Chapter 24: Woe Joins The Family

Star Date 5.005

President Flowsman's Personal Log

Many changes have been started in the Federation. The removal of fighter craft from the Carriers, being one of them. Fortunately for us, the Carrier's bays are big enough to carry a new class of ship that has also been proposed.

The Defiant Class ship looks just like its namesake from the 'Deep Space Nine' TV show. It is little more than shields and weapons. The smaller ship has a six-man crew, with twin-mount 202mm phaser banks, and paired photon tubes, also. Its oversize engine is not intended for sustained warp speed usage. However, the ship is fast for relatively short distances. It would give the Flowsman class heavy cruiser a shake up in battle. The basic size of a Carrier will allow it to carry 10 of these Defiant class vessels.

They also tell me that the completion schedule for the ships will be one per day. They are running some sort of assembly line process, similar to the way people of Earth build cars. I think the actual build time is more like seven or eight days. But they promise that they will complete at least one ship per day. It's a good thing, as over six hundred of the ships have been ordered.

As long as I am talking about ships, here, I should mention that construction of two new gates has begun as well. They will be done in a year's time. I also have plans laid out on my desk for two more ship designs. I still have to review them, however I am sure I will request them.

One is a Super Carrier class, capable of transporting one hundred Defiant class ships at the incredible speed of Warp-25. The other is a real battleship. Unlike the Enterprise class ship that has been eclipsed by the Flowsman class heavy cruiser, and unlike the cruiser itself, this new ship's only function is war. It will not have the large saucer section. Instead, it is egg shaped, and houses more weaponry than I can imagine. This war stuff makes my head spin. I some times wish I was still back on Earth, blissfully ignorant of this war.

It's all Woes fault; well... that's what I keep telling her. She just looks back at me, and smiles.

Speaking of Woe. I have deactivated the damper field around her and she remains here with my family. I have not made love to her as yet. As amazing as it sounds, she is still a virgin. In some ways she puts spinsters to shame. How she could remain as she has, since her beginning, is beyond me.

Also, the people of the federation revere her, as being nearly holy. Since they found out about her plans to joining the family... Well, it's been a nightmare for all of us.

I think the public is planning a state wedding. It seems that the idea of goddess and their savior marring is just too good of an opportunity for them to pass up. I am sure I will hate every long, endless moment of that ceremony. AI reports that I can put it off; the ceremony, that is. Apparently, the bonding is exclusive. That is to say, when the family is bonded in the way the people want to do so. It's not possible for me to marry any other woman. Oh, I can have concubines and such. But none of them can share the family name. All though it's tempting to do so. I think I should at least wait until I have all six of my wife's before doing that. If I didn't know there is still one more to find I would probably go-ahead and get it over with.

The family was gathered in the presidential house. I have heard that the public is threatening to call it 'The Flowsman House', kind of like the Americans back on Earth called the presidential mansion the White House. I like the concept they have, but the name is just all wrong.

April offered, "Well, we'll paint it white on the outside, and start calling it the White House, then, Dear."

Everyone chuckled at the simplicity of the statement, and the fact that paint of any kind won't stick to the alloy metal that makes up the out side of this place.

Annette said, "Well, we could all start calling the place the 'Federation House'."

I liked that. After a brief discussion amongst the family, it was decided that we would spin the name that way. Too bad we can't do that with the Flowsman class starships. It just wouldn't do to try and change the name like that. The people wouldn't let us get away with it.

AI spoke audibly into the great room where we were all gathered.

"Mr. President, the nanites are ready for you."

Jim sighed and said, "Very well, bring them on."

The door to the room slid open, and Dr. McCoy entered (I know, I know. But he's had the name over 7500 years, so far.).

The doctor carried one vial for each member of the family. He came to me, and picked up the vial that had my name on it. Then he put it into a device that looked just like a hypo-spray.

So Jim asked him, "Is that really what it looks like it is?"

McCoy looked at the object in his hand, then said, "Oh. Well... no. We never really had a reason to use needles or things in our medicine. When drugs are needed, we just use a absorption based catalyst to absorb the drug right though your skin."

"So why the device then?"

"Simple, it mixes the catalyst with the drug. Or in this case the nanites."

"So why make it look like a hypo-spray unit?"

"Well... It's become rather popular, that's all," McCoy said, shamefacedly.

Jim nodded his acceptance. Then the doctor pressed the unit to Jim's shoulder. He watched as the vial of nanites was drained. He felt nothing but a slight wetness on his arm during the process.

Jim waited a moment, and then he felt something. It was like a warm and fuzzy feeling, which overcame him all at once. Then it subsided.

McCoy spoke again, "It should take the nanites a day or so to fully integrate into your system, and to make the nerve connections needed for your mind to command the new technology."