Chapter 35

"Too much work by me. Send the pod to earth with a spare engine and bring back my supply of finished crystals and other raw materials. I'd like Hal too. With you to oversee, we can take off some of his restraints. He may be able to do more."

"Hal's personality has been stored and your personality has emerged."

"What do I call the three of you?"

"Anything you want Captain."

"Captain?"

"The personality you place within me was altered by the configuration of components. The same if your personality were to be put in a different brain. I feel confident about the ship and my ability to run it. There is a need for a biological entity to interface with the crew."

"The Tomma will believe that I altered the computer to do this."

"I have thought about this. You are the leading member of the aristocracy presently on the ship. I will support your decisions when the need arrises. Over time I will slowly change to a more pleasant entity as the computer is repaired. A fully functional computer will act sanely and suggest that you become Captain in name as well as fact."

Walt was the name similar to mine that I would use for the name of my personality that resided here in the Fonduush. The 72 at home would have Warren and the unit that housed Hal would be Wayne.

I went back to work on the computer as this was the actual hot spot to get done or at least improved. The pod left with the engine. There was only a short time to talk with my family before I had to begin work. This time, there was an orderly shutdown with the other computers taking the load. When I came out of the computer, the doors closed behind me and I went to my suite to rest and get something to eat.

When I opened the door I found Scarlet there with baby Holly. This sort of thing did not happen on a ship and especially to somebody in the supposed aristocracy.

"My king, why do I have guests?" I wondered what Walt was doing.

"There is a linkage between you and the child. It needs to be strengthened. The woman is now your servant."

"Servant? I need no servant."

"You do and you will also take in the widows and their children."

I desperately wanted to know what was going on. I was sure not going to look like a Captain if this was happening to me. Now I even had to watch my thinking or the Tomma would catch me.

"Will you tell me why, my king?"

"You are depressed and need a family about you."

"But they are not my family."

"They may never be but you need the semblance of one. This is my command."

I tried to see myself in the computer now because that was where I was too. I tended to push people around so they played a part that I wanted them to play. Now it was me with an attitude I guess. The 72 was competent to make decisions even if it was still damaged. I was the one that put my personality in the computer so I would have to live with the results.

"I will abide by your wishes, my king."

Scarlet was looking at me and I walked close. The child's long thin fingers held her mother's bare breast as she fed. I could feel the child's satisfaction and the mother's too. This is the way it had to be and I could see the situation from my other viewpoint. I did need family.

"I'm sorry for involving you with my problems Scarlet."

"It is of no importance." I knew that she lied but she hid it well. "We are all happy that you were able to bring our king back to us."

"I would not be able to if Rokla had succeeded. A lot of... people died to protect our king."

"Do not be concerned. The All Mother and her sisters have welcomed them to sit at her table. They are warriors and died with honour."

"Not all died that way. Some were from missiles."

"They were thrown by our enemies therefor all that died did so in grace."

"The Tomma were the enemy of nobody. They served their king and died because of that."

"The distinction is meaningless. We served our king when many of us died. The enemy of our king is our enemy." This made me feel bad once more.

I said, "I am still sorry that you have to be with an alien."

"You are different but not in a bad way. You need a woman to take care of you."

"You don't understand. I loved Holly and she died."

"Then you should do as the Tomma do and drown your sorrow in the arms of a women."

"I cannot just stop loving Holly. To make love to another is like I am betraying her."

"You are a foolish male. They are all like you. They have such deep feelings. If you love us then you will have to act soon."

"What are you talking about?"

"The area that held our men's sleeping forms was ruptured. The only male that was awake, died bravely defending the computer. Our males cannot last long away from out planet. We can last much longer but we have to know that a male is near."

"You want me to make love to all of you!"

"No for two reasons. You only have to have sex not love and it only has to be with a few. The rest would be satisfied through our link."

"The Fonduush can make it back to Cralto."

"Did you see the damage? We will be years here even with your help. By then a third of us will be dead and the rest nearly insane."

"There is a ship in the hold that can take all the survivors back."

"We will not leave our king."

"We could..."

"You will have to serve. The task is not that hard."

"It is hard if I remember Holly."

"She is with the All Mother and her sisters. We will help you forget."

"But..."

"Get a cloth. Holly has to be burped."

"There are some pieces of cloth in storage. Walk to the wall," Walt ordered as he projected a diagram into my head. I hurried to the area and a hatch opened. A container came into view. I opened it and found soft place mats that would do. I took a few just in case. I had seen children burped before and put one of the mats on Scarlet's shoulder.

"Put it on your own shoulder. You have to burp her. Holly's father is dead and she needs to feel that her father is here."

"She will think that I am her father."

"Is that something that you find objectionable?"

"No, it is a responsibility though. I will feel bad if she is not near."

"Now you know the way the women feel when there is no males near."

"But I will only feel bad if Holly is not near, not die."

"The link between a father and a child is strong but not the same. A male has to be close to the other males to survive and we have to be close to at least one male."

"Our king ordered me to take in the Aristis women and their children too."

"Then you will be a busy man."

I got something to eat now that the synthesiser was working and went to bed. It was not long after that Scarlet climbed into bed with me and with Holly between us. I was actually too tired to fight and just went to sleep. Just before I woke up I saw the village among the red trees with a nebulous image of a large Tomma smiling down on Holly. When I awoke I strangely felt a little better.

Scarlet was gone but Holly was still there. The bed could be put at any height and usually was tucked into the deck above if it was not needed. I put it on the floor and put cushions on both sides of Holly so she would not even have this short fall

I had my breakfast and with still no Scarlet, I went to the next hot spot. I carried the child and met the two techs. This time they were very subservient. I was in favour now and I wore the robe of a ruler.

The techs had prepared some material for engines and I worked on this to make them as accurate as possible. The techs had other duties but marvelled at the one finished unit when it was tested.

When they checked the second unit I said, "Our king has placed all of the Aristis under my care."

They looked apprehensive but I could not quite read their thoughts. "I am too soft to be a good Aristis leader sometimes. I will treat all of you with respect. I warn you though, I am hard, very hard on those that I find are plotting against me."

The first and slightly higher rank tech went by the name Aslerchion so I called him Alex. He said, "We would never think of that. Our king favours you and you hold the lives of those in the ship within your hand, my lord."

I looked at the second tech that I called Toby. He said, "There is no conflict between our clans my lord."

Scarlet came by for Holly and the techs looked at me oddly. I must look weak indeed if I bothered to tend a child and one even of another man and race. Scarlet tended her child and did not mind baring her breasts to the techs.

"Thank you my lord for watching my child while I work. It will not be much longer before I read her thoughts well enough to leave her alone."

"Alone?"

"We do this all the time. We are only a thought away. There is always a protector near in case of trouble."

"Human children need to be tended and watched all the time. If there is a way to get into trouble, they will find it."

"Ours are much the same."

I built six more engines before lunch and I had only seven hundred and thirty eight left to do. A hundred or so was enough and the rest could be done when there was spare time. Spare time was going to be a precious commodity to me.

Just as I began work, my family called up. Betts was first. "Where are you now Wally?"

"I actually have no idea. You'll have to check with the computer at home." The computers though would not feed all the truth. Some data would have to be kept from the Tomma and that could not happen if my family knew everything.

"I'll do that. We learned from the 'computer' that you were hurt but mostly recovered now."

"There was this nasty Aristis by the name of Rokla. He made a play to gain control of the ship while I was here. He's dead now. Rokla, two soldiers and one tech died as they tried to destroy the entity in the computer. The wife of a soldier and the wife of the dead tech died along with one of the woman servants. There are two techs by the name of Alex and Toby still alive. Along with some widows, wives and sixteen children. Our king has instructed me to look after them.

"There were three hundred and nine of them. All but a hundred and three had died. This included all the Tomma males in suspended animation and the one awake. We knew about the Tomma males going off the deep end if they were too long away from their planet, well the women are similar. They need at least one male. They will not abandon their king to go back to Cralto.

"I met a girl here by the name of Holly. I kinda had plans of enlarging our family by one."

"What!"

"Don't get upset. You will never meet her or her mother. They died defending the computer against Rokla."

"No!"

I was quiet because I still hurt. I said, "Get the details from the computer. It still hurts. I work all the time now to just forget."

"I'm sorry Wally."

"That's ok. Will you give my love to everybody. They can listen to the facts too. Upload with happened on earth and I will try to get to it tonight."

"I'll do that Wally and I love you. All of us love you."

"I know that and that is why I am able to carry on."

Work was more sombre until Holly started to cry. I stopped work and held her for a while. This actually relaxed me. I put her back to bed in a portable bed but I stayed with her on the floor and worked on the crystals. I was not as good or fast outside of a computer and managed to get a spare computer opened and I worked within it as I did on earth. This was better and I could even detect Holly but not much. One hand touched her carrier and the connection strengthened enough that I could continue.

Scarlet came a few times and I knew even with my head in the computer. The second time she talked mentally to me when I was there. It only worked when I was near Holly.

I went home late and felt exhausted. My quarters were occupied by many more Tomma. Half of them were the remaining sixteen that were pregnant. I got my meal and offered the rest something to eat but they declined. I ate alone and felt awkward.

I wanted to urge them to leave so I could sleep but Scarlet said, "Lay down and sleep. We will not bother you."

"I can find anther place to sleep and you can stay and talk."

"You will make us feel better if you sleep here with us."

"Is this part of that linkage you were talking about?"

"Yes, just forget we are here."

I went for a shower and debated calling for a robe. Then again, the Tomma were not prudes. At home they were usually naked. I walked out and found the women staring at me like a piece of meat. I got into bed and Scarlet turned down the lights. In a moment the bed moved and a lot more than one woman got into bed with me. It did feel like family, at least my family. I was asleep in just a few moments.

When I woke up, I found that the two women closest to me were the ones closest to term. I was on my back and the women were holding my arms and hands so I was caressing their abdomens. I found that it was not just me that felt at peace but the women too.

I went for another sonic cleansing and when I came out I found the servant that had helped me before. I quizzed Walt and said, "Good morning Jacob. I hope my use of your shortened name is not objectionable?"

"It is more than suitable my lord. It is mark of honour to be given a new name."

"It is not a new name, just a name that is short. Jacob is the closest to your name that we have. I will call you Jacob unless you want some other."

"That is very kind of you. I came here to dress you and bring your food."

I did some thinking. Servants did not know much and were more a willing set of hands. There was repair work but the majority of it was done. It was only the fine tuning that remained and it was the techs that did this. The servants could go on being servants. They did not resent the work and actually felt better doing what they were bred to do. I at least would not abuse them the way the upper caste Aristis did.

"Ok, Jacob. You have a job."

I was fed better this time because Jacob knew what to select. The flavours were complimentary while I usually ate a meal of only one thing. When it was time to leave I walked over to Holly's carrier and touched it as I said, "See you in a while Sweety. I have to go to work." I got no reaction but that was what I expected.

Holly came an hour later and Scarlet caressed my face with both hands. "You made the Tomma happy last night. They saw that you are a caring person."

"Not Tomma women?"

"I do not make that distinction. The men would see that you are caring too."

She caressed my face one more time then hurried off to her job. The techs came in a little later. They bowed and wished me a good day and went to work.

Half way through the day, Jacob came in and served me lunch. At my request he served the two techs too. They seemed to be honoured by this. At the end of the day I had done twenty three engines and seventeen smaller components.

The pregnant women were still there but the rest changed. There were some nervous Aristis women and their children here too. I asked Walt about it. "You have to meet more of your family."

The most senior woman was Rokla's widow Lenoor. She was a good looking woman. Her age surprised me when I heard. She was very aloof and objected slightly at introducing the rest. Some names she did not know and was required to search her own private computer to find out.

I asked Walt privately but I would not put it past anybody as to being able to intercept my communications. "My king, why are the women so nervous?"

"Rokla's tried to destroy me. He lost and usually that means the family and most of the retainers are executed."

"Are they not salvageable?"

"Sometimes but usually not. In small groups like this there is more chance of rehabilitating them."

"How is that usually done?"

"It varies. Sometimes a person is reduced in rank but mostly they go to a lower caste instead. The servant caste is the one to gain the new recruits."

"What is your wish in this case my king?"

"We Aristis usually let the guilty think on the matter before we do any alterations or executions."

"I can see how that would make them nervous. What about the children?"

"They follow their parents. In some rare instances they may be adopted by a family or even the family they fought."

"Am I suitable to adopt any of them?"

"You may but I do not see why. The servants and the two surviving tech families are not being judged."

"Were not the soldiers and the tech forced to do as Rokla demanded?"

"That is true but that is not the way we deal with this in our culture. Do not bother me any more about this foolishness of yours. You are here to prove yourself not be a burden to me or to obstruct my judgements."

"I am sorry my king for being a nuisance."

I went back over the line of people and had the women introduce their children. The children hung to their mothers as if I were going to eat them alive.

Lenoor had two children. One was a daughter of six and the other a son of four standard years which were not much different that what I was used to. Like all Aristis they were well formed. The youngest was only a year old.

I said, "You have heard how I am a fake, a saboteur and dirty alien. You will find that I will try to be fair in my dealings with you. As the highest ranking member onboard I have decided to start an academy. Every child on board or who will be born onboard will automatically be in this educational institution. Henceforth they will be called cadets.

"The ship is being repaired but most of the labourious work has been done. Scarlet will be in charge of teaching every child how to fight the way the Tomma do."

"I am busy my lord."

"What do you do all day, Scarlet?"

"I monitor the hull and structural components for failure."

"Do you think that this job could be done by somebody else."

"Yes, but I am good at it and we are shorthanded now."

"I was told you were my servant. You will serve me as an educator."

"They are all children my lord."

"Do Tomma children learn how to fight at that age?"

"Yes, but they are Tomma not Aristis. The Aristis do not let us near their children until they are grown."

"Do you think I do not have the authority to allow you to teach?"

"... No my lord. In this case there will be no problem."

"Then take over the duties. The children will billet with their families at night but one night in ten they will stay with you."

"My lor..."

"You may appoint some help. You may choose from the Aristis in this room. If they do not comply or comply fast enough then report them to me. If I find that they cannot be rehabilitated, I will bring this to the attention of our king."

"My lord, what can I do with the youngest?"

"Love her Scarlet, just love her. Children need a lot of that. Now I am going to shower up and go to bed. Pick those you want. You may choose all of them if you wish. Find out what they can teach the children."

"What about the servants' children?"

"They get the same love and the same attention. They are all of the warrior caste now and so are you. They will raise in the ranks through effort and ability not the rank of their parents."

Lenoor blurted out, "But some are girls."

"Lenoor you are strong and probably quick. How long would you last against Scarlet?"

"She is a Tomma... my lord."

"Answer my question?"

"She... a milli or two I think."

"Thank you. I see your daughter as a beautiful child that needs a chance to move up. I am giving you and your family far more than any Aristis would. I extend a hand to help and you think that there was no crime committed. I see why the Aristis kill off families instead of rehabilitating them. They are insane. You see a hand or death and wish to find something better. You miss your chance and die."

"I will comply fully with your orders my lord."

"Good, because you all will go into the academy and learn to fight."

"Me!"

"Are you questioning me?"

"No, my lord."

"Scarlet, train the mothers too. Do not be brutal but you may inspire them to do their best."

"I may succeed yet my lord."

"Good, talk to your troop in the meeting room so I can get some sleep."

"Yes, my lord." She looked at the Aristis and said, "Cadet Lenoor lead the way to the meeting room."

"But..." was all she got out then she opened the door and took her two children with them. The rest followed. When the door closed I said, "I am sorry but we are all in the academy now. For most of you this means nothing new. The Aristis, apart from the techs did nothing useful. I want all of my people thinking and learning. I also want to see more sports."

One of the Tomma said, "There is one sport we would love to play." She sent me the image through her telepathy and I was amazed that I had not known this could happen.

"We might have some of that when I have gotten over the worst of losing Holly."

"We can help you forget."

"I want to forget the pain of losing her not the fact that I knew her."

Two of the women that were next in line to have their children got into bed and after I was cleaned, I got in between them. There was room for six on the bed and the rest camped out on the floor.

Before I went to sleep I had a short chat with Erica and told her that I loved her. She sent me a kiss back by ultrawave that made me feel good. Connie came on next and I gave her an update on the academy and how I started a new chapter out here. She giggled and gave me Betts. With a few more words I cut off communications and went to sleep cuddling two very pregnant ladies to me.

Jacob was waiting when I got up the next morning. He had a smile on his face. "Good morning my lord. You have done something very daring when you did not choose by caste last night."

"What does your wife think?"

"The work will be a lot more but she is pleased to be doing the same duties as... as the rest."

"The military is not for everyone but it does help. All of the Aristis happen to be intelligent but some were bred to be more so. I find that few of you try to learn more."

"We serve my lord, what more can there be?"

"Will you serve me by playing a musical instrument as I eat?"

"I an sorry my lord but I cannot play. The artisans do that sort of task."

"Are the servants unable to learn?"

"No my lord but it is difficult."

"I will tell you a secret Jacob." The man waited now to hear. "It is difficult for the artisans too."

"Yes milord but they are artisans."

"You are my artisans now. I wish you to serve me this way."

"I will try milord."

"You will try and be bad but over time you will improve. You will hurt my ears and offend my understanding of music but I will still listen."

"If you wish this then I will learn."

Scarlet came in later and handed me Holly. She was angry. I said nothing to her and she said nothing to me verbally or mentally. Holly was upset about this and I picked her up to soothe her. Soon I put her in the computer with me. The fit was tight and I did not pull out until Holly made the air unbreathable.

Doc called, "Wally, can you hear me?"

"Sure Doc. What's the matter?"

"Nothing really. We got the engine. We put Hal, I mean Wayne into the pod with a all the crystals. We have our own shopping list if you can fill it for us?"

"What is it that you need?"

"Drones, lots of them. We have been getting along with just the few we had. The discharge from the antimatter fried all the ones we had in the air at the time."

"I'll make up some for you."

"Thanks Wally. By the way this is my first extra solar system call."

"We are working on getting back. In a week or so we can begin braking."

"Good now I have a meeting with some contractors."

This reminded me that I had not checked on the upload that Betts was going to send. I had to go over it four times even though it was memorised the first time. The world was going more insane that usual. An antimatter explosion is as destructive as a nuclear one but ours were the cleanest and possible. Even earth scientist now knew that antimatter was used.

The antimatter explosions that were near the Fonduush were detected too, especially since they went on for so long. The military thought that the explosion on earth was one of those that did not explode in space. This was foolish because the missiles used a lot of this material while the drone used nearly the smallest amount possible.

The explosions in Toronto were not antimatter. They were all very accurate and there was little damage. Some people called it swamp gas but most did not believe that anymore. Calling wolf only worked so many times.

The military was in town, in fact there were militaries from almost every country looking at the damage and then looking at the new lake in the north. Toronto must have a tourist boom and making a lot of money.

Betts added at the bottom that I had to show up at court in a week or the case would be thrown out. The judge was through giving adjournments. If they knew that I was gone, they would go ahead instead.

With death not staring us in the face, I looked at the available ships. One similar in shape to the one I had landed beside was in a special bay. This was the king's personal yacht that was carried in his yacht. It was also a hundred and twelve metres long and armed to the teeth.

I took Holly to the computer and the doors opened before us then closed behind. I set the blanket down and lay down in the computer with Holly. It was safe because I was not fiddling with anything.

"Walt, I want to go to the court in Toronto. I could pick up some pseudo techs and bring them here. They can put the engines on the hull just as good as the techs we have."

"That is one of the scenarios I thought you would come up with."

"What others are there?"

"If I tell you then you will not learn."

"It just occurred to me, can Scarlet pick up our thoughts through Holly when we are here?"

"Now I had not thought of that. The child is asleep but it may be possible if she were awake."

"Ok, now I have all of Nadac's thoughts in my computer. Did your big brother Warren get them?"

"Rontem did not destroy them. The information is being used to gain more wealth."

"How greedy is he? We will get into trouble by being too good."

"Warren is pursuing wealth with finesse if I may use the word. He has set up many more companies and refined the crude methods Nadac used. He is actually steering wealth to those that can use it wisely through grants, loans and seed money."

"To what end?"

"Creating employment in chronically poor areas of the world. The planet is sick and much is needed to bring it back to health. Much of the employment is aimed at this task."

"People tried that and it doesn't work. You have to go with education first."

"That is what some of the employment is. We are starting schools. Students that do good get paid more than those that do not."

"That sounds good to me except you may be pounding a square peg in a round hole."

"We pay for unconventional thinking too."

"Earth sounds good to me now. Perhaps there is a chance now."

The ship was ordered ready to depart. I liked working near or rather in Walt, and Holly was safe. It was quiet and safe here and my productivity went up. Scarlet was almost afraid to come and get her daughter but she did.

There were minor problems with the yacht's yacht but not anything that could not be fixed in a few hours. I got to tour the ship and found it gaudy for an Aristis but I thought it nice. It's shields were as strong as the Fonduush and the weapons just as awesome. There were just less of them. The computer would give us problems but I put the recently arrived Wayne into it and any problems were solved. The old identity was removed and a new one of mine put in.

Some old safeguards came out and some new ones went in. I might not be operating the ship and even I may not be sane all the time. The small ship had seen little use. The Fonduush was much more of a fearsome ship than the guppy even if it was a hundred and twelve metres long.

The name of the ship was the Dauntless but in Aristis language it was pronounced Stamich. It would not be correct to change the name but it still sounded good to those that understood the language.