Chapter 345

The Retreat – New Year's Eve

With all the Alphas and their women gathered in the living room, Diana paced. "It's New Year's Eve. Why aren't they here? I'm beginning to get really worried."

Jeff caught her hand as she walked by, pulling her onto his lap. "They said they would be here in time. We still have more than three hours before the New Year. They're both very capable young women and they have spent many hours at the Academy training for surveillance missions. They'll be okay."

"But we really don't know much about the aliens. Suppose they are able to discover the scout despite its invisibility shields."

"Look, Baby, the scout has a lot more going for it than just invisibility. It's also invisible to all other types of radiation while in stealth mode. Nothing on Earth can penetrate its shields in that mode. Chances are the aliens don't have equipment that will, either. I'm the first to admit that plans frequently go awry, but ... we'll worry after the girls are late. If they are very late, I'll take the Ship and go looking for them."

"But darnit, Ann is my sister-wife, and Arlene is my daughter and my sister-wife, and ... I'm worried. I knew this was too dangerous..."

"Look, Baby, they've done this before and so have Dave and Evie. The aliens didn't find them then, and they won't find them now."

Jeff tensed as Ship sent him a mental message, but quickly relaxed. Before Di could ask, he responded with, "Your worries are over. They just broke out of warp, and will soon be entering atmosphere," he told his wife with a grin. "Shall we wait for them here, or go greet them?"

His question was answered before it was half finished, because Diana was already scrambling from his lap. "Let's go," she said, grabbing his hand. Then, when she was on her feet, "Come on, everybody. They're back," she called out as she tried to drag her chuckling husband out the door.

Good, he thought. Now I won't have to make a big deal about getting everyone on the Ship.

Some walked or jogged, others piled into the Escalades, but all were in a great mood, laughing and kidding. Within minutes, the whole group straggled onto the flight deck just in time to see the scout come through the port, and moments later, settle into its parking slot. The belly hatch opened and the two young women, clad in their uniforms, waving and smiling, hurried down the steps with their small cases in hand.

Diana hurried to meet them half way, grabbing both in a double hug.

"Wow. What's up, Mom?" Arlene got out as Diana finally released the two of them.

"I was worried," the Clan Queen exclaimed. "Why were you two gone so long? It's almost New Years. I thought you would have been back yesterday."

Arlene and Ann both turned, and as one, came to attention and saluted the scout.

A halo of power surrounded the small ship for a second, then, "He says, 'thank you, ' and returns the salute," Ship said aloud.

Jeff was suddenly very proud of his two young wives, but he suspected something had happened. He desperately wanted to ask them about the details of their trip, but not in front of his worried Clan Queen, saying instead, "Everything okay?"

As he locked eyes with Arlene, she knew he was asking if everything really was okay, but she grinned and replied. "Really, okay, Daddy. The aliens still have no idea they're being watched, and Daddy..."

"Yeah, Baby."

"That is one great little ship," she said as she glanced again at the scout.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. Now, he was positive that something had happened, but it was obvious that Arlene didn't want to talk about it in front of her mother, either.

Since Diana was looking at Arlene and Ann, she didn't notice the expression that had crossed her husband's face, but the girls caught it, and Arlene surreptitiously winked at her father.

"So," Arlene said as Ann positioned herself on one side of her husband with Arlene on the other, both with an arm around his waist, "too bad we aren't close enough to Winter Park to see the fireworks. I assume we have plenty ourselves, though."

Jeff knew that she was directing the conversation away from the mission before her mother could start asking questions, so he went along with the new direction, and it fit perfectly with what he intended doing. "We do, indeed, have fireworks, and Security has a show set up for us, but ... I've asked them to hold off until midnight."

"But..." Ann started.

Jeff grinned and said, "Later, Baby. For now, let's all meet in the lounge."

That took a bit longer because everyone wanted to say hello to the newly returned wives first.

With a mental command from Jeff, Ship, who was already several thousand feet up, lowered the lighting in the lounge. Holographic images surrounded the room showing the Earth below, and included a view of space projected on what should be the ceiling. What clouds there were disappeared with Ship's magic, leaving a view of the lights of Winter Park a few miles away.

With a momentary blur to the holo, Ship translated to high above Times Square, New York City, and a little to the side. The magnified view of the proceedings was perfect.

After a gasp of recognition from everyone, Jeff stood up to announce, "We have awhile before it's midnight in Times Square. After the show here, I have selected several locations that are supposed to have some impressive fireworks displays. We'll move with the time zones for a couple of hours, winding up back home at midnight local time. Since it's a clear night for most of the US, we should have a ringside seat."

With Ship's technology, the forward holo showed the ball poised high over One Times Square. As the crowd chanted the seconds down from a minute, the Matthews clan joined in.

"I'm still not completely convinced that they're not alien," Matt's wife, Courtney, whispered into his ear as the count continued. "Did you know Jeff was going to have Ship take us up tonight?"

"Didn't have a clue that we were up until those screens or holographs or whatever they are came on just then. I thought we were still sitting out back of the Retreat."

As the count neared zero, everyone came to their feet, the wives surrounding their husbands, everyone chanting the count for the last ten seconds.

"Happy New Year," everyone screamed in unison and, even in the big room, it was loud.

Kisses and hugs filled the next few minutes, and there were a few tears of joy as well before the scene shifted to the fireworks displays when Ship hopped them from city to city as they crossed the nation.

As they watched the fireworks, other types of displays were suddenly present as well. Finger food and drinks adorned the long bar, their elegant display surpassed only by the giant punch bowl with its fountain of multicolored drink spiraling upward enhanced by its own holographic lighting and augmented by the low gravity field surrounding the big bowl.

"Oh, Jeff. This is beautiful," Diana said yet again. "You did a superb job."

But Jeff was shaking his head. "No. No. It wasn't me. All I did was ask Ship to set up something to welcome in the New Year. She did all of this."

I incorporated several ideas I have accumulated in my data banks concerning celebrations, Ship projected into their minds.

"And you did a beautiful job of it," Diana returned.

Thank you, My Queen, Ship returned with emotion. The praise that had come from Diana brought pride to the Ship that showed even in her mental voice.

Later, while they hovered over the Retreat after Security's fireworks display, Jeff turned to walk to the airlock, planning on using his radio to compliment and thank them, but Ship spoke in his mind. It is no longer necessary for you to open the airlock to transmit to your people. I have designed a dimensional portal that will allow your radio to operate through my shields, but it will be necessary to inform me when the need arises in order for me to open the portal for you.

Thank you, Ship. That was thoughtful of you.

It also facilitated my tapping into your world's data bases, Ship assured him.

"Vulnerability?" Jeff quizzed in his mind. "Will an enemy's energy beam be able to penetrate your shields through the same path?"

The portal is routed through multiple dimensions. There is no direct path, and even if there were, it could be blocked before a bolt of energy could penetrate.

In that case, well done! Please open a channel for me. I wish to talk with Security.

Channel open, Captain, the Ship responded in a very sexy voice.

Chuckling, Jeff keyed his throat mike to thank Lieutenant Mayfield for the work he and his people had put into the fireworks display.

While everyone was winding down from their trip and the fireworks displays, Diana sat in her husband's lap as she quietly said in his ear, "You're not planning to get up and run at four, are you?"

"Well, I had thought I would start the New Year out by..."

" ... making love to your wives," she inserted as she nipped his ear. "Oh, you screw us unconscious every night by mentally connecting us all together, but tonight, well, this morning," she amended with a quiet giggle as she glanced at her watch, "I want you to take the time to physically make love to each of your wives. We want to start the New Year with our pussies full of your sperm."

"Di," he whispered, "there are fourteen of you..."

"Oh, bullshit, Husband. You're a Prime. You can come one time right after another if you want to. And that cock of yours will stay hard forever."

Jeff smiled back at her. "I suppose my body could produce the sperm and semen, but if I actually ejaculate fourteen times, I'll be a walking skeleton by the time I'm finished," he exaggerated.

"So? We'll feed you a few hamburgers or steaks now and then. There's no hurry. Baby, we're your women. This is our first New Year with all of us together. We all want to feel that we're special to you. Humor us, please."

This is insane, he thought. I'm actually arguing about being asked to come in fourteen beautiful women. He squeezed her to him. "I'll give it my best shot," he said, then realizing the double entendre, grinned and said, "But I get breakfast in bed. By then, I'll darn sure need it."

"Deal," the Clan Queen responded. "Now, have Ship put us on the ground so you can begin showing your wives that you love them."

"Yes, Dear," he replied with a grin, drawing out the term, then, "Ouch," as she pinched him.

Nashville, Tennessee

Charlotte and her mother had ushered in the New Year by watching the ball drop on TV. An hour later when it was midnight in Nashville, they watched out their front window as the sky lit up from the city's fireworks display.

There were loud parties going on all up and down the block, so they didn't go to bed until a little after two in the morning. She and her mother had drunk more wine than they should have, and would pay for it when they awoke, but even though she had more alcohol in her body than she had in years, Charlotte still could not sleep.