Chapter 4: Hái anh ?à– Cherry Picking

On the morning three days after her arrival, two soldiers in formal uniforms escorted Trắc to a large office where Minister Nguyễn and President Pham waited. The two leaders rose and motioned to the soldiers to leave.

“Em Trang.” Huệ began, “please be seated. We have a request to discuss, and please do not consider it a command. In this matter, we could not command, even if we wished!”

Puzzled, Trắc sat straight-backed on the edge of a red brocaded chair and answered, “Ông Pham and Ông Nguyễn, I am yours to command. Please tell this con gái (daughter) how she can be of service.”

“This afternoon,” Minh took up the explanation, “you will be tested by the alien Confederacy. Depending on the results of your test, you might be offered extraction to a colony – and the offer would include your children. If you accept that offer, your obligations to your country and to us – your leaders will end.”

He paused.

“At that point, you will walk on one of two paths,” Huệ told her. “The higher path offered would be as a full citizen of the Confederacy. The lower would be as a citizen’s concubine. Our expectation is that you will soar to the higher status, and this drives our request.”

“Our wives will also be tested,” Huệ continued. “We want them and our children safely away from this infestation of demons, and honestly, from the possibility that the Chinese Tàu Khựa could overrun us. We have spoken with the Confederacy representatives, and they have agreed that a suitable candidate could be permitted to become the sponsor for any of our wives who wish to go, but score too low to become sponsors themselves. Whether as sponsor or as a partner concubine, we request that you become the protector of those wives and our children.”

Trắc followed her cadre through the portal to the moon base and looked around. Standing with two extraordinarily beautiful women was an oversized raccoon wearing a cloisonné pendant picturing the Earth! She couldn’t help but notice that the jewelry pictured the ‘western’ portion of the world and not her own.

Having been refused porting to Earth for the start of the extractions due to the risk, T’Bwinkel was not about to miss the arrival of the newly extracted. She stepped forward and greeted the astonished arrivals one by one as they exited the portal. Standing before Trắc, she used her rehearsed greeting and told her, “Trang Trưng Trắc, welcome to your journey, and thank you for agreeing to protect members of the Confederacy who are unable to protect themselves.”

The human beauties joined the raccoon, and one spoke in flawless Vietnamese, “My name is Helva. I’m the AI of Harrad Colony’s ship also named Helva, and this lovely lady is Vivie Arthur, my captain. I’m sure this is all confusing. We will explain it all in more detail later, but for now, you were greeted by T’Bwinkel of the Tu’ull clan N’Trast. She’s here to see the humans’ home system for herself.”

Vivie paused to give the new arrival a moment to adjust, then told her, “You’ve brought quite a group aboard with you, so I’ve assigned several of my Marines to guide them through in-processing and medical where they will be tested and then conducted on to your temporary quarters. You, my dear, are skipping the line and going straight to medical for testing and implanting the communications implant that will aid you in your next steps.”

Trắc looked a question at her, and Vivie elaborated, “So far, your contract with the Confederacy was negotiated by your former leaders for what they wanted. You agreed to it, and the obligations stand. BUT you are now free from any Earthly obligations, and no matter your score, your new colony will allow you to choose at least two additional companions for yourself. We have three extractions planned in the next twelve hours, and if your current chattels do not meet your needs, we want to give you the maximum opportunity to find compatible concubines.”

As promised to Vietnam’s leaders, med-tubes were delivered to several Vietnamese hospitals, including fifteen to one of the country’s largest, Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. After the arrival of the Sa’arm, Bach Mai was mostly used for veterans and civilians suffering from missing limbs and other traumatic injuries.

Once delivered, Confederacy technicians began training hospital staff to operate the donated tubes. Helva partnered with the tubes’ resident AI and conducted a CAP test on each individual being treated. Helva timed the exits from the healing tubes so that the recently healed with sponsor-level scores could be gathered in the hospital’s largest conference room.

Two days after Trắc’s extraction and confirmation as a sponsor, Vivie asked to meet with her and the adults of her ‘family.’ Of the six former wives, seven former servants, and four over-fourteen offspring, two adults had test scores making them eligible to volunteer. Volunteers could choose concubines from those present, ‘shop’ in the moon base’s pool of unsponsored candidates, or participate in a limited number of extractions back on Earth. None of the three male servants scored high enough to volunteer and were offered the opportunity to become concubines or return to Hanoi.

Vivie took the three sponsors into the suite’s office and explained, “Trắc, you came aboard under a special agreement to offer protection to those women. That does NOT mean that you are their servant or subject to their whims.” She looked to gather in Pham Da`o Xuân, Huệ’s former wife, and their daughter, Phuong Vinh, and continued, “The three of you are owners. The rest are property! The three of you can organize however you like, one family, two families, or three families. You can share your property, or not. But you are the top and they are the bottom.”

She waited to give the three women time to absorb her lecture, and then told them, “That doesn’t mean you should abuse them or extract revenge for past hurts. Providing a stable environment to keep your concubines happy will help keep you happy ... but if you want your pussy licked, they must lick your pussy! At this point, that only applies to Trắc, but if you other two combine households with hers and assume the responsibilities she has, it would apply to you. The three of you need to talk and decide what you want. Tomorrow we’ll have an extraction and find you some studs, and then, I’ll hold an orientation and explain the new facts of life to your companions.”

Once Vivie explained their options, Helva remained to monitor and assist while Vivie departed so the ‘family’ could make their decisions and selections. Later, she returned to find that Xuân and her daughter, Vinh, each wanted to look for a man at an extraction. Xuân would keep her own maid-servant, but neither she nor Vinh were interested in accepting concubines from among the former wives or other servants now in Trắc’s ‘family.’

Trắc unhappily confided to Vivie that she was stuck with the wives and probably needed to keep the remaining male servants as studs to occupy the spoiled women. Her consolation was her new ‘sister’, Ngọc Trai, whose CAP score was close, but not good enough to volunteer.

Sergeant Đặng Dũng Trung came to a sudden wakefulness as the lid rose from the container he’d feared was his coffin. A man and a woman reached in to help him rise, but he lay in wonder. The pain from his missing leg and paralyzed arm were gone. He looked and could actually see his left arm move as he wished, so he used it to lever himself up to look for his stump. Instead, he saw what appeared to be a new leg.

The woman spoke, “I’m told that it will take several days for the nanites to finish your leg. They have the template, so strength and feeling will return. We needed the tube to heal others, so your repairs will proceed slower than if we’d let you stay, but you will be whole. Until then, you will need a wheelchair, so let us help you.”

As he climbed out, a melodious voice told him, “Sergeant Đặng Dũng Trung, there is another reason for bringing you out early. In recognition of your service and bravery, your country is allowing you a choice.” The phrase ‘your country’ made him aware that, though speaking his language perfectly, the voice did not belong to a countryman.

The voice continued, “You and four other heroes who are being healed may choose to continue serving your country or to be extracted to the stars to defend all humanity. With either choice, your healing will continue. Shortly, you will meet with me, and I’ll explain and give you details.”

The uniform provided Trung had a single decoration, a medal denoting the Order of Ho Chi Minh – awarded after his action against the Sa’arm in which he lost his leg. After he donned his uniform, a pretty aide pushed his wheelchair down a hall. They entered a large conference room where he saw two members of his former squad. Private Ngô Chi Hùng and Corporal Hồ Long Quân were seated with two others who were introduced as Private Nguyễn Vân Trọng and Private Trần Vân Thịnh. All wore different combat awards. He nodded to the group as he was pushed to the table near the head, and the aide left the room.

“Sergeant Đặng,” Corporal Hồ asked, “Do you know what is happening, here?”

“No more than you,” Trung replied. “It’s all a mystery.”

As Trung spoke, a beautiful woman entered, clad in a traditional áo dài. Her blood-red tunic was embroidered with a lone silver lotus blossom, and a long slit to just above the hip, intentionally revealing just a tiny patch of skin and her silver silk pants.

Accompanied by a strangely uniformed Caucasian woman, she seated herself at the table’s head, looked at the five seated with her, and stated, “Captain Vivie is here to honor a bargain with your leaders. You five have an opportunity, but it comes with obligations. Obligations that I’ve already accepted. Two of you I’ve met before, the other three are new to me.”

She paused and looked at Trung. “My name is Trang Trưng Trắc. Sergeant Đặng, the Confederacy AI has confirmed that you are the father of my first son. His name is Chinh Ca. Corporal Hồ, you have not fathered a child on me, but spent several nights trying. Both of you were gentle, and for that, I am grateful.”

“So! On to matters at hand,” she continued, “While you were being healed, you five were tested and deemed eligible to volunteer to join the Confederacy. I know this fact means little to you now, so I will tell you as it was explained to me. If you volunteer, you renounce all your allegiances on Earth and transfer your loyalty to the Confederacy. You may volunteer for any of the Confederacy’s services, and if accepted to that service, you will either fight the alien invaders or support that fight. BUT, you will fight away from Earth. You may decline the Confederacy’s offer and stay here to fight or accept the offer and go. The choice is yours.”

The 3-D image of another beautiful woman shimmered, solidified, and began speaking in perfect Vietnamese, “My name is Helva, and I am an AI. Trang Trưng Trắc has spoken truly. From the Confederacy’s standpoint, you may volunteer or not, and your leaders agreed that you may stay or be extracted. That choice is yours. If you choose extraction, you will be allowed to take two companions each and any children you or they may have. The Confederacy calls these companions ‘concubines’, but some would call them your slaves. You will be responsible for them and their actions.”

Helva’s image turned to Trắc who again spoke, “I have additional obligations, and I need help. I agreed to sponsor the six wives of our leaders, their children, and their servants... if they wished to come with me. Three of us qualified as sponsors, but there remain five former wives, three over-fourteen girls, two male and four female servants under my care, my obligation.”

She continued, “The Confederacy has agreed that if you sponsor any one of the remaining adults from my pool, that person will not count against your allotment of concubines. You would be allowed a total of three. In a few minutes, you will be allowed to interview these candidates and decide. They will be allowed to accept or decline an offer. If anyone accepts, you may not trade her away against her will.”

Helva spoke again, “These interviews may include an offer or request for sex. We call this process ‘test drives.’ That offer or request may be accepted or declined by either party, but understand ‘no’ means ‘no.’ Also, having sex during an interview incurs no obligation to offer sponsorship. And, if you wish, I can privately advise you which of these women would be a good fit for you. In a few moments, we will teleport to the moon where you will meet the candidates, but first, I will need your commitment to service with the Confederacy.”

There was silence as the men absorbed their new circumstances. Trắc leaned over and whispered to Trung, “I need no test drive to know I wish to partner with you.” She handed him her CAP card already seated in a reader. “Helva can help you understand what my scores mean.”

She offered, “Partner with me, and we will share households and concubines. Of course, you would also share my obligations towards our former leaders’ families ... plus you can choose additional concubines of your own.”

“Sergeant Đặng, Trắc’s a good person and is offering a very good deal,” Helva’s whisper was in his other ear and only audible to him. “You’ll do fine with any or all of your leaders’ women, excepting Pham Liên Mỹ. She’s too political and accustomed to being top dog in the harem. Những con sâu làm rầu nồi canh. We won’t let her be the worm that spoils your soup. I’ll find her another sponsor and help you find your additional concubines. But go have some test drives and see for yourself.”

Trung turned to Trắc and returned her CAP card and reader. “This Helva spirit advised me that you and I would be a good match. I’ve run a squad of raw recruits in battle, so I’m sure we can make this obligation of yours work,” he told her. “This isn’t a condition, but would you consider adding Corporal Hồ to our partnership. He has become đồng chí, my battle comrade. In addition to his loyalty, we will surely need his đũa phép (magic wand) to help keep all the women satisfied.”

Trắc leaned across Trung and asked Corporal Hồ, “This is agreeable to you? If it is, let’s go test drive the leaders’ hậu cung (harem) to your satisfaction.”