. I turned to Eleanor. "You are aware, of course, that the offer of emigration is extended to you and Reggie separately?"

"You're serious?"

"Deadly."

"What do I have to do?" She actually stepped forward and made to go to her knees.

I stopped her there. "You won't need to do that -- not yet, anyway. It will happen, but we're making the offer to all of the students and parents -- and we'll sort you out later. You WILL be a concubine -- and I'm sure you'll do a fine job. Reggie will continue to attend the school in its new location, and has an excellent chance of attaining sponsorship."

"And my husband?"

I eyed him. "He's made his choice -- and frankly, I think it is a good one for him. While we plan to work with individuals and offer some men who don't make the cut limited citizenship, he would be a small fish in his new pond. There is also the fact that we're going to go to some effort to see to it that you and Reggie are settled properly with a sponsor -- and your husband's chances of being settled with you aren't good. It's really a case of you being marketable, while your husband is not."

"What will happen to him?"

"Basically, we're going to kick him loose. He's hypnotized right now; we're going to condition him to leave the school by a certain exit and head off to wherever he was planning to go next -- and not to remember where he misplaced the pair of you until later this evening."

"So you won't kill him or anything..."

"No, Ma'am. You can watch if you like. Basically, he won't be any worse off than he was when he walked in the door -- with the exception of the fact that he will no longer have a wife and son in attendance."

Eleanor grimaced, eyeing her husband. "I don't know how terrible that would be for him, frankly."

"Such was my assessment after only momentary contact," I agreed. "We have several hundred of these little discussions to conduct today, so I'm afraid I need to chivvy you along. Are you going?"

"Mama..." Reggie popped his eyes and waved his hands; he knew which side his bread was buttered on.

Eleanor gathered herself. "Yes."

"Do you want to watch me release your husband?"

"I... No."

"Follow me, then -- all of you." The good doctor, still studying the hypnotizer, joined us at the tail of the procession. I led Eleanor and her son to an alcove off the attendance office entry. "Step onto that and walk off the pad on the other end. Follow the instructions of the people there, explicitly -- that's vital. Reggie has heard a good deal of what will be the rules -- I advise you to defer to him. I will tell you this -- you'll be nude -- probably for several days -- starting perhaps with right after you step off the pad. Don't give the man any trouble about it -- he's busy and he's likely to just use a device on you that will leave you in serious pain while you recover."

She flinched. "Oh..."

I stepped forward and touched her cheek. "This all may seem to be complex and scary, but in reality, there is one simple rule -- you do as you're told." I delivered a significant look at her, then flicked my eyes at her one-time husband, "You can do that -- you do it all the time, don't you?"

She hung her head. "Yes."

"Okay, then. No matter what you're told on the far side, they're not playing with you -- just do it." I gazed into her eyes. "You're a jewel beyond price for some lucky guy on the other side. Go!" She nodded dutifully and stepped onto the pad. I waved Reggie behind her. "Hit it, Stud. Take care of your mama. If you run into any shit, ask for LT. Harper."

"Yessir." Reggie flicked a glance at his father and stepped on the pad.

Two minutes later, Doctor Fartblossom was driving away from the school -- and I was headed for the second grade induction.