Chapter 36: Testing Results

Two days later proved to be a major red-letter day for the growing colony. After a relaxed morning Yvette called to remind me that Amanda and Jack Junior were about to undergo testing and suggested that I come to the medical bay for the test period. The two birthday kids were going to be using medical pods as testing booths.

I arrived to find Ed and Shawna waiting for my arrival before allowing the duo into the pods. I nodded to Ed, and Amanda was gently led to one pod while her mother watched worriedly. Jack Junior refused to wait for anyone to help him and strutted over to the next pod and climbed in beaming. "I'm going to have the highest score and take over from you," he declared. "And then I'll be the one pleasuring that little red-headed cunt you have following you around. You shouldn't even have her."

I sighed as the boy lay down and let the pod close. Shawna and Ed told Amanda a couple of jokes to relax her and then stepped back to let the pod close. As it did Jack Senior snorted. "My Jack doesn't need any jokes to get ready. He's going to blow away all of you and be the first person on this rock with an eight. Then we'll see real leadership!'

Barbara glared at him and then burst out laughing. None of us could fathom why until she looked up at us and took a breath. "Oh wow," she said between guffaws. "You really believe that don't you. I'll just say that I'm sorry about your future disappointment."

Jack turned to her and tried to stare at the still giggling woman. It was clear he wanted to look down on her, but Barbara at six foot four was one of the tallest members of the colony, and after her experiences with Ruth, not going to be cowed by Jack. Seeing he was not going to fluster her he growled. "And what do you mean by that?"

Barbara tried to stop her giggling although it took a couple deep breaths before she could speak clearly. "It doesn't matter what your precious junior scores. There isn't a person here, except for you and him, that's going to care what he scores. I'm new here and I've already realized just how much everyone here owes to James. He leads not because of his score, but because he cares and thinks. So hope for junior to get an eight. It means nothing."

I smiled at Barbara and walked over. "I didn't know you felt that way," I whispered as Brittany entered. I had asked all my concubines to come in and get a quick medical check. The pregnancies of my original concubines seemed to be progressing well, but I felt a check-up would not hurt. Brittany had arrived first and I smiled as she swung her new red ponytail and strutted up to me.

Barbara whistled. "Damn! I like the new hairstyle. It just oozes a sexiness you rarely see. Although, she belongs to you and whenever I see them your concubines have this glow surrounding them." I wanted to demand more information when she turned to face me. "James, to answer your unspoken question, I do feel that strongly about it. You provided my concubines and me a new lease on life and Amanda is in there testing instead of lying under Hector as he destroys everything I love about my daughter."

Jack heard this and snorted again. "Who cares about the great and mighty James? We still live like little hamsters in tunnels! Yes we have a little bit of hay growing, but what good does it do? And the Sa'arm, why do we even fear them, they can't land! We just run around in circles doing the navy's bidding and James just keeps smiling and saying 'I can do that' to everyone."

Shawna sighed. "Jack, what made you such a hateful, twisted man? We have everything we need here, and we are far safer than we might be. Heck, you haven't even helped out once at anything."

Jack snarled. "And yet you all throw yourselves at James here. He barely acknowledges it. I watch you ladies at parties, panting to get him in a dance on the floor. Even that Heather does it. She pretends to be so loyal to her husband, but she's dragged James onto the floor for a tango once and all you bitches just stood and applauded.

I remembered that night when Heather had grabbed me and dragged me onto the floor as my concubines cheered me on. My two left feet seemed to vanish on the floor as Heather somehow guided me while making it look like I was leading in a simple yet dynamic tango. When it had ended Heather had given me a kiss designed to completely drain any strength in my knees and succeeded in making me collapse to the floor. I remember apologizing to Louis afterwards only to have him laughingly offer to let Heather give me a private lesson anytime.

I was trying to respond when Brittany spoke. "You really are dense. Are you sure you deserve your score? James gets that attention because he's gentle and sweet and never demands it. You walk around the recreation hall like we all should worship you when you haven't done a thing to deserve it."

Jack glared at her, but Brittany merely flipped her ponytail at him and turned to collect a kiss from me. She then walked over to Shawna and asked for a medical check, which Shawna began setting up.

Barbara sighed. "It's so stressful," she admitted. "When I tested it was before the big Average Joes episode so it was all about showing others how marriageable you were. Although for me, it was originally all in fun until Bill came back with a three point one after the show and became nasty that I had a high enough score to emigrate. He tried to insist that I would take him if I was picked up and even threatened to quit his job to remain close to me."

Ed nodded. "Elle and I ended up having a long talk after that show. She wanted to let me go find someone prettier or more dynamic, but I found I couldn't leave her. The Tradition has helped so much there. She was afraid I'd treat her like some Stepford wife and instead I worship her as a goddess of hearth and home. Tara is our sex goddess though.

Everyone except Jack laughed and he scowled at all of us. "The Tradition," he spat. "What a stupid folly. Concubines are nothing! They are drones that didn't have the brains to score high enough to be considered people. They are cattle to be fucked and discarded when they are no longer exciting."

I could feel the tension rise in the room as Tina tried to scurry in unnoticed. Out of all my concubines, she showed her pregnant state the most and had become shy and retiring as the bulge in her belly became harder and harder to hide. I gathered her in before she could sneak by and gave her a kiss. "Where is my love going?" I whispered.

Tina struggled and then turned away. "Don't look at me. I'm not attractive anymore," she moaned.

I could see Shawna's jaw drop but I held up a hand. "How do you think that?" I asked Tina as I gently turned her around to look in her eyes. "Have I treated you any different?"

Tina started crying. "No, but I have this bulge and its growing and soon you won't want me," she wailed.

I gathered her into a hug and kissed her forehead. "Tina, think of why that is happening. That little bulge is a sign of just how much you love me. To me it only makes you more beautiful."

Tina violently pushed me away. "You are just saying that!" she screamed.

Ed started laughing. I turned to look at him and he smiled. "Sorry, but she reminds me of how Elle got when she was carrying Thomas. She was convinced that I wouldn't love her because of how the pregnancy changed her."

Tina gasped. "You mean it's not just me?"

Barbara giggled girlishly and waved her hand. "Girl, you are just fighting your hormones and a little fear that you might not remain pretty. For the 'remaining pretty' part, just rely in the Confederacy technology. They promise that once your baby is born you'll transform back into the lovely woman you were before. And I can assure you that your man there wants you badly. Why don't you reach down and check?"

"Barbara!" I snapped. "Not in public!"

Shawna and Barbara started laughing with Shawna saying "But I want to see it too."

I shook my head again. "If Tina needs proof she just has to think of last night when I spent an hour giving her a foot massage before making love to her. She knows that I still desire her."

Tina giggled. "What if I told you I'm not sure anymore," she said as her hand started rubbing against my crotch

I pulled her toward me and gave her a kiss. As we broke it off I whispered. "Not with Jack here, but if the other two ladies agree you can drag them into the hot tub with me later."

Tina smiled and hugged me before bouncing over to Shawna and sliding into a pod. She whispered something to Shawna just before the pod closed and I was surprised to see Shawna flash me a thumbs up when Jack turned his back.

Time slowly passed as we waited for the testing to complete. My concubines continued to arrive in pairs for medical pregnancy check-ups and the whispered conversations with Shawna had her smiling brightly when Bethany finally exited a pod and came over to stand next to me. Shawna had been staying silent towards me, but coughed as Bethany and I broke a tender kiss.

"I'm sure you want the results," she told me. "Do you want to know the sex of your children?"

I laughed as I held Bethany. "I'd like that to be a surprise for me," I said. "If my ladies want to know, that information should not be kept secret from them."

Bethany smiled and gave me a squeeze. "Is this the only one I'll ever have?" she asked me.

I looked at her. "I don't know, how many would you like to have?" I asked with a wink.

Bethany laughed. "I was thinking three, but I want lots of practice in making them. And I won't complain if I have more."

Barbara laughed. "Oh, you won't say that in your final month. Then you'll just want to kill the dirty rotten bastard who got you pregnant."

Bethany looked at Barbara. "But was it worth it?"

Barbara looked over at the pod in which her daughter had been getting tested for the last three hours. She then nodded. "No matter what the outcome is today. It was most definitely worth it," she whispered emphatically.

I smiled. "AI what is the rule on female citizens of Ishtar having babies? I heard they all got a temporary sterilization in their initial medical scans."

The AI spoke. "Normal procedure is that female citizens are sterilized until they complete one tour. They then have the option of taking maternity leave or renewing the sterilization. There is no established policy for Ishtar."

I gave Bethany a kiss. "Well, we are well protected and not exactly going to be fighting soon. How about we call today the end of the first term of service for all women citizens on Ishtar and grant them the next week to decide if they would like the sterilization removed," I ordered.

"Command acknowledged. All female sponsors can chose to have sterilization reversed for the next nine days," the AI replied.

Barbara just stared at me as Shawna started giggling. "Oh, you are bad James! Every female sponsor is so ready to have her own baby. Even Yvette, who already has three children, wants more."

Jack just snorted. "Great! More smelly diapers and loud screams. Those kids should be learning respect, not running around and having fun!"

The room became silent again as we all stared in disdain at the man who continued to scowl at the pod containing his son.

The AI alerted us that the testing was done and that results compilation would be completed shortly. Because of the crowd the AI announced that the cards would be dispensed to me and I could hand them to Amanda and Jack Junior. I merely smiled as the pods opened, but Barbara walked over and whispered I my ear. "No matter what, thank you. And someday, I'll get you naked and thank you the right way."

I smiled at her as Bethany whispered. "Oh, I'd so love to do it with a lady who's taller than me."

I shook my head as we watched Jack Junior and Amanda stand up, but whispered. "You and your need to get me in bed with every lady here. If you can find a time, I guess I'm stuck, but only if she's either sterile or pregnant. I'm only fathering babies on my concubines."

Bethany smiled and turned to be sure that only I could hear her. "Tamara needs one of yours then," she whispered.

I choked off a retort, which I tried to disguise by coughing as Jack Junior jumped up and smiled at his father. "I aced it!" he cried. "I'm sure I got an eight, maybe even a nine! The questions and scenarios were easy to solve. That was pathetic."

Amanda was nowhere near as confident, crying quietly into her mother's arms. "It was all hard choices with lots of responsibility. Every choice had no good answer because you always had to give something up in exchange for the results you strove for," the girl sobbed.

I could feel Bethany squeeze my arm as Jack and his son celebrated the completion of the tests. No one said anything until the AI chimed. "The test results have been tabulated. Cards can now be dispensed."

I walked over to the replicator with a sigh. "Not sure why we need cards. Once we verify the scores I doubt we will need the cards," I observed as I stood there.

Jack decided to respond. "You'll need them because with his eight my son will be the ruler of Ishtar and everyone will need to see his score."

I could see Ed shake his head as I put my left hand next to the replicator and spoke. "AI, give me Jack Junior's card." I pulled it free and glanced at the score before hiding the card against my chest and putting my right hand next to the replicator and ordering. "And now Amanda's please."

Once again I glanced at the score and then turned around slowly to find seven sets of eyes staring at me. I carefully kept my face neutral as I looked back and forth between Amanda and Jack. Jack, of course, was smirking as I looked at them, while Amanda has a look of terror in her face. I let the tension build for a moment and then smiled and held my right hand out towards Amanda.

"Congratulations Amanda, you now have the third highest official CAP on Ishtar with a seven point zero," I said as I held the card out for her. She gave a glad cry and rushed up to take the card from me, turning to give her mother a hug in her joy.

I then looked back at Jack who was frowning and holding his son protectively. He growled. "You gave her Jack's card just to try to punish him didn't you?"