Chapter 19: New You

Calix stood for a moment outside his door trying to figure out what had just happened.

Octavia had kissed him.

Octavia, the impossible Lieutenant who seemed to spend every moment of her existence delighting in his torment, kissed him.

Three times. And he would’ve loved to have a fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh...

Part of him felt guilty. Was he cheating on the others? Could he cheat on the others? He already had seven women – eight if you counted Alicia, which he didn’t – so what was he doing kissing Octavia? And enjoying it?

He walked through the door and the first person he saw was Sophia, which only made him feel guiltier. He hadn’t even thought that was possible. Would she know, somehow? She’d shared him before – with Maria, with Inez, with other women in the Cholos. Heck, she was sharing him now with Brianna and Whiskey and Tamara and Heather and Julia and Yolanda. The difference was she knew of the others in their little family. She didn’t know about Octavia.

The others. What would they say? What would they do? Was he going to lose them? Would they turn on him as Alicia had.

He wasn’t used to this indecision, wasn’t used to being out of control of his life. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like not controlling his own destiny. He would have never accepted it before. He was not about to accept it now.

“CALITS!” Amelia cried, running to him. The sight of her running to greet him with her arms wide made him smile and suddenly everything was right with the world. All of his doubts and worries just sort of drifted away as he knelt down and grabbed his niece in a fierce hug.

Except, she wasn’t his niece anymore. She was his daughter. The thought bothered him for a moment – until he realized Rico would understand. That thought made his smile even wider.

He pulled back and kissed the girl on the cheek, laughing at the scrunch of her nose. “Calits, you stink!”

“I know, honey,” Calix laughed. “I’ve been working out and I need to take a shower. Think you can stand one more hug?”

The little girl looked at him, tilting her head. “I guess,” she replied slowly. “As long as you promise to have a tea party with me.”

“I can do that,” Calix laughed. “Later, though, okay? I’ve got to shower and then I have to talk to the rest of the grown-ups.”

“Okay,” she smiled, lifting her arms and wriggling – the universal childhood sign that the kid has had enough of you and wants to get down.

He carefully set the little girl down and looked around, suddenly feeling everything was right in his world. Even Alicia’s normal glare didn’t bother him. He knew what he had to do. It was time to take control of his family.

“Sophia, can I please speak with you for a moment in private?” Sophia looked up at him. Her eyebrows suddenly rose and the hint of a smile came to her face. “Everyone else, we’re going to have a meeting of the adult members of the family in a few minutes. Everyone under fourteen needs to go upstairs until we call you down.”

There were some groans from the twins but he ignored them, making a mental note to get them something special if he could. They’d been really good sports about baby-sitting. He knew when he was a teen, he hated getting stuck watching Mia and Mira the few times his stepmom had gone out.

He sat on the bed, noting the new yellow quilt draped across the top. It reminded him he needed to do something about the awful gray color on the walls – he’d just sat down, and it was already giving him a headache. Sophia followed shortly behind him and he patted the bed next to him. She watched him for a moment before sitting to his right.

The silence dragged on for moments which quickly grew to a minute or more. There was so much to say, and the order was going to matter just as much as the content. The problem was, he didn’t know where to start. Calix had often read about silence growing uncomfortable, but he’d never really experienced it. He liked the silence. He preferred it - and he counted on it.

Silence and darkness. Two potent tools he required in his arsenal. Sadly, he wasn’t using the silence but rather hiding behind it.

With a sigh, he decided to start with the good news first, hoping it would soften the blow. “How do you really feel about having a child with me?”

Sophia looked at him, noting his far-off stare. It was times like this she wished she could read his mind – or that he could read hers. It was often so difficult to read him. Was he really worried she’d not want to bear his children? Could he not know how in love with him she was?

“Calix,” she said, reaching up and turning his face to hers. She wished she could read him, but his face remained as granite. She spent a moment tracing his scars before continuing. “I am madly in love with you. I want to bear your children, to make a life with you, to be with you forever and ever.”

She felt relieved when his mouth turned up in a wide smile. “Good,” he replied, partially turning towards her, his left hand coming to rest on her stomach and rubbing gently.

Calix watched her intently as her face moved from curiosity to surprise to wonder and finally to joy.

“Do you – do you mean... ?” Her voice trailed off as her eyes, large as saucers, drifted down to where his hand was rubbing her tummy.

Calix suddenly had a lap full of Sophia, her arms around him, her lips pressed hard against his own. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, her hands reaching up to pull at the back of his head, pressing his face closer to her own. The kiss grew deeper, more passionate as they sat on the bed, their arms around each other. Finally, Sophia pulled back, and Calix was worried when he saw tears in her eyes.

“I’m going to have your baby?” The woman asked quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

“Yes,” Calix said gently, kissing at her tears.

“Oh, Papi,” Sophia said softly. “I am so happy, my Calix.”

They sat that way for a while, whispering to each other, sharing their love. The words they said didn’t matter and, in truth, there was little they said which weren’t endearments. They were just sharing time, sharing space, sharing their love for one another.

Calix knew it could not last, but he dreaded what was to come just as much. Reluctantly, he moved Sophia off his lap and back to his side, wrapping his arm around her and holding her to him.

He wasn’t sure how to start. How could he tell the woman he loved – one of the women he loved – the mother of his child, that he’d kissed yet another woman. After a moment, he just figured he’d better start from the beginning.

“Octavia stopped by as I was working out. She had some news about my sisters.”

Calix told her the whole tale, leaving nothing out. He explained what his mother had become and how he believed his Mother’s sponsor was mentally abusing his sisters and the two other non-paternal dependents. He explained how his sisters had tried committing suicide five times and how the two other girls had tried to run away. He went through his meeting with Sub-Decurion Almatters and how he’d decided to adopt all four of the children, if DECO could find a way to free them.

“I’m so sorry, my love,” Sophia said, wrapping her arm around his and laying her head on his shoulder. “I never met your sisters, but I know how much you love them. I’m sorry they’ve gone through all these things but I’m so happy they might be coming here. I’m almost as happy as I am about our child. We’ll make sure they are safe and loved. They’re going to be fine now.”

“I hope so,” Calix sighed, worry creeping into his thoughts. He was relying on a bunch of strangers – something he’d no real experience with.

He sighed a moment. “There’s more.”

He swallowed hard. “Octavia and I were walking back and talking. She-that is, we-we kissed, Soph.”

“Really?” Sophia asked, her voice neutral. Her head was on his shoulder so Calix couldn’t see the woman’s face. “Did you kiss her, or did she kiss you?”

“Um ... both,” he admitted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to betray you. She kissed me and – I don’t know – I kissed her back. I can’t explain it. I’m so sorry.”

At first, he thought Sophia was crying. She was shuddering on his shoulder, her body convulsing slightly. It wasn’t until he heard the first laugh when he realized his woman was laughing.

“Soph?” He asked, unsure what the hell was going on.

“S-s-sorry,” Sophia gasped as she tried to control her laughter. “You sounded so – so – “ and then she was off on another jag of laughing and giggling.

Calix felt slightly cheated. He’d earned some kind of rebuke from Sophia - from all of his women. To have his guilt met with laughter was not what he expected – and certainly not what he deserved.

“Soph?” He tried again, unsure of just what the woman found so funny.

“So, she finally kissed you, huh?” Sophia finally gasped out, still snickering.

“Uh ... wait. What?”

“Calix, I love you with all my heart,” Sophia intoned, shaking her head, “and I am ecstatic that we are going to share a child, but sometimes you can be such a clueless little boy.”

“I’m missing something,” the young man said finally.

“You’re missing a lot,” Sophia chuckled. “Papi, you were the only one who didn’t see the designs Octavia had on you.”

Calix’s mouth dropped. “You’re kidding.”

“Not in the least. She’s been flirting with you for so long, I was worried she’d get her hooks into you before I could land you.”

“You – she – you could – what?”

“I’m kidding,” Sophia smiled, her head lying on his shoulder. Then, she shrugged. “Mostly. I knew you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with – I think I’ve loved you since the first time we slept together. I was just too scared to pursue it, and I wasn’t sure you’d agree to it. Then she came along and suddenly I couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t get to you first and push me out of the picture. Thankfully, she waited until you were stuck with me before pursuing her agenda.”

“Now, wait a moment,” Calix said firmly, gently moving Sophia around to where he could look in her eyes. “I love you. Period. I’ve loved you for a long time, but I was afraid because everyone I’ve ever loved has left me. I admit I have – feelings – for Octavia I didn’t realize I had until just a little while ago but I won’t pursue them.”

“Why not?” Sophia chuckled. “What is one more, mi amante? I’m already sharing you with seven – why not eight? Why not ten? Twenty? As long as I have a piece of your heart, I am content.”

“You can’t mean that,” Calix sputtered.

“But I do,” Sophia smiled. “That is the way of the world we find ourselves in. I’ve shared you before, shared you in bed with other women, shared you in life with both men and women. I’ve never cared. I’ve always been content with what you were willing to share with me. Now, we’re having a child together, and I know I will be with you forever just because of our child if nothing else. The man you are, the man I love, would never willingly leave his child – so I have you, at least partially, for the rest of our lives. I’m okay with that – I’m overjoyed with that.”

She reached up and traced a scar that ran down the side of his face. “Papi, I was used as a whore by my family – and you saved me. Do not think I don’t know what you did – I do. I loved you even more for it.”

She moved her hand to his cheek, caressing it. “I’m not normal, mi amore. There are pieces of me that are broken. Maybe that is why I find this okay.”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care if you have a thousand other woman, my Calix – I don’t care if you fall in love with all of them. I don’t care – just as long as I am one of them. As long as you love me.”

Calix shook his head. This woman deserved so much more than him. She deserved to be a princess in a movie, riding off into the sunset with her prince charming.

“I don’t deserve you, Sophia.” He looked deep into her eyes. “But I do love you. I love every piece of you.”

“That’s all I can ask,” Sophia smiled. “But it is I who don’t deserve you. You deserve more than I can possibly be, my love.”

“What of – what of the others? How are they going to take this – this – the kiss with Octavia?”

Sophia shrugged. “Like I said, you were the only one who didn’t know Octavia had designs on you. We’ve even talked about it a bit amongst ourselves – we even discussed a betting pool except we had no currency.”

She giggled. “Then Julia suggested sexual favors and the pool was back on. It’s only for when you two finally have sex, though. Kissing doesn’t count.”

Calix shook his head in defeat. “I’m not sure I’ll understand women if I live to be five hundred.”

Sophia took his face in her hands and kissed him lightly. “And that is exactly as it should be, man of mine.”

She sobered for a moment. “Do you really think they will give your sisters to you?”

“I don’t know,” Calix admitted. “Almatters was worried my household was new and not yet established. It’s something we’re going to have to take care of, starting today. Starting now, in fact.”

He turned towards Sophia, his hands taking hers. “I know you said you’d work on Alicia – but I’m hoping you’ll do more. I want you to run the household. I know you don’t like to put yourself forward, and I know you have a fairly large submissive streak. If you don’t want to take on the responsibility, I’ll understand. You are the only one I trust with it, though.”

Sophia’s heart grew so large, it nearly burst from her chest. It was as if he’d heard her thoughts the other morning – and decided to make them real. She loved this man completely – and yet, she now loved him even more. She couldn’t stop the tears from falling from her eyes as she squeezed his hands and smiled at him.

“As you said earlier, my submissive streak is sexual, my love. It is only for my master – only for you. I can whip those other bitches into shape. We’ll get your sisters, mi amore, because we’ll be the best goddamn household in this solar system.”

Calix smiled, unable to stop from chuckling. “Good. Thank you.”

He turned his face up to speak with the AI He knew it was unnecessary and yet he couldn’t stop himself from doing it. He thought about it for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. It served no purpose but then eccentricities rarely did.

“Hermes – sorry, Artemis – from now on, in matters of my household, Sophia speaks with my voice. She can give orders to all of the others, and she has the full run of this apartment. She can also grant or rescind the ability to open doors or use the replicator or whatever to my other women.”

“Noted,” the AI’s dry voice replied.

Calix leaned forwards and gave Sophia a soft kiss. “Now, I smell so I need a shower. We have an appointment with the med-tubes in,” he glanced at his arm, “a bit over two hours and we need to determine what changes each woman wants. Can you organize them? I’d like to bring them in here one at a time so they can have a bit of privacy as they decide.”

“Of course, my master,” Sophia said, ducking her head. “I’ll have everything ready by the time you get finished with your shower.”

He stood up, heading to the shower. “Oh, the others can come in alone – but I want you to accompany Alicia. I don’t want to be alone with her.”

Calix’s shower didn’t last nearly long enough but he knew he was running short on time. The shower had an air-dry feature he wasn’t sure he liked. He far preferred towels but the air dry seemed more thorough.

Originally, he’d forgotten his uniform – he’d been working out in shorts and a sweatshirt – but a quick call to Artemis had fixed the problem. Sophia had brought it in while he showered.

Actually, a lot of his shower time was spent finalizing his plans for his own changes with Artemis and considering potential changes for Alicia – things which might make her more malleable. Octavia had given him a good idea for using oxytocin to bind her to him – but he wasn’t certain it would work. He favored triggers which could control her pleasure centers – Pavlovian methods. He worried it could result in danger to her or, more importantly, to her unborn child. He was confident, however, the AIs would never knowingly harm a child.

Reluctantly, Calix settled on a plan he thought would be workable. He didn’t like the idea of harming Alicia in any way – he owed too much to his cousin – but the situation was intolerable. If he couldn’t change her, he’d have to get rid of her and he wasn’t certain he could find someone to take her off his hands.

He emerged from the bathroom and realized he had no time to re-assess his strategy. Sophia was sitting serenely on the bed, though she had a slightly annoyed look on her face. Alicia was simply standing, glaring at him with her arms crossed.

Calix had to admit she was a very handsome woman. She had long, luxuriant black hair she highlighted with slight blonde streaks and kept almost always in a tight braid over her left shoulder. Her eyes were a compelling – if deceptive – soft brown above a nose which was just a bit too long and a bit too sharp. Her breasts were more than a handful, but they looked even larger because she was so trim and fit – and it was likely her breasts were getting larger because they were filling with milk. Although he couldn’t see it, he knew she had a soft, full derriere as well – and the rest of her was just as curvy. Thin waist, full hips, tapering down almost perfectly to dainty feet, she was physically beautiful and made even more beautiful by the large, round lump of her nine-month pregnant belly. She could be such a beautiful woman – if she weren’t such a shrew.

“Alicia, as you may know, the Confederacy technology can make any cosmetic changes you like to your body,” Calix started.

“Any changes you want, you mean,” Alicia snarled.

Calix sighed. It was going to be like that. “Of course, any changes I like. However, I’m giving you the opportunity to make any changes you want. Is there anything you’d change?”

“Yeah,” the young woman hissed. “I’d make myself big and strong enough to kick your fucking ass up and down this fucking moon. Can they do that?”

“While they probably could, I won’t allow it,” Calix said. He blew a breath of air, then let Espanto loose from his cage.

When Calix looked at her again, the cold, dead stare made the young woman shiver. She knew she’d gone a step too far. Maybe even a few steps too far. What looked at her wasn’t a man, it wasn’t even human. It was a cold, scary machine of death and destruction. She’d heard stories, stories from Rico, from some of the other Cholos – she’d even seen a bit of this down in Digiroos - but she’d never believed them, never considered it more than an act. She’d never been able to reconcile the stories of the merciless killer with the insipid young man she thought she could wrap around her fingers – until now. Now, she started to realize the insipid young man might only exist in her rather vivid imagination.

“You don’t fucking get it and I’m not sure you ever will,” the creature in front of her hissed. Though he was huddled slightly, he somehow looked larger than he had before. It was as if he were filling the room, taking up all of the oxygen.

Then, before she could blink, he was in front of her, his right hand gripping her neck tightly, pulling her until his face was mere centimeters from her own. She could feel his breath, see the death in his eyes and she knew, absolutely knew she was about to die. She scrabbled at his arm, clawing, scared beyond reason.

“Put your fucking hands down,” the thing in front of her growled but she paid it no heed. The hand wasn’t gripping tightly, wasn’t cutting off her air – it was just holding her, holding her face close to its own.

Pain exploded across her right cheek, and the world went dark for a moment or two. When her sight cleared, nothing had changed. It was still in front of her, its hand gripping her neck – only now it was squeezing, ever so lightly.

“Put your hands down or I swear to God I’ll hit you again and then I’ll snap your neck. I’m pretty sure the baby is far enough along to live without you by now.”

She obeyed – she had to obey. There was nothing left for her. Her fingers hadn’t made a dent in this thing - hadn’t scratched him, hadn’t hurt him. She let her hands drop and waited for the end.

“You fucking bitch,” the creature snarled, his cold, dead eyes locked on her own. “You refuse to listen and you refuse to learn. Well, you better hear what I’m saying now. I’m done with you. My obligation is over. I’ve brought you up to the stars – it’s now on your fucking ass how you live up here or even if you live up here. If you cross me one more time, just once, I will make your life a living hell like you’ve never experienced before. I won’t kill you – I promised my cousin, your husband, that I’d keep you safe. I never promised him in what condition you’d remain. So get it through your head – and get the fuck out of my room.”

He stepped back suddenly, releasing her. She fell limply to the floor, like a boneless rag doll tossed away. Tears streamed down her eyes, but she wasn’t crying – she was far too scared to cry. She was far too terrified to feel any other emotion. She crawled out of the door, not caring how it looked or who saw her. It was just the fastest way to flee.

Sophia watched the younger woman go, more than a little afraid for her. She had seen Espanto before, of course. She’d watched the implacable resolve, the speed, and the rage. She worried for the girl – but she worried more for her man. He didn’t exactly hate the creature he could become – but he hated letting it out. He knew it was necessary and so did she – but she hated the price he often paid for letting it loose.

She turned to Calix and was surprised to find him calm and relaxed, a light frown on his face as he watched the door close behind Alicia. “I hope she doesn’t frighten the rest of them.”

Sophia had seen Calix become Espanto in an instant, but she’d also seen the struggle as he strove to put the demon back into the bottle. For him to have done it so instantly and so effortlessly was unheard of. She’d often watched him struggle when he returned from a mission, struggle to put the killer to bed so he – Calix – could crawl into hers.

“It was an act?” She guessed.

Calix shrugged. “A bit – but not really. I’ve tried letting her integrate at her own pace. I had hoped she would see the benefits to becoming part of this life – maybe not our family, but at least get along with our family until she could find better accommodations.”

He shrugged. “It just wasn’t happening. The carrot approach was failing, so I decided to give her a bit of the stick.”

“I’ve – you’ve always – struggled – to put him away.”

Calix chuckled wryly. “Maybe I’m growing up.”

Then he sat next to her and sighed, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer to his side. “I’ve come to an understanding about myself. It’s a kind of truce. As much as I might wish otherwise, Espanto isn’t separate any more than Calix is. I’ve treated them both in such a way because I had to show so many different faces to so many different people. The truth is I’m somewhere in between. They’re both part of me and I think I’m closer to Calix than Espanto, but they’re both me. I need to find a way to integrate them – this, I think, is part of the integration. This truce.”

He blew another sigh. “Or maybe I really am crazy and just deluding myself.”

He shrugged. “I’d imagine we’ll know which pretty soon.”

“Hermes, bring me up a hologram of Alicia Gebel,” Calix called as he sat on the bed next to Sophia.

“I’m the AI for Artemis...” Artemis began but Calix quickly cut him off.

“Yes, I know. Sorry about that. Artemis, please bring up a hologram of Alicia Gebel.”

A three-dimensional image of the young woman appeared in front of them. “First, I want you to alert me if any of the changes I make have a potential of harming her child. The baby is our first and largest priority, okay?”

“Acknowledged,” Artemis replied. “Please understand the child or children will always be my highest priority.”

“Good,” Calix grunted, his teeth suddenly clenched tight. “I just wish that could be the case with all of the children in your care – like my fucking sisters.”

He shuddered – maybe it wasn’t so easy to put the genie back in the bottle after all.

“Corporal Mathers has had little physical contact with your sisters,” Artemis responded after a moment. “What little physical contact he shared with them has been appropriate – even nurturing. His physical contact has been limited to appropriate hugs and non-sexual touches.”

“Physical contact,” Calix spat. “What about...”

He shook his head and forced a reassuring smile at Sophia. He then took a deep breath. “That’s neither here nor there. Okay, tighten up and enhance the vaginal muscles so she recovers from childbirth more easily. Do the same for the anal muscles. Increase the sensitivity and density of the pleasure receptors in her clitoris and vagina, and then add the same types of increases in her anus and throat. I’m looking for the nerve-endings to be a constant distraction from a minimum of input. I’d like them to be regulated – in other words, I want to be able to turn them on and off at will and also be able to granularly control their sensitivity—”

“Such will not be possible,” Artemis interrupted. “The ability to turn the augmentations on or off with verbal commands is problematic. Technology exists which can be re-purposed to what you desire but the current treaty with Earth-at authorities prohibits mental control even of human chattel. The changes you propose, if misused, infringe dangerously on these codicils.”

“Well, shit,” Calix swore.

“The changes could be enacted to require med-tube intervention for each implementation,” Artemis suggested. “Even the sleep-trainer in your suite could perform such a minor change. It would take but a few moments – perhaps a minute or two – in a med-tube or sleep-trainer to increase or reduce sensitivity to the affected areas. This allows the Confederacy AI the ability to monitor the situation and guard against overt mind-control on the part of the Confederacy. Note that any mind-control efforts on your part towards Alicia Renee Gebel are not restricted by codicil so long as they do not include Confederacy technology.”

Calix chewed on the thought for a few moments. “I guess that will have to work for now,” he sighed. “I’ve run out of ideas to deal with her short of tossing her out an airlock. Again, make sure to increase vaginal and clitoral pleasure centers as high as possible without causing harm to Alicia or her unborn baby. I’m looking for her to be in a constant state of arousal. The same for her anus, mouth and throat – let the act of swallowing itself and even drawing breath be stimulating.”

“I’ve modified the changes as requested.”

Calix chewed on his bottom lip a moment. “Octavia suggested oxytocin treatments to help bond Alicia to me – add it to the list as well.”

“Done.”

“Let’s boost her endorphin and serotonin levels so she feels increased sexual desire,” Calix said slowly, his eyes deep in thought. “It should complement the added pleasure centers nicely. Will it be possible to ramp these up slowly – to the point she would always feel some sexual desire?”

“The endorphin and serotonin levels won’t have the exact control I believe you’re looking for,” Artemis replied. “However, we’ve had success with a hormone package that includes endorphins and serotonin.”

“Use the alternate hormone package, then,” Calix agreed.

“Are these all the changes you require for Alicia Renee Gebel?”

“May I make a suggestion?” Sophia interrupted.

Calix shrugged. “Sure.”

“Artemis, is it possible to turn her vocal cords off and on?”

“Yes,” Artemis intoned. “Such a change is acceptable and does not impinge on the mind-control moratorium.”

Sophia turned to Calix. “I’d like that, please. Your control, of course.”

Calix laughed. “Artemis, please make that change as well. Oh – but only Sophia and I have the ability to control it. Save the whole thing as Alicia’s package.”

“Confirmed,” the AI agreed.

“Me?” Sophia squeaked.

“Hey, you volunteered,” Calix smiled. “Besides, I told you, I want you to run my household. That also means you need to be able to discipline Alicia.”

Sophia sniffed back a tear and then threw her arms around Calix’s neck. She pulled him to her for a deep kiss that went on for several moments. “Thank you, Papi. I love you.”

“I love you,” Calix said, kissing her softly. “But we need to keep this moving. We have under two hours now.”

Sophia bounced up, her face a huge smile. “I know. I’ll send in Brianna.”

Brianna came in and sat next to Calix, threading her arm around his. Calix had to admit the woman’s long, luxuriant red hair she allowed to lay free down her back to just the top of her butt made her look exotic and wild. At 4’10” she was also tiny – but her body was perfectly proportioned, her shoulders sloping to her waist, then flaring out into a round butt that was small but seemed perfect on her.