Chapter 712

The Retreat

Arlene and Ann finally managed to get Jeff reasonably alone for a couple of minutes. After kissing him passionately, Arlene transferred Little One to the Prime’s shoulder, where she made her way under his collar to her usual resting place spread across his back. As soon as she had settled in, he told her how much he loved and missed her before giving her a brief account of the trip.

Little One told him how much she missed him and shared the happenings in Germany. All of this was done at mental speeds inside Jeff’s mind and was a much more detailed accounting of events than it would have been if put into spoken words.

When the girls saw the blush creep across their husband’s face, they looked at each other and smiled. Arlene cleared her throat to get Jeff’s attention. “We’ll give you the details later, but when we managed to find Phillip and Dessie, he was paralyzed while on their hiking trip, and Dessie couldn’t leave to go get help because he had no way to drink water or basically do anything for himself. He would have died before she could get to the castle and back. Besides, Emergency Services are still few and far between in that end of Germany. It’s all a long story, but we had to block Phillip and Dessie along with everyone at the castle. Since Little One had to practically enhance Phillip when she healed him and had to do almost as much to Fischer because of his liver, we had little choice but to block and enhance everyone there.”

Ann stepped in, kissed her husband and said, “We couldn’t do anything else, and they are truly great people anyway.”

Arlene inserted, ‘Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I think that Phillip and Dessie want to go with us on our vacation, if you will permit them to do so.”

Jeff just smiled at his wives. “They are Selina’s parents, so there’s no way I could tell them no. Sounds as if the two of you had no choice about the blocks or the enhancements. I’m anxious to hear all the details when we manage to have time.”

“Thank you, Husband,” Arlene said in a rush. “We were worried about having to reveal so much to them, but there just didn’t seem to be any other way. The block was the only answer, and they all readily agreed to it. Oh, and another thing: the power is still out over much of that end of Germany, and Mia needs to check on her generators every day, or at least every other day. If the generators shut off for some reason, she could lose an awful lot of food that she will need for her guests when the helicopter flights to the castle start up again.”

“Thanks for letting me know, but do what you must. You don’t have to ask me. However, when we get the time, I would love to hear the details, and I imagine that all my other wives would want to as well.”

“We missed you, Husband,” both girls said before kissing him again.

“By the way,” Ann asked, “who is this new girl that Helen and Kayla sneaked off with to show her our bedroom? That makes us wonder if they aren’t checking out a new wife candidate for you, hmmm?”

Jeff let out a fake sigh while thinking of denying his attraction to Emma, but after one look at their faces, he knew that his wives would catch the lie immediately. Instead, he said, “She is nice, and she was strong during our problems on the cavern planet.”

Kayla and Helen, seeing the others in the alcove just down from the living room, hurried over. After a brief kiss from each, Kayla said, “I think you did well with our new guest, Husband. Helen and I think she would make you a great wife, and we almost have her talked into going on the trip with us. However, if the General wants to hurry back to the base first thing in the morning...”

Arlene grinned as she inserted, “ ... Then we need to strike first. Didn’t you say she was an anthropologist when you introduced her?” At Jeff’s nod, Arlene went enthusiastically on as she grabbed her husband’s hands. “She could be Jasmine’s assistant. Why don’t we push to have her assigned to the trip? That way, we won’t have to worry about her making up her mind; the General will make it up for her.”

“I don’t know...” Jeff began. “Agreed that she seems to be a nice person, but we don’t really know her that well.”

“Oh, poo,” Arlene injected, “We’ve had a similar discussion time and again when considering potential wives. Primes, or at least the one we know,” she said with a grin, “casts his net quickly. She’s already caught; she just hasn’t fully realized it yet. And, Husband, you fall in love just as quickly. Don’t bother saying it won’t work because you know it will. Just look at all the wives you have now, and there are never any major problems between us. We’ve all discussed it, and we think you are the reason. Anyway, I’ve briefly talked to all my sister-wives, and they think Emma would fit in well. So, it’s settled as far as we are concerned.”

“What’s settled?” Jeff asked, not quite caught up yet.

“That you’re going to ask the General to assign her to Ship for the duration, of course,” Arlene said. “And you need to do it soon because we’ll be gone a couple of years. We don’t know anything about Emma’s family, but she will probably need to take care of some personal things before she moves out here. She seems in good physical condition, but I don’t know how well she will do on the obstacle course, and the same goes for Selina’s Mom and Dad,” Arlene added.

After a couple of seconds, she went on, “Come to think of it, they all probably need to get started on training for the course as soon as possible. You might mention that to the General when you ask to have Emma transferred to the crew. She looks like a runner, but that’s just a guess. If she isn’t, she will have to work hard to pass the obstacle course by the time we leave. As one of the General’s people, she has been blocked, but she needs to be enhanced too. Lots to get done soon if we adhere to your schedule, Husband.”

“All personnel have to pass a minimum physical screening every year at the base, so it shouldn’t take too much to bring her up to speed. Also, for the last six months, all the scientists have had to have some minimum training with the pulse rifle, but you’re right, we need to bring her up to speed if she is going with us,” Jeff said.

The Prime sighed as he stood with Arlene, Ann, Helen and Kayla, knowing that the chances were good that he would soon have another wife unless he really raised hell, and he did enjoy being around Emma. “Before we go too far with this, we need to bring Diana up to speed on your plans,” Jeff reasoned, “And instead of just blundering on with this, you might even subtly check out Emma’s feelings for me as a possible husband.”

“We already have, and she definitely likes you,” Helen said. “However, it seems that she has had a bad experience with a man and is very skeptical about any close male associations since then. She didn’t tell us specifically that we couldn’t tell you about what happened to her, but I wouldn’t want to say something that she might feel should remain her private business.”

Arlene inserted, “In the next weeks, we’ll tell Emma lots of our secrets, but we’re certainly not going to tell her everything — yet. We’ve even told her a few things about you, but we didn’t go into ‘personal’ details. We’ll let her realize what a good catch you are on her own. By the time we leave on our trip, I suspect she’ll be on board in more ways than one.”

“Hey, I’ve been right here except for the rescue trip,” Jeff said, frustrated. “Don’t you think it might have been a good idea to consult with me before all of you, and especially you two,” he said, referring to Helen and Kayla, “went after another wife for me? Chances are, you have already started her thinking about me for a mate — right?”

Both Helen and Kayla blushed as Jeff went on. “I’ve never even kissed her, and if I did, she would probably slap the shit out of me. You guys need to throttle back on this. There is always the possibility, though slight,” he said sarcastically, “that I might have some input of my own on the subject.”

“But, Husband,” Arlene said as she stepped closer and pulled his arm around her while making sure her breast pressed against his side, “if we wait and the General sends her on another expedition — which you know he will — chances are we won’t see her for years. Please, my darling Husband, if you make us back off now, she’ll be gone, and we know she’ll make a great wife for you. Not guess or assume, but know it. And, you very well know that another anthropologist should be of help to Jasmine. Had you rather have a male anthropologist go on the trip with us?

Jeff frowned, obviously not liking the idea.

“Before you say anything, I’ve talked to Jasmine, and she says she knows Emma and is looking forward to working with her,” Arlene argued.

Arlene, Ann and Kayla passed a glance before they all said, “Besides, we always consult with you.”

Funny, I don’t always remember it that way. But thinking about my wives, there aren’t any of them that I would swap for any woman I have ever seen.

“Where is she now,” Jeff asked with a sigh. “And by the way, did you guys do this for all my marriages?”

“Of course not...” Kayla said — “just some of them.” Then to herself, because I wasn’t here for the first ones. Diana was, though, and so was Arlene.

We’re supposed to meet the General in the conference room in ten minutes,” Jeff finally said to break an uneasy silence.

“Emma is already there. Helen and I just dropped her off,” Kayla responded.

“Then I have to go,” Jeff said as he kissed his wives and hurried down the hall while wondering what had just happened. I’ve never even kissed this woman, and my wives already have her married to me. Hmmm, she fills out her blouse nicely, though. I wonder how sensitive her nipples are.

Forty-five minutes later, Jeff and Emma, after being debriefed, walked into the living room where Mia and her group were chatting with several of Jeff’s wives. “Sorry for the delay, folks, but I’m sure that Diana and my other wives have taken good care of you. Now, since all of us are blocked, I can speak freely. We had a little excitement on the trip, and the General wanted everyone’s memories of the situation recorded while the happenings were still fresh on our minds. The portal was down, and one of the Science Teams was involved in a cave-in on a planet that was supposed to be free of intelligent life, so we had to use Ship to resupply them. Turns out the cavern wasn’t free of intelligent life after all. The two Security Officers that went with the Science Team were severely injured by beings, some of whom were using technology to render themselves virtually invisible.

“We eventually made our exit, left the cavern to its owners and returned to Earth. Emma here beside me is an anthropologist, but she is also certified as a Medic. We were all involved in a firefight while trying to escape the caverns. Unfortunately, the General was hit while protecting Doctor Emerson, the head of the Science Team. Had it not been for Emma here, there is a good chance that General Whitworth wouldn’t have made it. And by the way, where is Doctor Emerson?”

“She said that she was tired and was going to bed,” Emma said.

Jeff was met with blank stares from Mia’s people after his comments, but after a moment, professional curiosity took over, and the two medical doctors began grilling Emma about the General’s injury. The three quickly shifted to technical terms before Jeff tactfully — he hoped — interrupted to continue with his comments.

“I’m aware that I just glossed over many things you have never even heard of before. As I said, you’re blocked now, so as time goes on, we’ll fill you in on the details. I have spoken briefly with Arlene and Ann, and I have been told that you two had a very harrowing experience,” he said as he addressed Dessie and Phillip.

Phillip looked at the others, then spoke up. “Little One healed me ... and beyond. I was totally paralyzed and had been for weeks, according to my wife. I have only vague memories of the time. Between an old garden she found, her slingshot and fishing, she did a marvelous job of keeping us fed. I could not even drink water on my own, so she couldn’t make the two-day trip — one way — to go for help. Between us being in a very sparsely-traveled area and the alien war, no one came by and probably wouldn’t have for months. We, quite literally, owe Arlene, Ann and our wonderful daughter our lives,” he finished as he pulled Selina to him.

Fischer cleared his throat and spoke up. “Little One noticed my color, and from what I was told, insisted that she check me out. She found that I had cancer in my liver and probably didn’t have many days left to live. She healed me, and now I feel better than I ever have in my life. And that was after they rescued Phillip and Dessie. I can never repay Arlene, Ann, Selina and Little One for what they did for me, and I’m sure that Phillip must feel the same way.”

When Jeff turned to his two young wives, they were blushing furiously. “It wasn’t just us,” Arlene denied. “Mia, well, everyone there helped to figure out where they were, and even our interceptor’s AI assisted in finding them. Little One was the one who originally noticed Mr. Fischer’s color. Well, that isn’t exactly true; the doctors noticed but had no way to get him to the equipment needed to diagnose his condition, let alone treat him.”

“That, uh ... Little One also corrected the problem with my heart,” Karl injected.

“I’m proud of all of you,” Jeff said before turning to Arlene and Ann. “I’ll see that your interceptor’s AI contribution is acknowledged as well.”

“He’s campaigning to be pronounced fully sentient, so I’m sure he would appreciate the vote of confidence,” Arlene said.

“Is he?” Jeff asked. “Sentient, I mean.”

Arlene and Ann glanced at each other before Ann said, “Arlene and I have discussed it many times over the last months. The AIs in all the interceptors are smart — highly intelligent — and they often offer suggestions toward almost any problem you present them with, but ... the AI in our interceptor has — on occasion — been embarrassed when his suggestion didn’t pan out — truly embarrassed. Oh, all of them will apologize if they make a suggestion that doesn’t work out, but he seems truly embarrassed, just as a human would be under those circumstances.”

“Let’s make ourselves clear,” Arlene broke in to say. “We aren’t talking about calculations, but guesses where an enemy might have been during the alien war, things like that. The four of us worked together to find Dessie and Phillip. The AI made a suggestion that we took while we were looking for them. Together we found them. When we bragged on him, he seemed embarrassed. That doesn’t happen with the other AIs. Our AI here in the Retreat is sentient, and I think the one on our interceptor has reached that point also.”