Chapter 8

“How do you mean, Major?”

John responded, “Kathleen, in this discussion, please call me John, as this is happening through friendship and not as a Security Service matter.

To answer your question, I first have to tell you – in case you were unaware of it – that The Personalia are experts with nano-machines, commonly referred to as nanos. Have you heard of that?”

“No, John. I hadn’t come across that fact. What have nanos to do with me?”

“As The Personalia explained it to me, they have the ability to reconstruct bone, if they have a pattern to work to. The other half of your pelvis is intact, so like most of the body the damaged half should be the mirror image of the good half.

They propose to inject nanos into your body to make changes to the bone fragments and reconstruct that half of your pelvis, without surgery.”

“They could do that? It sounds like science fiction! How the hell could that happen? - sorry, excuse my language, sir.”

“Granted, Kathleen. As near as I understand it, the pattern is established by The Personalia, and each nano is directed to a specific task, in relation to a starting point that they all link to. That is why the first task is to inject a small bead to a particular point in your body. That sends out a tiny signal that each nanos recognises, so when they are injected, they head for their designated position, ready to do their task at the right time to achieve the ends specified.

It sounds terribly complicated, but The Personalia assured me that their work on you is a lot simpler and safer that surgery on Earth. The only drawback is that you have to be kept perfectly still during the process, to allow all the actions to knit together without disturbance.”

“How long is that, sir ... I mean, John?”

“I don’t think anyone knows, Kathleen. For that reason, the doctor in charge of your treatment will give you a sedative to knock you out for the duration, and additionally you will be strapped into the bed to prevent you moving without realising it.”

Kathleen started to appear disturbed, and looked at Elizabeth with an unspoken question. Elizabeth understood what was going through Kathleen’s mind, and reassured her.

“Kathleen, there will be a female nurse in attendance to keep an eye on you. From what I was told, you will be wearing an adult nappy while you are strapped in, so any wastes will be dealt with, but you will be asked to go to the toilet and empty your system beforehand. They will probably give you a pill or something to make sure of it. Does that cover your apprehension?”

Kathleen indeed looked a lot happier as she nodded. “Thank you, Elizabeth. Can you deal with another worry I have?” She indicated with her head that she didn’t want John to hear.

Elizabeth immediately told John, “Darling, take a walk for five minutes, please.” He raised his eyebrows, but did as asked. As soon as he had left the room, Elizabeth offered, “Right, Kathleen. What is it, dear?”

Kathleen stared at her, embarrassed. “Birth, Elizabeth. I may never get the chance, but after this ... operation ... will I be able to give birth normally, and have a healthy child?”

Elizabeth thought for a moment, then keyed her phone for The Personalia. Getting through, she explained the topic and asked, “After the operation with the nanos, will Kathleen be in a position to bring a baby to term and have a normal birth?”

“One moment, please.” There was a short pause, then, “Based on all the facts as we know them, it is our opinion that Kathleen Malone will be in normal human health and be able to give birth as any human female would, either through the usual channels, or by a Caesarean operation. Her pelvis should withstand all normal stresses encountered by birth.”

Elizabeth responded, “Thank you for your assistance. Farewell.”

Closing her phone, she told Kathleen, “Looks like you will be okay, Kathleen. All you need is a man to do the needful first. Why all the concern?”

Kathleen’s tears started to roll down her cheeks. “I always wanted to have children, Elizabeth. With the accident, I thought it could never happen, as getting pregnant could be fatal, the way my body is now. I have been avoiding getting close to a man for the last four years because of that concern; apart from the pain that I might have in just attempting intercourse. This is a great relief.”

Elizabeth moved forward and put her arms round Kathleen to hug her. Kathleen allowed her tears of relief to flow, and sobbed into Elizabeth’s shoulder. At this point John stuck his head round the door, asking, “Okay to come back?”

Spotting the scene in front of him, he looked over to Catherine, who was observing the scene. “Should I go away again, love?”

Catherine shook her head. “No, I think the worst is over, darling. Kathleen is just letting off steam now.”

“All right. I won’t ask what it was about. Obviously none of my business. Is Kathleen going to cope on her own tonight, or should we do something for her?”

Catherine shrugged. “I don’t know. We can ask when she recovers. Is that room next to ours available if she should need company?”

“I’ll go and check. Just wait here. I’ll be back soon.”

Ten minutes or so later, he was back. He joined the ladies, and raised a thumb to give his good news: the room was available if wanted.

“How are we doing, girls?” he asked.

Elizabeth used her hand in a waving ripple manner. “So-so. Kathleen is gradually getting over the shock of what she has just heard, but I don’t think she should be left alone.”

“Problem solved, then. The room next to ours is free, so she can sleep there tonight, once she is calmed down enough.” He turned to Kathleen.

“Kathleen you can come to our quarters for this evening, and we have a room available for you to sleep tonight. That way, if you get worried, we will be handy.”

“We?”

“Elizabeth and Catherine are my fiancées. We are getting married in a few days, so we share a room while we get our new home built.”

“Oh, I see. That’s nice. I am glad someone’s life is working out for them.”

Catherine came across to pat Kathleen on the arm. “Kathleen, dear. Your life will soon get much better. Catherine and I both found that, once we encountered John!”

Kathleen blinked, furrowed her brows, and asked, “What is so special about John?”

“Special? I don’t know; his impact on me, for one. When I first knew him, he was a butler. Can you imagine; a former special forces soldier as a butler?”

Kathleen laughed in surprise. “What brings a butler to this Colony?”

Elizabeth gleefully told her: “Me, and Catherine! We both fell for him, and when we told him we had agreed to share him, for life, the impact that had on him was immense. He has been looking for a way to marry us both, and this Colony was his solution. He truly loves us, and would do anything for us. And we, him, I suppose.”

“So what made him such a worthwhile capture?” demanded Kathleen. “What is it about him, as a person, that makes him special?”

“I think it was the way he responded to a major shock to his life. He was seriously injured in a military mission, and still has a metal plate in his leg. His girlfriend at the time turned out to have been two-timing him, so that was another shock. Add to that, being medically discharged from the army as he was no longer fit enough for his old job.

He was months in recovery, and had to relearn how to walk after his leg injury. He had no job and he thought, no prospects of one. Then out of the blue he was offered training as a butler, of all things!

He thought it was a bit of a sick joke, but the firm turned out to be an undercover operation aimed at recovering assets from criminals where ordinary legal methods failed to do the job. He was sent to work for an ex-criminal, but as is usual, the left hand and right hand did not know about each other. I was working there as an undercover policewoman on a similar task, so we fenced around for ages until John sussed out what I was. He made sure I got out without any trouble, and then he discovered that Catherine – daughter of the criminal – had taken a fancy to him.

What with one thing and another, the ex-criminal decided that John, as an upright honest man, was suitable husband material for his daughter, who had no interest in criminal activities.

Meanwhile, John’s company had recruited me to help them, so I was used as a contact person with John, and discovered Catherine’s interest in him. We discussed our joint interest, and decided that rather than one of us ending up hurt, we could share him without being married.

That was what we told John, but John being John, he had to find a way to marry us both. We found our way here, and we will be married shortly.”

“You and Catherine are happy to both become his wives?”

“Very much so. Catherine is a lovely girl, despite her family background. She ended up with a dowry of sorts from her parents, such that we can buy a house here. She is willing to invest in that for us, as a family group. Now that is what I call commitment.”

Kathleen was impressed. “I have only viewed him as a Major in the Security Department, in the short time I have known him. Now I am seeing him as a person, as a nice guy. That is the kind of man I want as the father of my children.”

“Well, he is going to be a father in nine months, as I am already pregnant, and so is Catherine.” She grinned confidentially as she revealed that fact. “We just found out, today. We brought test kits with us from England. I expect we should get a doctor to confirm the test.”

Kathleen grinned in return. “Congratulations, Elizabeth!”

“Thanks. John doesn’t know for certain yet. We have been teasing him!”

Kathleen wanted to ask Elizabeth something personal, and was apprehensive. Elizabeth pursed her lips then demanded, “Come out with it, Kathleen. I can see you want to ask me something.”

“Sergeant, what do you believe the Major thinks of me? Am I just a member of staff that needs help, or does how view me as something more?”

“That’s a peculiar question, Kathleen. What do you mean by you being seen as something more?”

Kathleen shifted her stance to be more comfortable, then said quietly, “Do you think he might consider adding me to his family, if I am fit and well again?”

Elizabeth was stopped in her mental tracks with this unexpected declaration. She thought carefully, then said slowly and carefully, “It is not up to John, Kathleen. Even if he takes a fancy to you, it is me and Catherine that you need to cultivate.”

Kathleen was not to be deterred.

“But I have to know if I would be a woman that he would be happy with, before I speak with you ladies. I can tell from the way you look at him and interact with him, that he is a good man, considerate and loving. Do you think I would get the same response, Sergeant?”

“Kathleen, drop the titles for now, as this is personal, not business. I honestly have not thought about adding another woman to our household. We haven’t even got married yet!”

“Yes, I understand that. I understand also that you are so sure of him that you have both gotten pregnant by him, in advance of the wedding.”

Elizabeth regarded Kathleen seriously. “My dear, Catherine would happily have his baby even without getting married. I am inclined the same way. Back on Earth, that was how it would have been, but John wanted to marry us both, so that is what brought us here.