Chapter 3

“Back where I came from, it was the standard way of producing things in quantity. You need to train a lot of people in making simple parts that are then handed over to better trained men and women who could put them together to make a larger part of the machine. He gave her the example of spokes, and a circular outer ring, for making a wheel. “Each can make their part without too much experience, so you can spend more time teaching another person how to put the wheel together. Once that team are able to do their tasks, and repeat them over and over, you will have a succession of wheels being created for you to use in making your bicycle. The same process can be worked out for different sections of a bicycle, such as the carrier basket, and before you know it, you will be making lots of bicycles.” Raka was still not convinced. “Tell me how we do this, John.” He knew that putting this idea over would require some hands-on tuition, so he promised to help her, if she could get three volunteers to participate. “How about Helena?” she asked.

“No. Helena will be one of your put-together leaders of the volunteers you accept for making parts. The volunteers just have to learn to make one simple product. You want someone who is bright enough to do the work, but is happy to do it over and over again. Not a Maker; a doer.”

“Ah.” He could see the penny dropping in her mind; she got the plan. “I think I would like to go visit Brando and share this thought with him. He should be inspired to take it further; to make all sorts of things this way.”

“That’s fine by me. Speak to Chief Numa about a guard to go with you for protection. Your stage in pregnancy makes you less able to defend yourself at present.”

“Thank you, John my love. It will be helpful.” Raka disappeared to make preparations for departing to the Farfarers tribe and its industrious Maker, Brando. He already had a team of helpers, so he should be in a position to organise a ‘production line’ as John called it. Raka reckoned he would be delighted with this simple concept and get started right away. All she had to do was get him to concentrate on bicycles, so that between them they can have the required number to hand over to the northern sea traders in payment. Chief Numa returned to inform John of a decision. “John, my husband, I decided that those fishers who delivered our bison hides deserved a reward, so I issued an instruction that they are to be given either a pair of moccasins if we have ones that fit them, or soap to a similar value if we have none that fit, or none that they need.” John nodded his agreement. “That sounds fair, my love. Include Balto in that reward list, for he led and guarded them here and will do so back to the village.”

“That I intended, John. By the way, some of the carriers also brought small works of art in sacks tied to their waists. They are mostly made of shell, carved beautifully. I have added these to our choice of art displayed for purchase.”

“Eh? What display?” asked John querulously. “The display unit that Raka made for us, dear. You were not consulted, as it had no need for you to be involved; just like cooks deciding on meal choices.”

“Please tell me more,” he asked. “It is several long wooden shelves, one above the other. Each shelf has many pegs sticking up, enabling the artworks to be held in place by them and not fall off. Clever, really, but that is what we expect from Raka.”

“These shelves must be sitting in the dark, Numa. How can they be seen?”

“When a trader visits, we will carefully carry the shelves out to the front where the light is good, and the trader gets the best view. You know that level bit of floor at the front, where our warriors stand to prepare for a fight? We selected that spot to keep the shelves level during the buying time.”

“Fascinating. You have many items on display?”

“About four hands of them, but we have others in storage. We are expecting a trader within a few days. He was at the fisher village recently and said he would be visiting us shortly.”

“A general trader, or a specialist?”

“What do you mean, a specialist? Traders trade with whatever they find, but may ask for a few items that a tribe makes, such as soap, moccasins, or bicycles.”

“Ah, so we haven’t got to specialisms yet. We will, one day. Some trader will get a reputation for carrying very good art, or specially fragrant soaps, and find his clients asking for these from him. He will charge higher prices for his top quality goods, and will do better trades accordingly.”

“You think so, dear? Well, you often are correct in your predictions, so we will watch out for such a change. Should we expect a better payment for our best art, if that is the way things will go?”

“As long as you and he can agree on what is the best art. I find that art is often valued higher for reasons other than its quality. For example, if some art proves popular, and it is all made by one person – the artist – then anything by that artist will be valued more.”

“What? Even if it is not as good as another piece of his work?”

“That may prove to be the case. That name – what I would call a brand – will command better trade prices. It comes down to human nature. Owners will brag about their sculpture made by John Doe, but mostly because it was made by John Doe.”

“Hmph!” huffed Numa. “That seems odd to me.”

“That may be, but if you can get a better deal, don’t turn it down.”

“Well, with the new hides, our moccasins should be better quality than the ones with thinner leather; assuming our needles will go through!” John thought a moment. “Get Raka to look through the stock of needles that we found in the store. The best needles for tough work are curved ones. There might be some in there, with a bit of luck.”

“Curved needles? I have never heard of such a thing.”

“They are difficult to make, unless you have metal. Possibly you could make such a needle out of a curved shell, though, now that I think about it.”

“Now that makes sense,” Numa decided.

Next day, a trader appeared and asked if the tribe had things to trade. He was a newcomer and gave his name as Borno, so the ladies took him round and demonstrated the properties of the soap and shampoo products. That impressed him and he asked if there was a possibility of being sole trader. They soon disabused him of that thought, explaining that some other traders were already taking their soap products, and also their moccasins. He expressed interest in their footwear, but they explained that currently they were low on these, having given many away as gifts. However, they said, they had just taken delivery of strong bison leather from the northern continent, and that once they had adjusted their making routines, they would be able to make moccasins that were tough and durable as well as comfortable. He asked when would these be available for trading, and they explained that footwear had to fit the feet of the customer. There were different sizes of feet, and most of their initial sales had been custom made for the purchaser. But, Numa emphasised, they had found that most people could use one of a few standard sizes – small, smallish, normal and large. Anything outwith these sizes, or having two feet of varying dimensions, would require ordering a special fitting at a higher exchange rate. The trader was no dunce, and saw the logic behind this. He asked to see the new leather, and they took him to their piles of hides so that he could feel one or two at random. That convinced him that the resulting moccasins would be extremely good items for trade. He asked if he could be given a set of patterns, one for each standard size. Borno explained, “I can then offer moccasins at a reasonable price if the customer’s feet match one of your standards. All I then need to do is mark down that ‘customer John in tribe X wants a pair of this size’, and we can agree on the basic price. I really need from you a small piece of the leather, so that the customer can feel the quality before ordering, and know that it is a good deal.” Numa liked his proposals. “We can provide a set of the standards for you. They will be cut from thin leather for easy carrying, rolled up, and you can have a slice of bison leather inside, to show the higher quality for the moccasins. I have to tell you that other traders will probably get the same thing, but there is plenty of business to be had for any enterprising trader.” When she showed him their ‘trader transport’ bicycle, he was immediately keen to have one for himself. Numa said that they only had one available at present, and none for a while afterwards, as they had a bulk order for about four hands of transports, and these would be the priority. Borno bit at the tempter, and offered most of what he had in his pack for that bicycle. Numa accepted, and only after that did she show him that they had a collection of artworks being prepared for trading. She explained that the tribe was expecting other tribes to appreciate the visual quality of what they were making, and that they were anticipating a growing market in art objects. “Now you tell me?” he complained. “I can see that you are onto a good thing here.” Numa pointed out, “If you didn’t take the trader transport, you would be back to what you can carry on your back. Would you prefer that?”

“Lady, you have me stuck between two bad options, where I want both and can’t have both, so I will take my chance with the transport, and come back when I have new trades available. I need to collect another pack to start again. What are you looking for in trade?”

“Various things that are not easy to find here: coloured mineral crystals, herbs that don’t grow around here, mineral or plant oils; oh, and my husband is looking for metal ores such as the green one that contains copper, red iron ore, plus any form of silver that is found in the land to the north of here, and any yellow sulfur. Even some raw gold, but not the pretend gold that shows as cube-like crystals. Is that enough to get you started?”

“Yes, I have put all of that in my memory, lady. I will put out the word among my fellow traders and hopefully we will find some of your wants.”

“Please stop calling me lady. I am Numa, chief of this tribe, and wife of High Chief John, so please use my title when you speak to me. You should have checked your facts about this tribe before arriving, if you want to be a respected trader.”

“Oh.” He looked embarrassed. “Sorry Chief. I will remember that for my next visit. Please accept my apologies. I did not expect a woman to be Chief.”

“Change your expectations, then. There is another tribe near here that also has a female Chief. It may become more usual in future, once men accept that women are competent at many aspects of life. We even have woman warriors.”

“Warriors? Women? Really?”

“Yes, and trained to be better fighters than male warriors of other tribes, take note.”

“Oh, Great Mother! Your tribe is indeed unusual. In battle, though...”

“We have already chased off an invading army, trader. We have proved ourselves. Every woman here is a competent fighter, and some have excelled as warriors.” Borno the trader accepted some food, then set off with his transport bicycle carrying his almost empty trading pack, no doubt heading to wherever he kept his current cache of trading goods. He still looked unconvinced, but once he had asked around about this tribe, he would shortly accept what he had been told was fact. After the trader had left, John pulled Numa aside to whisper to her, “Numa darling, I have a confession to make. I find that my body wants me to fuck all of my wives, and as soon as possible. Note that it was ‘fuck’ and not ‘make love to’. I am pretty sure it is the nanites forcing me to more procreation, though most of the girls are already pregnant; the nanites don’t know that yet. What do you think?”

“My darling husband, they will be happy to get your rod firing into them. That is a lot more than they can normally expect when you were normal. This is the new normal, so getting fucked more will become the new normal. So what’s the worry? Do it, man!”

“But you might get less of my loving attention than you deserve, my love.”

“John, that is your former time speaking. In this time and place, a woman takes what she can get, but in this tribe, every woman gets more of everything than happens in most other tribes. You are also forgetting that as your wives we have some of your nanites inside us, and even if they are not so powerful as what is in you now, we are being actively persuaded to have your babies. Getting fucked more and more is not a fault in our eyes; to us, it is a bonus; an extra chance to get pregnant.”

“Oh. I should have thought of that. I was so confused about what the nanites were expecting from me, and what your reaction might be, and the possible reactions of the other girls as well, if I just fucked them quickly and frequently. I think that my changed body can produce baby juice more often than before, so more wives will get that shot into them.”

“So, any of them that are not already pregnant will have a good chance of ending up this way before long, dear. What’s to complain about? Every normal woman’s ultimate aim is to become a mother. I think that even girls who prefer to love other girls will accept the chance of motherhood, once your nanites have worked on them for long enough. And those women from your own origin place have adapted to that view, you should have noticed.”

“Yes, they are each expecting babies now,” he agreed. “So all of my wives will be wanting me to fuck them, even with a baby well on the way?”

“Darling, being pregnant makes a woman more keen for fucking, not less! Don’t ask me to explain it. It is simply a fact of human life, and I for one enjoyed making love with you while our child was growing inside me. Noma told me the same thing, and from what I have noted, all those who are expecting babies are still asking for sex as much as before.”

“I was not fully aware of that, Numa. At times, you show that you know more than me. You are our expert on this time and on women in general.”

“I am also our expert on babies, dear. Me and your nanites make a good team, I can tell you; even if I can’t speak with them.” John smiled. “And speaking of babies, it is time you and I got started on the next one...” Numa blinked, then nodded. “You might as well start with me, then Noma, and so on. I’ll arrange the sequence of women for you, to fit with your body’s demands.” John gave her a speculative glance, then said, “If you are clear just now, we can make a start immediately.” With that, he ran his hand up her arm and across to her still lactating breasts. “Follow your own orders, my darling wife!”

“Fine. As I am still breastfeeding, I may not get pregnant so easily. The same will apply to my sister, only let me warn Noma to be ready to be fucked soon today.”

“Good thought. I’ll head to our sleeping pad now.” For the next few days, John found that he could continue fucking his wives with a much greater frequency than before, and able to cum in them every time. His nanites had done something seriously awesome with his body. When the expected trader arrived pushing his laden bicycle during the third day, John was still working through his more recent wives. They were delighted at the more intense attention, even when it was shorter in the amount of time devoted to each female. In the circumstances, Chief Numa greeted the expected trader and admitted that they were the tribe that had what was being called art objects by the grapevine of gossip among the tribes and traders of the area. She sent him to the cookfire to get a snack and a drink. She did this so that his prearranged drink would be their new flavoured water that they hoped to trade with. Let him do the asking when he returned, instead of her suggesting it, she thought. In the meantime, she organised the transfer of the art display unit from the back of the cave, to come forward as soon as she signalled. As expected, he came back to the Chief with a satisfied smile. “That was excellent, Chief Numa. An interesting drink, that. Never had one like that before.”

“I thought that would be the case, trader. We tried out a wide range of possible flavours for the water, and that one was our favourite. Our next task was to make it transportable, so that someone could take it on a long journey as refreshment.” He stepped in with, “Or a trader could find a market for it somewhere?” She pretended to be surprised, but both knew this was a trading ploy. “Now that is a possibility worth considering, trader. We had a thought in that direction, so we worked out how it might be carried on any journey. After a lot of thought, trial and testing, we devised a hollow gourd with a hole in the top, and a hollow reed attached to the gourd for sucking the liquid out as and when desired. When not in use, there is a plug to stop up the hole in the top, so that the contents are secured shut. Clever, eh?”