Chapter 43: AP02-Pi, Day 6 continued

Steve sighed, and sat back to consider his options. He really wasn't eager to bring another woman into his household, but neither could he consider abandoning someone in need. Deciding that it wouldn't hurt to ask, he said, "I can make no promises, I'm afraid, but I would like to speak to the woman in question."

Ahmed spoke to the room monitor, and asked it to tell 'Suri' that there was someone who wished to speak to her, and to please come to the common room. A few moments later, a dusky-skinned young woman entered the room, and walked up to where Ahmed and Steve sat. She bowed to Steve, and said, in English, "Hello. I am Suri Malari. Welcome to our home."

Steve had risen as she approached, and bowed in turn. "I am Steve Miller. I came here on a quest, which I fear I will not fulfill here, but I am told that there is an issue in this house that I may be able to assist with."

Suri gestured Steve to be seated again, and sat down as well. "If you mean that this family does not welcome the fact that I am part of it, and that I in turn wish to live elsewhere, then yes, there is a problem. If you can help us, or rather me, then I would be most grateful. Ahmed is a kind man, and tries his best to protect me, but it is unpleasant for all concerned. In exchange for a new home, I would be willing to serve you in any way you and your family found appropriate."

Steve considered her offer, as he looked her over, trying not to be too obnoxious about it. She was quite attractive, even though her alien-provided clothing hid the details of her physical charms. She had a slender look, but was well-curved despite that. Her face was pretty, with high cheekbones and beautiful eyes. Steve thought he could easily have fallen in love with her, if he didn't already have Anna. He decided to seek Anna's permission to bring her into their home, at least for the short term. She was obviously unhappy here, and he thought she'd do better in his home.

"May I borrow a room to contact my wife?" Steve asked. "I must seek her advice and permission before I make any offers."

"Of course," said Ahmed, and guided him to a room, where he called Anna, and told her about his failures so far, and about the new complication he had stumbled across. "Of course, I can't offer her a home without discussing it with you, and with the others. If nothing else, we need to figure out where she would sleep, and that would most likely involve displacing one or more of the other women."

Anna shook her head, "I don't need to ask; I'm sure everyone will be fine with it. Be sure she realizes she's not in debt to any of us; I don't object to her asking for your attentions but I don't want her to think she owes anything to you or to any of us."

Steve nodded, "Of course. I'll let her know my decision, and bring her along when I'm done here. I may have struck out, but I got some very interesting information from my last visit, and I might get some here as well, if I'm patient. I'll be home with Suri soon; I've got one last bright idea that may get me a good lead before I give up for the day."

Anna said, "I look forward to meeting her. I love you." Steve returned the sentiment, and left the room to tell Suri the news.

Both Suri and Ahmed were relieved when Steve told them of Anna's decision and his own. Ahmed sat back as Suri left to get a few things she'd been working on, to take with her to her new home. She'd been a seamstress on Earth, and she'd taken up the practice in the new world as well, to help pass the time as she sat alone in her room.

Ahmed watched her leave, and turned back to Steve. "I have discovered an interesting fact about our situation that you might not have had occasion to acquire for yourself. When our hosts restored us, they needed a great deal of room for us to live in; much more than they have available on their ships. So they built us a new home on the planet Mars. We are living about 500 meters below the surface here, with some type of gravity control to make it seem as though we are on Earth. I discovered this when I asked the room monitor which way to face when I pray; as you may know, we are instructed to bow in the direction of Mecca when we do so."

Steve nodded, "My knowledge of your faith is non-existent, but even I knew that much. I also know that you are permitted up to four wives, if you give each one exactly the same treatment and her own house. I heard you mention 'wives' in the plural earlier; have you taken all of your fellow Muslims as wives, or have you found another solution?"

Ahmed grinned, and said, "I see you are not completely ignorant. I have confined myself to taking three wives, each with a pair of concubines to 'assist' her. The room monitor rebuilt our quarters in a way that conforms to law and custom, and each wife and her assistants have a private home of their own.

"Those homes have bedrooms, and a dining and a living room, and they each have a doorway into a hall that also opens onto this house. If everyone spends most of their time here, that doesn't mean that the other houses aren't real, so the requirements of the law are fulfilled. And if I give the assistants a full share of my attentions, that is not a problem, as long as the wives are satisfied.

"The fact that Suri lived here, in the house that I most often slept in, was a source of friction, but you have relieved that most satisfactorily, for which I am in your debt."

Steve grinned at the 'just so' tone in Ahmed's voice, then grew serious as he remembered what Tony had told him. "I have some information for you as well," he said, "but perhaps we should discuss it in private." Ahmed grew serious as he heard the change in Steve's tone, and agreed. Suri was still fetching her things, and Ahmed's wives had withdrawn to their own homes, so the two men entered Ahmed's room for a private chat. Ahmed's eyes grew wide when Steve revealed what Tony had told him about the alien's selection of subjects for 'rescue', particularly when he told Ahmed what Tony had said about his own life story.

"I find this both disturbing and reassuring," Ahmed told Steve. "I had noticed a difference in the area of my privates, but was unsure of what it meant. To know that I was two souls in one body, and now am but one, is quite distressing. To know the cause of the change I noticed in myself is reassuring."

Steve shook his head. "I'm still getting used to the idea. To be honest, I haven't noticed anything different, but I wasn't looking for it either. I only found out about this a short while ago, and I still don't completely understand the implications."

Ahmed clasped Steve's shoulder, and said, "You are a wise one; you will soon understand it, better than I, no doubt. We must speak again once you do, and once I have had time to apply my own feeble wits to the question. I must consider how to present this information to my wives. They already carry my children; I took each of them our first two days here, and from what you tell me, they must have been fertile. They have been looking at me oddly today, as if they are considering whether to tell me something, and I must pretend ignorance if I wish to preserve the peace.

"I am fairly sure I have not impregnated Suri, unless her schedule was different from the rest, as it was only yesterday that I took her, and her fertile time was no doubt over by then. If she proves to be with child, I will of course assume responsibility if she wishes. On the other hand, if you choose to accept it as your own, I will not object, so long as I may see the child from time to time, and our relationship is explained once he or she is old enough to understand."

Steve stood, and bowed to Ahmed, "It shall be as you say. We should know in a day or so at the most if you have sired a child; it may be possible to tell even now. The aliens apparently have extremely effective medical scanners, if what I have already been told about Anna's and my child can be believed. Suri should be ready by now; I will take my leave, and take her to her new home. I have one more attempt today to place my other charges, and I do not wish to dawdle unnecessarily."

Ahmed bowed to Steve, and said, "I thank you for your information and your assistance. You are welcome in my home at any time, and may call on me for any assistance I can provide."

Steve said, "I thank you as well. In a week or so, once everyone at my home is settled in, I will invite you and as many of your wives and concubines as you deem fit to visit us to confirm that Suri is being well treated. You may contact her at residence SM03-Pi whenever you wish to speak to her."

Steve and Ahmed left his room and found Suri sitting in the common area with a small package. She rose as they approached, and bowed to Ahmed and thanked him for everything he had done for her. Steve and Suri left Ahmed's home, heading for Steve's home and Suri's new life. When they got to the atrium outside Steve's home, Suri put her hand on his arm, and spoke.

"There's something I need to tell you before we go in," she said, hesitantly.

Steve looked at her and smiled. "You mean the fact that you don't like sex with men, only with women?" he asked her.

Suri was shocked, and asked, "You knew?"

"I suspected," said Steve. "I had several lesbian friends in my old life, and something about the way you looked at me, and at Ahmed, reminded me of them. You do not need to fear anyone in your new family, but I will need to explain several things to you when we get inside. Let's go in."

They entered Steve's home, and found the women gathered in the common area, with Anna in the center, their nine daughters on one side, and nine of the new residents on the other. Tina remained hidden away in her room, but a quick update from Beth gladdened Steve's heart; Tina seemed to be recovering nicely, if slowly, and the sight of the new wallpaper in her room had visibly reduced her tension. She was actually asleep at the moment, which definitely seemed like good news.