Chapter 83

Chief Slocum:

Thursday morning, I was kind of shaky; I'd done as the Lieutenant suggested and filed transfer paperwork, but it wasn't going anywhere until we popped out of hyperspace. That was due around one o'clock, and radio transmission times were such that we wouldn't be THAT far behind its arrival. Given the way bureaucracy tends to operate, I expected to be halfway across the galaxy before anyone acted on the paperwork, effectively either ending my relationship with Judith or fixing it so that my efforts to keep her in the vicinity of her family were a waste of effort. The Lieutenant had a lot more confidence in these things than I did -- and I marked that down to the fact that I had a lot more experience.

The AI announced our dropping out of hyperspace around one; I sat at my desk wondering when Judith was going to transport to the surface without me if I didn't move my ass. Transport wouldn't begin until the morning, and might take all day tomorrow; we would be reorienting to hit various pads in several population centers, dispersing the passengers across the colony -- but I would be busy doing just that when it came time for Judith to leave. I was going to have to make the leap, blind; fortunately, neither Doctor Hopkins or Sub-Decurion Hopkins seemed unduly concerned over the possibility that they might never see their daughter again.

Five minutes later, my team lead, Danny Hopkins (no relation) stuck his head in my door. "Chief! I just got promoted!"

"Yeah?" That was a surprise. "Congratulations!" You didn't get money or anything, really, for being a certain rank -- you got just about everything you COULD get for free and the next guy had the same things available to him; it was all about responsibility and leadership. That probably sounds weird, but it works for the truly committed -- and only the truly committed achieved rank... "Where are you going?" Then my communications screen pinged...

Department of the Navy

Headquarters, Nuevo Angelino Military District

Fleet Auxiliary Personnel and Assignments

Nuevo Angelino

Orders XXX.xx

Para 136. Subject: Slocum, Howard, E-7 CID 031-36-4418 MOS 31H40R7

You are directed to proceed immediately on permanent change of station. Report to Confederacy Naval Shipyard, Nuevo Angelino, NLT (tomorrow) for assignment to the Personnel and Cargo Transport Section, Platform 5... (blah, blah, blah... ) 14 days leave en route is hereby authorized...

"Yeah, that's the other part," Danny muttered, reading over my shoulder. "I'm coming here."

"Huh! No shit, Sherlock!" I chuckled.

"You look surprised..."

"I didn't expect the wheels of bureaucracy to turn so quickly," I replied. "I figured thay would say yes in about six months when it was a waste of time."

The LT (Lieutenant Harper) stuck his head in the door. "We dropped out of hyperspace and launched a drone yesterday, Chief, to give everyone a heads-up on what we got and when we were coming. The return drone was there when we popped out -- and AIs are pretty quick at sorting mail."

"Still..."

"Major Howard signed the approval," the LT added, winking.

"Ah."

"Get out of my chair, Chief!" Danny prodded. "Go pack your shit! I relieve you!"

I stood and looked around; things were kind of surreal. "I stand relieved. Congratulations, Danny. Good luck; you're gonna need it on THIS tub!" Danny laughed and shook my hand and I wandered out behind the LT, headed for Doctor Hopkins' quarters.

He was there. Britney answered the door, and the Doctor took one look at us and cocked an eyebrow, smiling sardonically. "Is there an announcement in the offing?"

"Yessir," I agreed, nodding. "Two, actually."

"Be careful what order you put them in," Oliver Hopkins advised me. "Can I gather the clan?"

I nodded. "Please."

Oliver pinned his concubines with a look, "You can wait to tell Judith she has a visitor until Vera and Maureen are here." Beth and the rest of the LT's little family came wandering through the door behind us and arrayed themselves here and there; the Hopkins weren't all that big on making concubines kneel and such at home, and I guess the LT wasn't, either.

Maureen showed up in under five minutes, but Vera took ten. "Sorry, domestic disturbance. Is this what I think it is?"

"If you think it's about Judith, it is," I agreed.

Oliver counted noses and turned to Rhonda. "Get her. Not a word." Rhonda nodded and padded out.

Moments later, they were back; Judith looked surprised at the gathering. She'd also been crying..."Howard?"

I smiled. "I'm slow, but I get there. I'm here to make an honest woman out of you -- after a fashion."

"You ARE?" Judith's tremulous smile lit the room and I kicked myself for making her suffer all this time.

"I am." I strode forward and took her hand. "Judith Collins, I offer you my sponsorship."

Judith looked around at her family. I'd just put the onus on her. I could have told her that she wasn't choosing between me and them, but for some reason I didn't. She took a breath. "I accept."

"Duly recorded." The AI popped in from nowhere, as usual. Judith stumbled to me and we cuddled and kissed and fooled around and you'd have thought it was a wedding instead of her selling herself into slavery. Well, it was, more or less...

When we broke and people started coming forward to congratulate us, I held them off, telling Judith, "Now, before you get tangled up in goodbyes, I have a second announcement. I've been reassigned to the shipyard -- so we aren't going anywhere! We'll be on Nuevo Angelino!"

"You did? You are? OMIGAWD!" Judith was all over me, crying her eyes out; fortunately, they were happy tears.

"The LT and Major Howard pulled some strings," I murmured into her hair as I cuddled her. "We owe them."

People started coming forward then and congratulating us; we were back in wedding mode. I'd had three or four concubines and I'd never seen the like of this; Oliver summed it up with, "Welcome to the family, Howard."

Well, that was the plan, wasn't it?

The rest of the afternoon was kind of scrambled; we had to get through the congratulations and stuff, then the two Civil Service women had things to do -- and I needed to go to my quarters and pack my shit. Judith followed me like a puppy dog -- and entered my quarters for the first time as someone with a right to be there. I thought I was going to have to carry her over the threshold or something, but that didn't make sense -- this was no longer my home...

That didn't keep us from tearing up the bed, though; I spent half the afternoon enjoying the jello jiggle of Judith's bubble butt as I put the meat to her, it seemed like; I was already ruined by suppertime and she followed me to mess bowlegged. I mean, we'd been sleeping together and fucking for a while, but we tried to set a new record that afternoon -- and succeeded.

Vera thought it was hilarious! Cocking an eyebrow, she smirked, "So, Chief, how goes the honeymoon?" We got a lot of good-natured ribbing from the extended family -- but I finally felt comfortable sitting at that table, instead of like a thief in the night. It was a good feeling.

After dinner, I got the urge again; now that it was legal and I wasn't stealing it, I couldn't get enough. Judith's response was, "My pussy is kind of sore ... how about a blowjob?" But I had something else in mind...

"There's another place..."

Judith got this odd look that combined 'Uh oh' with 'Oh boy!' She moaned and groaned, but she let me lead her to the bathroom and she suffered through an enema -- and she knelt up, willingly, for me to slowly press my lubed cock up her ass. Then her little secret was out; she went totally bonkers under me! Hell, she LOVED getting her ass poked! She wailed like a crazed thing when I pumped my juice into her; we're gonna do THAT a LOT! Once was enough, though, for both of us; when it was over we cuddled up and went to sleep.

Jack:

Chief and Judith tied the knot just after we popped out of hyperspace. Chief got his orders and that opened the door. The whole family gathered for the event; you'd have thought it was a wedding or something! Hilarious...

By then, the countdown clock was ticking loudly; those of us in the original party all had things to do in preparation for disembarkation -- and Vera and Maureen did, too. Frankly, just about everyone had SOMETHING, but some of us had more responsibilities than others. Based upon general guidance, we let the AIs organize the disembarkation, scheduling groups based upon our projected orbital position and passenger volumes. We were dispersing sponsors and families over a number of sites in order to make absorption of the additional resources easier to deal with. Once they were in the system, they could transport anywhere necessary, but we couldn't afford to flood terminals or strain local resources unduly at any one site. We got back together for dinner and then scattered again.

Once in orbit, it was time for me to check on Dottie and Tina. Tina answered the comm with "Jack! I missed you! Dottie's being a bitch..." I got this litany of real and imagined offenses and realized that Dottie was at work and unable to defend herself.

I broke in with, "Well, relax -- help is on the way. I've got four new concubines and three kids..."

"More kids?" Tina wailed, crestfallen.

"Two of the concubines are talented mothers," I explained.

"Talented how? Making more?" Tina whined, rubbing her swollen belly; she was six months along.

"No, taking care of them."

"Thank God!" Then she grimaced. "Four more, though? Isn't that a lot?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. If they help, do you care?"

Tina thought about it. "Maybe not." Frankly, I wouldn't have been surprised to discover that she'd enjoyed my absence. Tina had a lot to do just thinking about herself, let alone responsibilities to others; she didn't handle such things well. Have you ever dealt with someone you thought was selfish, then realized that he or she was just limited?

"Let's put it this way," I told her, "Jack Junior will be your problem a LOT less often." Her face cleared and I withheld the follow-on thought, which was, 'and someone will be there to make sure you don't screw up raising YOUR child... '

"Well, okay. THAT sounds GREAT, actually. But you'll, uh, be around a lot less often, huh?" Tina was cyclical about sex; when she was in season, she wanted it -- and when she wasn't she whined a lot. I figured she was itchy...

"There will be a rotation," I told her. "Dottie and one of the other girls will arrange it, I imagine. I'm sure I'll be available when you feel like it -- and there will be more available to take the load when you don't." I knew this was more difficult than it sounded, but I also knew it would shake out.

"Well, okay. When do you get in?"

"Tomorrow."

"I'll call Dottie."

"Don't bother, Hon -- I'll call her at work." I closed the call and called Dottie.

"Dottie Har-- Jack! Thank GOD! Tina has been driving me NUTS!"

"And vice-versa, I hear," I laughed. "Well, help is on the way. I'm bringing four more concubines."

"FOUR?" Dottie gasped.

I nodded. "Two have natural motherhood instincts and one has kids and is therefore experienced." After a second, I added, "And the fourth is a natural organizer. I'm aware that you would rather be out working..."

Dottie pursed her lips. "Am I gone?"

"No, I just lightened your load considerably," I replied. "Frieda can keep an eye on Tina and there will be plenty of help with the kids."

"Oh," Dottie nodded, thinking furiously. "That SOUNDS better, anyway."

"Things have been smooth thus far," I replied. "I imagine that once you and the new girls sit down together, a working dynamic will present itself."

"I see..." Dottie mused.

"Given the headcount and the fact that I'm not Superman, even augmented, I picked up a male, too."

Dottie flinched. "You're kidding!"

"His mission statement says he covers anything I can't, but not me," I clarified. "We're strictly heterosexual."

"What's he look like?"

I had the AI project Mack. "He's not a bodybuilder or anything -- or even Superstud. And he has a young son. I basically took him on because he's a nice guy. No one has complained."

"No, I imagine not..." The look on Dottie's face was interesting; Mack might be seeing a lot of Dottie, based on that look. "You have good taste, Jack."

"I get by," I replied smugly.

"What do the girls look like?" Dottie asked. I had the AI project them. Dottie blinked. "You're kidding, right? Have you altered them?"

"This is how they are," I told her.

"But why?" Dottie asked, bewildered.

"Supermodels are a dime a dozen," I replied. "The white chunky one is Beth; we just hit it off -- I can't explain it. She's the Earth Mother type, though. The small boyish one is Frieda -- she's Beth's best friend. She has some issues, but she is very good at organization and is absolutely wicked -- from a sense of humor viewpoint, that is."

"Black chicks?" Dottie said faintly.

"The older one is Tara -- she's the one with kids. Wait'll you meet Abe ... She has some personality quirks that make her easy to deal with. The young, heavy one is Keisha; she was Tara's babysitter. Once again, motherhood scores like you wouldn't believe."

"But she's an elephant! Or a buffalo..."

I shrugged. "It doesn't hurt anything -- and having a big, comfortable mama to go to doesn't hurt the kids, either. I'm sure she'd like for me to shrink her some, and maybe I will -- but she's never going to be tiny -- it doesn't go with her personality or her job."

Dottie eyed me. "Maybe I should put on a few pounds?"

"It wouldn't hurt you," I replied, poker-faced. "Like I said, supermodels are a dime a dozen around here -- and a lot of them are more or less like Tina. Believe it or not, if you drifted back toward where you were when I took you on, you might attract more attention. I was surprised at my own reaction, frankly."

"We can talk about it," Dottie muttered, adding, "Jack? I missed you..."

I'm not stupid -- I knew what THAT meant. "I'll be sure to save you a little. The other girls had plenty en route -- although I have to tell you, Beth is, well, a clinging vine."