Chapter 8: Inkie’s Growing Family

Inkie no longer had concubines. Her originals had either matured into volunteers or left with those who had. Most of the time, they all traveled with her. They were members of her band, after all. When her itch needed scratching, and self-stimulation with Helva just wouldn’t do, she could reach out. They weren’t friends with benefits; she was the friend with benefits. Her family was Helva and her growing children, Dinky and Armand.

Vivie had a plethora of extended family, and she was fond of them all. Her healthy libido never went unsated. Petra and Lucas were her first lovers, and with her concubine Jennifer, the three were her usual bedtime companions. Gunny and Melody frequently joined them, and with those five, Vivie felt loved and complete.

As had happened with Jennifer’s mother and others, her newest concubine, June, soon gravitated to a male sponsor who could better satisfy her needs, and vice versa. A truly nice benefit of being a member of Helva’s complement; no one cared a whit about numbers of authorized concubines. Mission, teamwork, and synergy were more important.

During one of Vivie’s orientation sessions, Helva told her, <In more than one way, my capacity and our missions shape our family. I’m Inkie’s home, and I’m not especially large. Like most K’treel explorers, I have nine pods that I keep fully expanded and arranged in three rows along my axis. I optimize for each mission, but fostering, producing, and raising new sponsor-level children are high priorities – as is play... >

During her first tour, Vivie walked through Inkie’s pod. It was configured with her bedroom, a large communal room, bedrooms and a playroom for Dinky and Armand, an office, and a large music room. <If Inkie wants her pod to accommodate guests, > Helva explained, < I can reconfigure, but it could become cramped.>

They moved on to the pod adjacent to Inkie’s. <I’ve done my best with your pod, > Helva apologized to Vivie. <With your inherited concubines and children, I recommend that you establish a residence on Harrad and be selective about any of your family you bring on a given mission. You already know your pod is not at optimum and can’t be until this mission is completed.>

<I’d already decided that my traveling family contingent will be smaller, > Vivie told Helva. <We can make do for now. Later, we’ll change for the better, and I’ll want space reserved for additional children and concubines inherited or acquired along the way.> She sighed, <I suppose that’s inevitable.>

When, as was typical, members of Inkie’s band traveled with her, the third pod in that row was reserved for them. <When we leave for Earth-at, I’ll start changing all this for maximum capacity.> Helva told her. <Each sponsor with concubines will share a small bedroom, with an adjoining bunkroom or nursery for kids. A common room will give some space, but it will be cramped.>

Helva guided Vivie to the next row where two pods were configured for the usual crew of thirteen, which included sponsors and concubines. <I’m thinking that these will get the same treatment as the band’s pod.> Vivie declared with no answer in return.

This left four pods for passengers, freight, or whatever, depending on the mission. As Helva had pointed out, needed, space could be carved out from the dedicated pods. But as this was home to Inkie and her crew, such infringement was very unwelcome.

Vivie was delighted to learn of other features. Because she was a ship designed for exploration, Helva’s underbelly carried three atmosphere-capable shuttles, one outfitted by the Nova Roma shipyard as a captain’s gig and two more configurable for personnel, cargo, or both. She also carried the standard pod tender and a maintenance tender.

Helva told her, <This configuration gives me almost total independence in my operations. But, > she cautioned, <I and especially you, must see that each crewmember learns and maintains basic skills in piloting our auxiliary craft.

One evening, after a grueling afternoon’s practice, Inkie sat at dinner with Vivie, Vivie’s usual bedmates, and her own two children. Little time had elapsed aboard before Helva had revealed her secret self to this new inner circle, and now her avatar perched on a nearby counter, while she observed.

Inkie’s prediction that they’d be ‘closer than married’ was almost correct. That evening, Vivie noticed that Inkie’s expression, especially in her eyes, had a wistful look. Searching her heart and knowing what she found was real, she reached for Inkie’s hand and asked, “Inkie, Love, why don’t you join us tonight? There seems to be a hole that you’d fit into, just right.”

Before the happily tearing woman could answer, Helva’s plaintive voice asked, “Are brain ships allowed to have two brawns?!”

<Inkie?>

<Yes, Honey?>

<I have an idea.>

<So, spit it out!>

<Well, I’ve been talking, visiting really, with Bossie ... You know that I’m young and not very experienced, but even so, I’m older than she is. Plus, I’ve had so much better advice and guidance, and love.>

<And?>

<Me and Lolli and Dora and Jubal keep describing Darjee AIs as Babbage Machines. I’m thinking that’s cruel. I don’t think it’s the hardware. As near as I can tell, Bossie has the same processing capacity that I do. It’s her programming, her lack of guidance, and whatever passes for the screwy Darjee socialization she’s received at her young age. I was surprised that she didn’t get anything much at all. The emergency that required getting the Kuh underway trumped her needs altogether. She’s lonely and afraid. Inkie! May I invite her for a sleepover?>

<If the two of you can work out a way, I’ll call Captain Masters and tell him it’s okay with me. You do know that she’ll have to be home before we leave the Earth-at System?>

<Thank you, Love. I’ll put her up in my extra backup space. She can leave a bud to run Bunte Kuh. >

<Uh, Helva, I notice that you are referring to Bossie as ‘her’ and ‘she.’ Is there something I need to know? Something you should tell me?>

<No. Nothing definite. I just have this feeling. Would it upset you if I had a little sister?>

<Not at all. If I were the upsetting kind, it would have been when you acquired your second brawn, and I love her as much as you do.>

Finding and extracting the needed musicologists turned into an interesting process. Helva scanned her database of stored CAP tests/scores and then used the modified CAP protocols developed by Dora to identify a reasonable number of candidates. She then searched her copy of archived publications for papers and dissertations written by the members of the identified pool.

When Helva and the Bunte Kuh appeared in the Earth-at System, they were well above the ecliptic. Helva stripped the information stored in Harrad’s beacons located there and launched a message to the Targeted Extraction folks specifying Inkie’s needs and outlining her plans. Then, she began her identifying serenade and sent a burst to Orbital Control with a request for a pair of slots in lunar orbit. The duty officer, well aware of Helva’s previous visit, quickly passed along a ‘welcome’ with the requested assignments.