Chapter 36

Baird and Ashley said, “Wow,” as they saw Dóchas come in to view on the cabin monitor. They were sitting with Grace, their mother, and Carl, Melinda’s cameraman, on Alpha6 as it approached Dóchas. Carl and Grace looked at each other, and smiled.

“Carl, it looks just like a ship from Star Wars,” said Ashley excitedly.

“Close, there are many similarities, yet there are also some significant differences.”

“Mom,” said Baird, “I am sure glad Carl asked us to come.”

Grace took a deep breath, before saying, “So am I.” As she squeezed Carl’s hand tightly.

“Relax,” Carl whispered in her ear. “I am sure you will find it to be the most comfortable place you have ever been.”

As Grace looked at him, she could see and feel his love for her. She knew from watching him with her children how much he loved them. Just then, a memory of another time came alive, reminding her of events in her past. She wondered just how long he would stay with her if he knew about her past. She shivered slightly. It was so hard to trust anyone after that experience, but she knew that love needed to be based on trust. Her attention drifted back over the events since Carl returned from visiting the space ship. When Carl first asked her to go with him, her initial thought was that there was no way they could go. She heard the excitement in his voice, and it didn’t take her long to realize that going with him was important to their relationship. If she declined, she would probably lose him, whether he stayed on Earth or not. One of her concerns was what life would be like living on a space ship. In spite of the presentations Carl showed them, the image that stuck in her mind was of the images showing the astronauts on the International Space Station. The first time she saw his photos taken on Dóchas, she wondered whether that artistic fabrications. However, she knew that wasn’t the case, since Carl had been there and she had seen the articles in the paper. Another concern was how her employers would react to her taking an extended leave. When she shared that concern with Carl, he floored her by telling her that the Grand View newspaper’s editors were willing to guarantee her a job. At that point, she realized that circumstances and, perhaps, if it was divine intervention clearing a path for her to be with Carl.

Once she committed to the trip, she told her employers of the opportunity and asked for a leave of absence. They congratulated her on having the opportunity and agreed to the leave but couldn’t guarantee a position when she returned. They then asked her to finish some projects before leaving. Besides seeming to multiply, those projects had taken longer to finish than she had expected. In hindsight, she realized she shouldn’t have been so accommodating. During the intervening time, she had met the editors of the newspapers. Each had confirmed what Carl had told her regarding employment. Rob had surprised her when he indicated that he thought she and Carl would decide to stay.

Even though she was committed to seeing what Dóchas was like, she worried over how she would fit in. While she was nearly as tall as Carl, she felt that her six foot height tended to make her look gaunt and awkward. She just knew that she wasn’t nearly as lovely as the people she saw in the videos, or even the photos in the newspaper or on TV. She looked at Carl and realized she loved him enough to go any place with him. While Grace was deep in thought, Alpha6 had lined up on its final approach to Dóchas. They quietly watched the monitor as they seemed to float toward the opening. Once it had settled into its cradle, the shuttle’s door opened and Chloe stepped inside.

With a big smile she said, “Welcome to Dóchas, everyone. Our apologies for not having a hostess with you during the trip, but we are quite stretched at the moment. I need to remind you of two items before we get off. First, you will need a crew member to accompany you as you move around the ship. This is for safety reasons, as all of our emergency procedures fully utilize telepathic communication. Second, we are a clothing optional society, so you will see many of the crew nude. If you want to join in that mode of dress, that is your choice and only your choice. Please wear what you are most comfortable with.”

Ashley held one of Carl’s hands as they exited the shuttle, while Grace held the other. Baird was holding Grace’s other hand. Waiting for them were Sam, Kelsey, Karmen and Melinda. As they walked toward them Ashley’s eyes kept flitting from one woman to another.

“Carl, are they angels?” asked Ashley, during a moment when it was very quiet in the hangar. Grace’s mouth gaped open in surprise, but before she could say anything, Baird said, “I don’t think so Ashley. They don’t have wings.” The two comments caused many of those around them to laugh.

“You’re right, Ashley, they do look like angels,” said Carl with a smile. “So let me introduce you to these angels.” With that Carl introduced Grace, Ashley and Baird to the news staff.

“Carl, I am so glad you’re here,” said Melinda.

“From what I heard at the station, I thought that the three camera people I briefed on how to do the filming were doing a good job,” replied Carl.

“They have done very well. I just didn’t realize how different it would be without you behind the camera.” Carl looked concerned as did Grace, but she was concerned for different reasons.

“Hold it,” said Sam. “Carl, your standins did a great job. Melinda is just so used to knowing how you cover a scene that she has no worries. She doesn’t have that comfort level with the newcomers.”

Sam whispered, “Grace, are you okay?”

“Yes,” replied Grace, “these last several weeks have really been a challenge for me and the children.

“Why is that? Your children look like they are enjoying this adventure.”

“Oh, they always have a good time with Carl. I tend to be cautious of events when they appear to be too good to be true. Many things have happened that made it possible for us to come, all very good things. So many good things, I’m wondering how badly I will be hurt in the end.”

“Grace, my impression, from your comments, is that you have been hurt very deeply in the past. It is very unlikely that you will be hurt or taken advantage of by anyone here. Just try to relax; I’m sure everything will work out for the four of you.”

“Do we really need an escort on the ship?” asked Grace, following the shift in conversation.

“Yes. We are all telepathic, as indicated in the presentation.” The switch in communication method caused her to look quickly at Sam. As she did, she saw Carl smile.

“Grace, she told you the last part telepathically.”

“Ashley and Baird,” said Melinda, “how about Karmen and I show you the observation platform?”

“So, when did you begin hearing us telepathically?” asked Kelsey. Before they could reply she added, “Let’s head this way so you can see your quarters.” She walked by Carl’s side, and Sam fell in alongside Grace.

“Well, that is difficult to answer,” replied Carl. “It probably started before I went back to Earth. I really didn’t notice it until we got off the shuttle. So, I think I need to talk to Judy or Gail about it.”

“That would be a good idea. In the meantime, if you focus on verbal communication you should be fine. You will probably hear us both ways when we talk to you.”

“I like hearing both.”

“Grace,” said Sam, “Carl won’t hear me this way, so let me finish my earlier comment. I know that Carl won’t leave you. He thinks the world of you and the children. He almost walked away from this opportunity because he didn’t want to loose you. We pushed him to ask you to visit here. He held back because he was concerned that you wouldn’t come. I can sense that something has happened in your past that has hurt you very deeply. So deeply, you have difficulty trusting others, even, to some extent, Carl. At some point, you will need to share the facts with him. Doing that will most likely draw you closer together. The sooner both of you open up to each other, the better it will be. If you don’t, it will keep your relationship from being all that it can be.”

Grace kept glancing at Sam as they walked along behind Carl and Kelsey. On one hand she was shocked to hear Sam talking to her without her lips moving. On the other she could feel Sam’s concern for the four of them, which took the bite out what she was hearing. When they reached their quarters, the door opened automatically for them. Once they were inside, Sam showed Grace and Carl where everything was located. They finished just as children showed up with Melinda and Karmen.

“Mom, that was really neat,” said Baird, as he hugged her.

“The stars were really bright,” said Ashley. “We could see Earth as well.”

“What was really neat?” inquired Grace.

“The view from the observation platform. The sky looked very different.”

“Before we continue the tour,” said Kelsey, “we need to talk about emergency procedures and the associated equipment here in your suite. See the light over the door. As long as it is green, it is safe to open the door.” Thus began a short orientation on what to do in an emergency. “Okay that covers the fundamentals. Tomorrow all of you need to attend a class on this. Now let’s finish the tour. By the time we finish, it will be dinner time.”

“What activities are there for the children?” asked Grace. “They need to keep up on their school work while we are here.”

“There is a combined recreational and learning area. There is also a gym. The learning area has interactive terminals to assist with their education. They will work at the terminals, either by themselves or in small groups. There are many group activities that are part of their learning experience.”

“Are there teachers?”

“Yes. Sometimes a teacher will work with a child at a terminal to guide their learning experience.”

“One on one?”

“Yes. When it is necessary. The teaching AIs and the teachers work as a team to mentor the children’s’ learning. They learn at their own pace, so it is always challenging and fun. Their learning is, in many ways, reinforced by their experiences with their parents.”

“Will Ashley and Baird be able to participate while they are here?”

“Certainly, and I know the Communications department has some things they would like you to help with. They are certainly impressed with the work you’ve done.”

“How would they know what I’ve done?”

“By looking at the art work in your former company’s literature. Some find it easy to figure out who has done a particular piece, since each artist has a particular style. If you have an eye for making the distinctions, then identifying the work is relatively easy.”

“I agree with that. How old is Sam?” Kelsey gave her with a puzzled look. “She seems exceptionally perceptive.”

“She and I are the same age, which is 19. Karmen is younger than us by about 2 years.”

They had arrived at the recreational area and paused to watch the other children playing. Ashley and Baird watched with fascinated expressions on their faces. The adults could see that Ashley and Baird wanted to join the others, but waited to see the reaction of the other children. It only took a few moments before they were approached by a few of the children and soon joined the activities. It wasn’t long before they shed their clothes and handed them to Grace. She was surprised. The group then sat down on the nearby benches to observe the children’s activity.

“Grace, what did you think of the trip?” asked Melinda.

“It was amazing. I find all of this amazing. For the first time in a long time, I feel really comfortable with people I just met. I never thought I would be so comfortable around naked people.” She leaned over toward Carl and pulled him to her for a kiss. “Thanks. Without your encouragement, I am not sure we would be here.”

“We are glad you came,” responded the four women together.

Melinda said, “Carl, what did you think of Kelsey and Karmen when they filled in for me?”

“From my perspective, they did very well. So how did it go?”

“Very well, although I don’t remember very much after it started. Steve did it at the same time.”

“Was something wrong?” asked Grace in a worried tone.

“No, not at all,” replied Melinda. “After Marge and her friends had finished the incubator part of their genetic treatment, Steve and I started ours.” Seeing Grace’s expression she added, “We have decided to stay, so we asked for the genetic treatment.”

“I thought you looked a little different,” responded Carl.

“Carl ... I thought you were more perceptive that that.”

“I am, but I approach comments about a change in how one looks very carefully.” They all laughed. “You look great. I don’t think many of the viewers will notice unless you tell them.”

“Incubators,” asked Grace, with a puzzled look.

“Yes,” replied Karmen. “I think Carl showed you the presentations that described the differences between humans and us. The incubators are a tool our medical staff uses to administer an extensive medical treatment. This procedure, in conjunction with genetic based therapy, can virtually rebuild a person’s body, either to repair damage or correct flaws. Those of us coming from Earth have used this treatment to alter our bodies so that we are physically identical to the members of this breed.”

“Why would anyone do that?”

“A good question, and one that is very difficult give a simple answer to,” replied Sam. “In our case, my mother Sue, Karmen, Kelsey, their mother Irene, and I had been given drugs to alter our bodies.” She continued with a brief summary of the events that took place before she had arrived on Dóchas.

“That must have been awful.”

“Well interesting is I think a better characterization. See the group behind this didn’t physically force us to ask for the modifications to our bodies. From shortly after we arrived at the resort, we were given a drug that altered our perceptions. It changed our perceptions in a way that we would do anything our hostess suggested. Many times when they made a suggestion, they noted that our fathers would like the result. Since all three of us loved and admired our fathers, we agreed. Our captors erred in trying to get us pregnant too soon after the body altering treatments they had given us. The medical staff later told us that our eggs were fertilized, but weren’t able to bind correctly to our uterus within the allotted time. Thus, we all miscarried. Since then I have physically shared my love with both my father and mother many times. We enjoyed it, and I would probably still be with them if it wasn’t for my other loves with whom I now work. Oh, sorry, I’m babbling.”

“Incest is not forbidden here?”

“No. In this culture, incest is acceptable when it is between mature consenting adults.” Grace looked thoughtfully at Kelsey as she considered what she had just been told. She found the openness a little hard to grasp and the topic shocking, but, over the last few weeks, there had been many things that had been hard to grasp.

“Okay, returning to the incubator topic, how does the incubator help you?” asked Grace.

“Some of us were given treatments that would alter selected parts of our body. The sole purpose was to increase our visual appeal and value as sex toys. Now, by using the incubator and the associated therapy, the body can be remodeled to correctly support the changes already made. The incubator therapy cannot reverse an induced growth, but it does alter the physique so we can accommodate the changes. For example, one change was to greatly enlarge our breasts and induce lactation. If it had gone to completion, our breasts would have been so large that they would have been greatly distended. It would have made it difficult to stand for very long and resulted in back problems. The corrective therapy countered those treatments by altering the tissue structure in our breasts. Along with this additional muscle tissue was added to both our chest, back and shoulders. This addition gives us full support for our larger bust. Our shoulders were widened, which makes our bust appear more natural. The changes shifted our weight balance to be more vertical. Our stamina also increased as did our physical agility.”

“I can see why these changes would be needed, since it is to avoid a chronic health issue, but why do them if you are not correcting a health issue?” responded Grace.

After briefly describing the differences between them and humans Karmen said, “Grace perhaps the simplest way to look at this is that by modifying our bodies to become a part of this breed. There are now no restrictions on how we can contribute. Without the treatment, there would be some things we couldn’t do.”

“Thanks, I think. Everything you just told me, and more, was in the videos Carl showed me. I am surprised I didn’t pick up on them. Hm ... maybe I need to think about what I saw some more. I was really impressed with the presentations, and the frank manner in which the information was given.”

“You’re right, I believe it is all there, but perhaps presented a bit differently. We can arrange for you to see them again if you like, or any member of the medical staff can answer your questions.”

“Are we going to see more of the ship?” asked Grace. “I hate to disturb the children, since they look like they are having fun.”

“They can stay here and play,” said Karmen. “Let me tell one of the teachers who they are before we resume our tour.”

“What if they need something?” replied Grace.

“I am sure the teachers will take care of anything they need, or if need be, send for you. We are really one big family.”

As the tour progressed, Grace became more relaxed, and as she did the natural smile returned to Carl’s face. He had been worried about her acceptance of these people, even more than whether or not she would agree to live here during this assignment. During the tour, the women made sure to show Grace all the things they thought she would want to know about. They introduced her to Gail and Judy. She also got a glimpse of some people in the incubator tubes, immersed in the green gel.

On the way to the Communications department they stopped by the observation platform. Grace was very quiet for a long time while there. Melinda watched her closely. Finally, Grace said, “You know, this is all a bit overwhelming. Here we are standing, essentially, in the middle of space, with no planet giving us shelter. We have only our ingenuity to keep us alive and moving forward.”

“We also have the Old Ones,” said Karmen, “to offer us guidance, and our Mentors to assist us in learning about our capabilities.” Grace looked thoughtfully at Karmen, but didn’t question her comment.

Their last stop on the tour was the Communications department where they introduced Grace to everyone. After introductions, they talked about the different projects they had going on. Karmen told Grace that this was where they each had their work areas.

“Grace,” said Chloe, “would you be interested in working with us while you’re here?”

“Well, I...”

“You would see more of Carl that way,” added Orla quickly, causing several to chuckle.

“I’ve hardly arrived and haven’t had time to think, or even get a grasp of our surroundings.” Grace looked at the group as she took a deep breath. “Yes, I will help out some, although I do have the children to think about.”

“I saw them playing with the others a while ago,” said Chloe. “They seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.”

Just then the dinner chime sounded, causing Grace to look at Carl. “That is the dinner chime. It means we have about an hour before dinner begins. Almost everyone goes to exercise and freshen up before dinner.” As he was talking, he took her hand and began leading her back to their suite, with Sam, Kelsey, Karmen and Melinda following them.

On reaching Grace and Karl’s suite Melinda said, “We’ll stop by on our way to dinner as our suite is six doors down on the same side.”

As Grace started to speak Sam said, “The children will be along shortly.”

“Thanks,” replied Carl and Grace as they entered their suite.

Sam, Karmen, Kelsey and Melinda smiled when they saw them put their arms around each other before the door closed.

“Grace seems a little uncertain,” said Melinda as they walked to their suite.

“She has been deeply hurt in the past and finds it hard to trust others,” responded Sam. “I think that will change while she is here.”

“Good,” responded the other three.

When Sarah’s Clan entered their quarters, they were enthusiastically greeted by their children. The warmth of their greeting washed away the concerns they felt about the upcoming trips to Earth. They played with their children until dinner time. As they were freshening up for dinner, Rusty noted that they had each spent some time with each child. Janet added that she had noticed the same thing. At first, she thought their behavior was intentional in some way, but she had come to the conclusion that it wasn’t.

“How about sleeping in tomorrow?” asked Sarah. “I would sure like to cuddle with my spouses for a while. Besides, we can have Siobhan and Maureen facilitate the morning meeting.”

“We like that idea,” they all responded, as they made their way to dinner with their children.

“We think all of you should relax a bit more as well,” said several of their children.

“So, you have taken to eavesdropping!” exclaimed Joyce.

“Only sometimes,” replied the children, “as when we sense the conversation is about our family.”

“My mother would have had a fit if Adam or I had done that,” said Joyce. “Then again, our relationship with you is much different than the one we had with my parents. I prefer this one.”

Later, when they reached the dining room, many of the crew came over to see the children. In several cases, the children sought out a particular person. Sarah’s Clan was pleased to see their children mixing with the crew. Each wondered how things would change as more children were added to their family. It was clear, from the way the crew interacted with their children that this was spontaneous, rather being something they felt they needed to do.

“I think,” said Judy, “as we add more children, the contact between the crew and the children will remain the same. Each adult will likely have more children interacting with them. As a result of their interaction with our children, they are making great progress intellectually. At first, I was concerned that their growth was being artificially accelerated, but Connie and Betsy have assured me that everything we’ve observed is normal.”

“I would like to spend more time with them, just like we did today,” said Sarah.

As dinner was drawing to a close, Sarah stood and said, “Once we have cleaned up, let’s begin our evening status review.” While the room was being tidied up, Erin and Maeve came up to join her in leading the discussion. The monitors showing An Clochán and Comrie came to life.

“Good evening everyone,” said the three, together.

“Good evening,” came the reply.

“This evening, we want to cover three topics,” continued Maeve. “Some time ago we created a group to look into the name we would use for our species, home world and culture. We believe the group has a report for us this evening.”

“Actually,” said Erin, “it has been ready for some time, but other events have delayed this discussion.”

“Another item we need to consider is whether to create a staffing and education department,” added Sarah. “Why, you are probably wondering? We need a group to take care of recruiting and to assist members of our families when considering other opportunities to contribute. If we were a company on Earth, the name for this function would likely be ‘personnel’ or ‘human resources’. An education department is also needed to support those teaching. Conceptually it would be to ensure they had the tools they need, matching resources with needs, for example. In neither case do we want to create a bureaucratic nightmare.”