Chapter 3: A Family that Lays Together...

“So, what’s your story?” Jack asked the Marine next to him. “How long have you been in the confederacy?”

She chuckled, “Corporal Ann Harkins, and I was extracted two years ago. My family and I were at a pizzeria celebrating my fifteenth birthday, when they came for us. I was able to save my mother, father, three younger sisters, my best friend, both her parents, her younger brother and sister. Her brother volunteered last year and two of my younger sisters have since became my concubines.”

“Nice,” Jack replied. “So no issues with having your father or your friend’s father as your concubines?”

“There was at first.” She replied as they rounded a corner. “It was weird, having the man who raised me for fifteen years, suddenly answering to me and doing what I say. Over time, however, we got used to it and now it is quite enjoyable. I was hoping to have Beth’s, that’s my friend, Beth’s brother as one of my concubines, he is quite handsome. He turned 14 a few months ago and when he tested,, he had a pretty high CAP score, and was able to volunteer. I got a new concubine on a later pickup for it, I picked up one of my other friends.”

“Really?” Jack inquired as they came to a stop in front of what looked like a hatch of some kind.

“Yeah, in my colony, it was decided, to encourage volunteers to train the children in their care and their concubines, if a child tested on their fourteenth birthday and qualified to volunteer, then the sponsor would be rewarded with a concubine from a future pickup. Your current concubines may retest on their birthdays, and if they raise their CAP score high enough to become a volunteer, you get two new concubines as a reward.”

“That is good to know.” Jack replied.

“Well, sir, this is your room. Right now, the only person that can open the door is you. The AI will not acknowledge or respond to anyone else. Once you have designated a head of household, the AI will respond to them as well, though you will keep override privileges. If you want the AI to acknowledge your concubines or the children you will have to instruct it to do so and specify privileges for each.” Corporal Harkins stated before turning to his Grandmothers. “If you two will follow me, I’ll take you to your quarters.”

“Can’t we stay with Jack?” Kelly asked.

“Ma’am, protocol states that each sponsor will have their own quarters. If we tried to put you all of you in one set of quarter’s, things would get pretty crowded. Once you’re in your quarters you can ask the AI to configure it however you want, to include combining them into one large area.” Corporal Harkins responded. “Oh, I almost forget, Lt. please let the AI know as soon as you have your household settled, we need to do your medical exam.”

“No Problem. Thank you.” Jack replied, then approached the hatch.

The hatch slid open and Jack entered the room. As the group slowly walked in, section by section the rooms lit up, to reveal a large room that looked something like a living area with an attached kitchen and dining area. There was a cylindrical tube to the right rear of the room that resembled a lift mechanism, next to another hatch. Everything was still that offsetting gray color and the failed attempt to decorate it in a human manner made it seem even more unsettling and alien. Jack mother shivered as she walked into the room. “Everything is so gray. Don’t’ they have any other colors?”

Everyone entered the quarters and kind of milled around a bit, no one really sure of what to do. The room was slightly chilled, which caused the naked concubines’ nipples to become obviously erect. Jack looked at his concubines and began to asses who would be best to tryout to take charge for now. “Aunt Jessica, please take charge of everyone. Get them assigned to rooms, and get everyone fed. AI please treat my concubine Jessica as my head of household until further notice.”

“Acknowledged.”

Jessica looked around the room and nodded. “Jack, is it okay for us to wear something, it is very cold in here and getting very uncomfortable.”

“AI, is there any rule against me allowing my concubines to wear clothes?” Jack asked.

“Lt. Adams, whatever rules you make for your concubines within your household are up to you, however outside of your household, it is standard for concubines to be naked or wearing a simple shift, which can be found in their rooms.” The AI responded.

“Okay we will go with the shift for now. AI please raise the temperature to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.”

“Thank you,” Jessica responded to Jack. “AI where are the rooms for the concubines and children?”

“The Head concubine and her children have been assigned a room on the main floor, which can be found through the hatch next to the lift, next to Lt. Adams’ room. All other concubines and their children are assigned to rooms on the second floor. Once a room is chosen, bedding and other necessary furnishings will be provided to the room.”

“Very well, everyone go find a room and let me know which ones you choose. Then we’ll put on these shifts. After that, Erin, could you and Julia keep an eye on the children while the rest of us figure out how to get some food for everyone.”

Jack smiled as he watched his family coming together and working to help each other. His Aunt Jessica was doing a good job and everyone was responding well to her leadership. “Lt. Adams, would it be possible to talk with you in private?” The Ai inquired.

“Sure,” Jack responded. “Jessica, if anyone needs me I’ll be in my room.”

Jack headed into his room. Which contained a gray king sized bed, a gray desk and chair and a gray wardrobe. Once the door closed the AI began to speak. “Lieutenant, the results of the concubines, and children’s medical assessments has been completed.” It said as a screen lit up on the wall in front of the desk. “If you would look at the screen, you can see the recommended medical needs for each current member of your household. You’re authorization is required for these procedures. You can also, make requests for changes for any of your concubines.”

Jack looked at the screen, it took a few seconds before he figured out how to flip through the files, he looked at his ten-year-old sister Libby’s file and asked, “What is this entry, ‘sexual adult’?”

“Sir, all of the children in your household, have reached puberty, and all of them except Lilly Adams, Judy Franklin and, Grace and Daisy Carter, show signs of sexual activity. It is the determination of the medical AI that the sexually active children, qualify for sexual adulthood, and that it would be contrary to their mental or psychological health to deny them access to wanted sexual activity. Sexual activity with these children is permitted, as long as it is not coerced and is initiated by the child. The house AI will keep a close eye on any such activities and will warn you and your concubines if said activity crosses into coercive behavior. Do keep in mind that sexual activity will only be allowed within your household. Any such activity performed outside of your quarters will be treated in the same manner as any other underage sexual assault.” Jack frowned, “um, thank you for the information, I’ll keep it in mind. Is that all?”

“Negative sir, June Franklin is pregnant.”

“Wow, that was unexpected.” Jack responded. “Do you know the sex of the child, and how far along?”

“Female, and the child is in its seventh week.” The AI responded. “Thank you, I authorize all recommended medical treatments, as for cosmetic ones. Please perform all necessary treatments to make all concubines over the age of twenty-five, physically twenty-five years of age.”

“Acknowledged, scheduling medical treatments, to include genetic treatments to ensure no issues with June Franklin’s child.” The AI responded.

Jack headed out of his room, and back into the main living area. His two grandmothers were talking with his mother Linda. Jack walked up to the three and motioned for his Aunt Jane to join them. “Mom, I need to talk with Kelly, Hanna and Jane alone for a minute.”

She nodded and walked off to join his sisters in the dining area. Once his Aunt Jane joined them, he took a deep breath. “The medical reports have come in, there is some information I have to give to all the adults, but that can wait. Aunt Jane, June is pregnant with Uncle Jason’s daughter. According to the AI there won’t be any medical issues. However, since she is only twelve, if she wishes to terminate it, I’ll be happy to talk to her about it.”

Jane paled and looked towards her youngest daughter. “Pregnant?”

Jack nodded, “Yeah according to the AI all the girls except Lilly and Judy have been sexually active, based on family history I’m pretty sure they were, groomed and molested by the older men in the family.”

Both his grandmothers and his Aunt looked abashed and whitened a little. “We knew what was going on, but didn’t feel we had a way to stop it. The worst of it started last year after the last reunion.” Hanna replied. “That is how we knew you were one of the good ones, when you weren’t invited to join in with the rest of them.”

Jack hugged his grandmother. “I knew something was going on, just not how bad it was. The signs were all there, I just didn’t want to believe that my father, uncles and grandfathers had fallen that far.”

“What are we going to do?” Hanna asked.

Jack stepped back “That is something for all of us to discuss.” He replied. He motioned for the rest of his concubines to join him. “Okay the girls seem to be preoccupied, so there is something serious we need to discuss.” He said with a sigh before looking towards Erin and Julia. “What I’m about to say will probably be hard for you two, to understand and accept. But there is no easy way to put it.”

Erin nodded and took her oldest daughters’ hand.

“Well, how do I say this ... AI, please explain the rules of Confederacy age of majority, Sexual consent, to include exceptions to this policy.”

“Underage Sex,” the AI droned, “is a known issue within the early years of The Confederacy, as such they have placed limitations on sponsor-initiated sexual activity before puberty in order to avoid injuring the child or exposing the child to exploitation. However, normal sexual experimentation between children is authorized and every effort has been expended to make adequate information available to those able to absorb it. Sexual activity initiated by a child with a sponsor is to be discouraged and will be examined closely to ensure that exploitation has not occurred, but may be authorized under special circumstances. The legal age for humans in the Confederacy was carefully set to ensure that in excess of ninety-five percent of the population is actually capable of procreation. Upon becoming eligible for sponsorship or concubinage on their fourteenth birthday, limitations on sexual activity are removed in all but exceptional cases. Between the ages of thirteen and fourteen, limited sexual activity with an adult is authorized in the presence of a clear assent from the child. This is usually limited to oral sex, but may include other acts, including anal sex -- and a clear understanding of the act and permission for its conduct from the child must be demonstrated. Therefore, for Confederacy enforcement purposes, statutory rape is defined as any sex with a child under the age of thirteen, vaginal sex with a child under fourteen, or sex without clear permission by the child between the ages of thirteen and fourteen -- unless special circumstances exist.”