Chapter 21

Five minutes later the three were in a taxi to meet the motorhome still in front of Alita's school. They opened the door and got in. Tommy and Consti were studying while there was a lot of physical activity in the back of the motorhome.

I sent out my mind the same way I used to do with the probes and found a telephone book. It was scanned and a listing of local barristers was amassed. This took less than ten seconds and then my mind checked for locations. Three were close by.

Tommy liked to drive the motorhome. He was not legally able but he could fly to orbit and he thought this job was rightfully his. Once parked outside one set of offices, all five of us cast out minds into the various file cabinets to see how the particular type of forms were worded.

In half an hour we had found eighty three different forms. They had a great many similarities but a great many differences too. We worked on a form that suited us the best and the fabricator produced the documents with the words already on it. We were happy to see that none required a magistrate but all had lawyers signatures affixed to them. This was mainly as a witness though and anybody else could substitute.

When we finished this task the activity in the back had stopped too. All three had been too tired to continue but I knew that Tom would try if needed. We drove to a third section of town and found Herminia's apartment. It was a small affair but suitable for her needs. It even had a second bedroom that was now used as a catchall. This could be justified as being Alita's new bedroom to the girl's father.

It was almost an hour before Herminia got up. Tom and Margaret had done so after a rest of only ten minutes. They had checked on our progress and were currently studying. Twenty some more years of study meant that if they wanted to do something they had to have the knowledge. At least now, with our improved minds the time taken would be much shorter than what the Seffra could accomplish.

When Herminia was awakening, Tom went back and dressed his newest wife. This took ten minutes because Herminia had to show her appreciation and Tom simply had to stand there and let her please him with her mouth. Margaret soon had to go back and help. This was getting a lot like what it was like on my ship. The Seffra always loved sex and were at it constantly. Because it was tempered with so much love it was never a chore.

Herminia saw us sitting at the table and from the screen knew where we were. We were invited up to her apartment which we accepted. She had a bit of mail and her answering machine had some calls on it. Two were from Emilio. He wanted to go out with her but again his mother was sick and needed him. It looked like the man would want his new wife to look after his mother as her primary job. He complained that he had important things to do but was unable to do them.

Herminia told us of her talk with her grandmother and stated her objection to the upcoming marriage. The situation was explained with Herminia mentioning that she had been married before and now saw that the marriage would not work. She did get her grandmother to remain quiet until she either told Emilio or she changed her mind once more. The old woman allowed her to stay at the house for as long as it took and in this way Emilio was a bit further away and less likely to visit.

Thursday and Friday were torture for Alita but she was granted some freedom to be with her mother on the weekend. Salvador had a date with Maria and wondered what was going to come of it. This way he may have a chance to stay over one night if the boys got to sleep early...

Damita, the grandmother gave some excuses to Emilio that would keep the man away long enough for her granddaughter to change her decision back again. She did see that Herminia was the happiest she had ever been and knew that love had to be making her act this way. This also meant that it was not Emilio that was doing this.

Friday afternoon Herminia joined us and immediately went into the back with Tom and Margaret. We picked up Alita at the school with her father's blessings. She too went in the back to see what was happening and this required her to dress for the occasion.

We drove for an hour to get to Madrid. Here Tommy and Consti made new clothes for the newest members of our family and we went out to see the sights and enjoy some of the entertainment. Alita liked the excitement and especially the plays. Music was to be found everywhere and it made her heart soar once again to be part of this.

Sandra, Megan and I flew the Mercedes back to the moon mainly because there was little room in the motorhome. There was still lots of work to do and we could get to Earth in a matter of minutes. Tom now had use of the back bed.

Pat'uch, our newest computer had everything under control but we worked with the simpler computer Cordo to fabricate some of the finer detailed devices. It was also fun to be home again and we spent a great amount of time getting to know each other a bit better. When not in this pursuit we were studying. We could do the same thing on Earth but it was much more quiet here and we seemed to get much more done.

Our perimeter of probes were well passed Vega and out to a range of forty five lights. There was even a habitable planet around one star and at one time had a civilization but it was now long gone. We didn't know yet whether the destruction came from within or without. Though it had happened over a hundred thousand years ago I felt apprehensive that it could still happen here.

The same pickets were on the lookout for Seffra message torpedos so that we could get an update on what was happening but as yet we had found none.

Our search of the Sol system found fragments of the large ship but nothing more of value. Other nearby systems were now being canvassed to find what they had collected since the ship apparently exploded. We had hoped to find some life pods but they either didn't get a chance to eject, felt that perhaps death was much better than capture or they were rescued. We did know that there was a serious battle and we had not found any apparent fragments of an enemy's shipping.

The diamonds had all been sold. I had to go back to Earth to pick up another load of heavy elements and pay the price I stated I would pay for it. Our own reactor was now producing some of what we needed but the stockpile from Earth would be appreciated when the large engines were being constructed.

The man selling the shipment knew what to expect and was very eager indeed for the completion of the agreement. Mr Iwasaki was not to sell these services anymore but got a slight improvement himself for his efforts. He now had two pregnant women that were wives in all but name. He would need the energy to keep up with both and the children they would bear him.

George Mason had asked if we needed more in his email and I inquired into how much work he had done on my behalf. It turned out to be little and I told him that it was presently not needed. He had heard about the two perverts that were apprehended just outside the washroom in New York and had to attribute the matter to me. He never said anything directly but I knew that he trusted me more than his people or any others he had to deal with. He knew I paid, even if I could have stolen what he had gathered for me.

Giuseppe Grossi was supposed to be still looking for me but George said that he was probably afraid of ever finding me again. My description had been sent through government files by paid informers and as yet they have not found me. This could get me into trouble though if a mob figure or an honest cop reported seeing me. I knew that not everybody knew just who they were working for.

Odava and Ichom flew up to meet us and get us to assist in planting some of the new varieties of trees and plants they had found. We had not seen each other in months and it was always good to meet like this. Ichom was showing more than Sandra and Megan. That was the nature of their race and would have her child sooner too Sandra and Megan would have a short pregnancy for the children would meet us eighty two days sooner than Humans.

The child would be developed enough at this time to begin feeding just like a Human child would do. This was even ten days sooner than what a Seffra child would take to be birthed.

We planted the trees as Ichom wanted. This by some strange coincidence was the exact way Odava wanted them too. This was usually the same way with me and us poor males had to stick together. He did seem happier though and the thoughts of his future parenthood made him think a bit differently but then again I guess I did the same thing.

The five of us flew some large structural members up to the ship vaguely forming over our heads. Small machines controlled by one of the computers would align and fuse the various portions. As yet three months showed very little differences though many small jobs had been carried out. The mass of the ship was so great that it was difficult to see some of the construction as other than minuscule.

It was now Thursday in Spain and Tom was going to get Herminia to ask Alita's father to sign the papers. We didn't know how long it would take until the two friends said something and it eventually got back to Salvador or Emilio. As yet they had not said anything to anybody other than Herminia.

We parted company with Odava and Ichom and flew to Spain. The two Gossna were going to stay a while and get some of the smaller plant forms established before returning to the Amazon.

It was six in the afternoon when we arrived. We greeted the family and only Herminia was with us. Alita was at her father's home waiting for us with instructions to stay out of the way unless she was called on. I found that Tom and Margaret had gone a bit too far in my opinion. They had been giving Salvador images of him living happily with Maria and her two sons and then showing Maria and Alita constantly arguing. Salvador though was caught in the middle and this was hurting his family either one way or another.

They had also tinkered with Alita's body and she was now having the first of her menstrual cramps. She had complained long and hard to her father to find some relief. He had a vague idea and called a relative that lived in the same building to see what she could do.

The pads had been too big and too uncomfortable and he had to drive around and ask for products a mother should be getting. It wasn't right for a man to do this he thought.

Herminia rang the door bell the next day and Salvador opened the door. "Come on in Herminia. Alita will be ready in a few minutes."

"Thanks Sal. I have something to talk to you about that should be between just us for a moment."

"What is it? Are you in trouble?"

"No, I'm not Sal. Thanks for your concern but it is something else Let's sit and we can talk." Once in the kitchen and further away from Alita's room Herminia said, "I know we had our differences when we broke up but we have both grown quite a bit. You have had Alita since she was seven but now she is starting to be a young lady. She needs someone that will understand her better. A mother is the best, I think. What do you think of her living with me until she is old enough to choose her own path?"

This was a shock to Salvador and he wondered how this coincidence had come about. He needed an out and one came by. He loved his daughter, but it was true that she was changing. Men were the strong gender and able to do almost anything but he still knew his limitations. The divorce had hurt even if he had been the one demanding it. Alita lived here but half of the weekends she went with her mother. The only thing that hurt was that he had fought for the right to raise his daughter and now he was just asked to give in.

Salvador asked, "What about Emilio? He has to say he will raise our daughter."

"That is a trouble Sal. I have been doing a lot of thinking about Emilio and I cannot see myself and him being happy for too long. I know it was a mistake to say yes and I want to go to him today and break our wedding off. I need someone much more stable, someone that has some of your abilities. Emilio is too wrapped up with is mother and she tells him exactly what to do."

"What does Alita think of this?"

"I have talked to her but I could not dangle a carrot in front of her without hurting her if you say no. She loves us both but now a mother is what she needs I think. I know that her first period will be coming soon and that means that you would have to deal with it. If she is like me then she will be hard to live with when that time of the month rolls around."

Salvador said, "I have noticed that she is getting a bit crabby lately but I thought that was because of the thoughts of losing you."

"That maybe so but it could be the other too. It has to happen soon she is going on thirteen and if she doesn't get a period she will have to go to the doctor to see why not."

"That's true, she has to mature. I think we can do this. How much money will you want to help you raise her?"

Herminia let a long held breath leave her. "I want to move. Grandma has some nice rooms in Toledo. There's a chance of a much better job and more money. There's a very good chance that you will have to pay nothing."

Now it was Salvador's turn to breathe easier. "That means that she has to change schools and leave all of her friends."

"Any new school will accept her. She is bright and will still pass her year. The friends are a telephone call away and she will make more friends in a larger city."

"Well, if you want, I will give my consent Herminia."

"Thank you Sal from both of us. There will be some problems with taxes, church, schools, insurance, hospitalisation and the courts. You will have to sign some papers to make this happen."

Salvador could see the logic and said, "Bring the papers and I will sign them."

"I hoped you would say that Sal. I had these papers drawn up. It shows that you do not have to provide support. We do need some witnesses though. Are your brother and his wife living down the hall still?"

Salvador had not expected this so quickly but wasn't too upset. He read the simple papers and it listed his obligations. There were very few and each was spelled out explicitly. These only lasted until Alita reached the age of majority. Herminia was taking on all of the expenses and the great majority of the obligations. Visiting rights were similar to now and all he had to do was to call ahead and get a weekend off with Alita. Already the girl was wanting to be with her friends and his time with her would slowly decrease to nothing even if she stayed. He had the best years with her.

"I'll call my brother and his wife. I better talk to Alita first though and see if this is what she wants."

"Thanks Sal. You were always a good father."

Alita was called and she came in very pensively. When the question was asked she screamed her joy and hugged her father very strongly and almost made him fall off his chair.

"Well I guess that answers that question. I will get your uncle and aunt."

It was ten minutes later that Salvador came back with two others and their grown son. Salvador was now upset because of the argument they just had. The relatives had seen it as a breaking up of the family.

They talked to Herminia and demanded some legitimate answers then asked Alita if she wanted this arrangement. They did sign the papers though because it was what Salvador, Herminia and Alita wanted.

Alita though had to stay until Friday so her clothing and other belongings could be shipped out. Herminia kissed Salvador and said, "Let's go out and celebrate. It's my treat and I'm inviting all of you."

They grudgingly agreed and they went out to eat. This led to drinking and eventually Herminia had to help her former husband home with her daughter's help. Herminia slept on the bed with her daughter that night because it would otherwise be a ride home in the dark which she didn't like. It was also what had been suggested by her new family.

Herminia had given her notice after working last Monday and found that the boss was angry enough to just terminate her that day. Emilio though would be saved for tomorrow.

The next day Herminia was up early and had breakfast made like she had done many years ago. Alita was up early too. Herminia had to waken Salvador as she had to do many times before. He did get up and complained of a headache but did eat his meal. He now talked to Alita to find her aspirations that he had not been able to ask even a week ago.

Herminia said, "I'm driving in Alita today and there's a lot of things I have to get from her school."

"Do you need anything from me?"

"Just your good wishes Sal We can go a long way on that. I can have the movers come over today and I will watch the apartment for you. We can have a nice meal here before we leave if you would like that?"

"That sounds good." He turned to his daughter and through the headache said, "I miss you already Sweetheart. I know you'll just be a short drive away but already your parents are not as popular as your friends."

"You are my father Daddy. You will always be my father and I love you."

An hour after they all left Herminia opened the door to the apartment and all of us assisted her in moving her daughter's property. Old homework projects and more complicated ones were taken along with photos and even toys. The furniture was left because we had no use for it and it was in good condition. If Maria and her sons moved in then the furnishings would come in handy.

Tom and Margaret took Herminia out to shop at the food market. She bought lots of the things Salvador should have had but didn't buy. He liked to make things fancy but preparing it simply was much easier and quicker. She did the laundry and other things that she had done before so that Sal would have a clean house. This was a sort of catharsis for her and we let her work. We also left her alone to allow her to do this in peace.

Alita came home a bit earlier than usual and found her mother there and her room bare of personal effects. This brought some tears from each of the women. They had recovered by the time Salvador came home. He looked all through the house and saw it the way he liked it to be and not the way he left it this morning. He remembered all the fun times they had while married and what it was like with their only child.

He saw the bedroom stripped of personal belongings and this just reminded him of the hole that would now be in his life. Maria though promised to more than fill it if and when he asked though.

At seven o'clock they all kissed and hugged. Alita got into her mother's car after leaving the apartment for the last time. Ten minutes later Alita was in the motorhome and all of us were crying with the two new family members. In half an hour Herminia left to have her final talk with Emilio and her mother.

Herminia came back an hour later in tears because of the way they had treated her, especially Emilio's mother. She did find solace in the back bedroom but most of it was simply holding and expressing grief at burnt bridges.

I had another job to do with my wives. I could have done it alone but we worked as a unit now and enjoyed it that way. Sandra, Megan and I ran through the streets of Toledo at night after running from Aranjuez. It was a good run and the first real exercise we had in a long time.

The three of us slipped into Damita's home. This situation warred with my ethics. Damita owned her own body but we wanted to keep her healthy for much longer. She may object to this if she were to know and we had to be our brother's keeper in this respect. The med unit went to work on the sleeping woman. It worked for more than the usual time. Damita had many problems and we not only wanted to not only make her life more comfortable but to allow her to live longer. Arthritis and a minor case of undiagnosed diabetes were only some of her problems. She was only slightly overweight at the hips and legs and her body would find more energy from stored fat. She would consume less food until she got to a predetermined weight.

There were other people living in the home and the med unit worked on them too but only to speed healing and remove diseases. Some probes were left to keep track of this important family. We were back in enough time to get our rest and wake up with the rest of the family.

Herminia felt very free now. Tom reminded her though that more had to be done. "Herminia, you now have to clean out your apartment of all your personal effects. Leave everything else to your relatives or to charity. You are now wealthy and do not need your old furniture, household articles and clothing. Your car is the same way. You have to pay the penalty on your lease and all other debts you have. Close your bank accounts and collect all your important papers including those of Alita. You and Alita are now part of our family, the way you were destined to be."

She thought about what was necessary and found that she was being cut off from all that she knew. The prospect of a happier life with people she really loved made her accept the necessary changes.

That day Tom and Margaret drove in the 'Mercedes' with Herminia and Alita to do what was necessary. Relatives came to her apartment and she gave them her possessions. Some were asked to deliver other articles to those that were not able to come. Tom and Margaret stayed with the pair and met the relatives until Damita got close and then they fled.

The old woman was now able to get along much better and got a ride to see what was happening. She was given some new dresses that were much too small but Herminia had been told to say, "Grandmother, in three months they will fit. You will be needing them. You will be going out dancing and maybe finding a date to take you."

Damita was angry at this but had to admit that she did feel much better. When the old woman finally left everything had been taken care of. Phone numbers were given so they could all keep in touch but the address was never given.

It was late by the time everything was done. This time Herminia looked back at her home for the last time but was not as teary eyed as her daughter had been when leaving hers.

The motorhome was parked and many people were still walking around. Tom said, "It's about time you learned a lot more about us."

Herminia said, "I have been waiting for this talk for a long time."

"Well first of all..." He went into his ancestry and that of Margaret to show that he was born a Human. "We have done our best to never lie to either of you but some things were kept hidden until you had a chance to know us better. Sandra, Megan and Tommy are our children."

"What? They can't be. That's impossible."

"Very possible if Margaret and I found what Juan Ponce de León had been looking for."

"You have the Fountain of Youth? That's a myth."

"I am two years older than you and Margaret is really your age of thirty seven. You wondered why a young man like me was chasing a mature woman like you. Well it's because you are not as old as you think."

"But... but that is only a story."

"You are right in a way. There is no fountain but we have found a way to make our bodies repair themselves as much as we need, even change our apparent age, hair colour and features. One of the nice things is that our intelligence has shot up."

"I know you all are very intelligent, while..."

"We want to give you this ability too. You will be young again. Your aches and pains will be banished along with blemishes and perhaps some hair that gets caught in my teeth."

Herminia blushed considerably and finally peaked to see Tom smiling at her. He continued, "This is the first thing that we are offering you. What do you think?"

"This... this... is fantastic. I didn't know..."

"What do you think Alita? You may not need to get young but you will be very intelligent and able to learn a great deal. Your memory will be much better and easier to search when you want to remember something."

"I always wanted to be a doctor. Could you help me do this?"

"Sweetie, you will be a doctor that the world would look up to but that is only one of the things you will be. How about adding a researcher trying to find diseases and cures for them? You can find miracle drugs in your spare time that cures the entire race. You will also become an engineer and a scientist in every other branch of learning. This will take years but not that long considering how long you will live."

"How long is that... husband?"

"Basic training for us used to take twenty some years. We can get it down to eight now if we didn't have to work so hard. Your life expectancy will be measured in thousands of years. You may get bored of seeing our faces and those of our decedents but you will be a productive member of our society until you decide to end it. I do not know the maximum amount of years you have but it may just be limited by how much you want to stay alive and help your family."

She had very wide eyes and said, "I could live forever?"

"I think you can. It might get pretty boring after three or four thousand years. You would have seen everything many times but you get to learn a lot."

Alita's eyes sparkled even more now. We all knew her vote. Tom looked at Herminia and she was smiling too. "So we have two people that want a sip from the Fountain of Youth but we have more to offer."

Herminia said, "What could top that?"

"With our increased intelligence and memory we have gained the ability to see auras. You would get this ability too. We can also read minds like the Indian Swami. We speak this way normally so that it is quicker and much more accurate. What do you think?"

We all saw two open mouths and Tom reached out and with a finger under each jaw closed their mouths. "Can't have bugs fly in. Can we?"

"You can talk with your mind?" Alita said.

"We have learned how to receive but everybody can transmit just not too far. Talk to me Alita and we will have a conversation and I will let Herminia hear what we say. Later she will talk and you will hear."

The talking was very excited for the two newcomers but we had to wait as if listening to a recording played very slow but then again that was the natural way Humans thought.

We got out of the motorhome and walked through a park and talked silently to each other. We wanted Tom's new wives to feel safe and knowing that they were trusted to be with others. A meal at a restaurant proved interesting when the waiter's thoughts were broadcast. Herminia and Alita were quite shocked to find out what a cesspool most people's minds were. We had just come to accept it and of course deal with it.

When we returned to the motorhome Tom said, "So how are we now with your choices? Do you want to join us in this new way?"

Herminia asked, "How do you do this?"

"This you will like. We make love. A block is put on your mind that keeps you from orgasming. When you get even more like an animal than usual, we do a bit of rearranging. A few instructions on how to rearrange your own house and the procedure is started. In a little over a week you are done the first step. Your IQ will roughly grow to the 1000 to 1200 range. The next step brings it up higher but there is no suitable Human terms to define it yet. There is one more secret though that you should know about first."

"What's that?"

"Let Leif tell you. It is easier if he just sends you the images he had as he grew up and then a sampling to what he did until now."

"Ok."

I said, "You better go to the bathroom now. It is like a miniseries and you may not want to leave until it's done."

When the two got back I had them lay on the bed and then I began with what it was like on my ship when I was young. I touched on the Seffra society and how it worked. The two girls were not upset about this because it was seen as a very vivid movie.

I went through my training and my friendships. The things that I had found and what I had done to reach Earth came much later. What I did to get the Claystones to join me and what we were doing on the far side of the moon were listed. The final thing I showed them was their place in our society. They would now be crew and this would almost be as close as what their present family was.

They appeared to just wake up and it was now dark. Alita ran to me and said, "Captain, I want to join if I may."

"You certainly may. You will have a lot of babies I am afraid but they will not be as big as what you are used to now. It'll still be uncomfortable. If you are lucky only some will look like their father. We can hope that they look like you instead."

I got a hug and a kiss this time and it was the best way to show that she had now accepted us. She was talking to Margaret and Tom when Herminia got up from the bed.

"Was all that real?" She asked me.

"It was as accurate as my memory allows. Many points have been glossed over and many more not mentioned at all because of the time limitations. When your brain had been strengthened I will give you all of what I knew about the race I was born into."