Chapter 5

2 Section 20 -- Barbara chooses her Jeff

"The deadline is approaching for irrevocable decisions concerning whether to proceed," came the announcement. "Any who wish to be returned to Earth should now present themselves. All concubine candidates should now be nude and wearing a collar."

Barbara Verduin sighed. She had holed up in the living unit with her friend, Lacey Palmer. "Time to fish or cut bait," Lacey declared and she began to hike her shift up and off. Barbara watched out of the corner of her eye as she sulked. "You don't have to be Jeff's concubine, you know that, don't you?" Barbara nodded. "Or do you really want to be his concubine and you think he won't ask you?"

Barbara was fuming as she began to undress. "I don't know what I want," she groused. "I know I don't want to be naked in front of Jeff, at least while he's dressed."

"Barbara," Lacey sighed, "it doesn't make a damn bit of difference to the Confederacy. It doesn't mean a damn thing to me. Why don't you just blurt out your real feelings and get them out of the way?" By now, Lacey had finished undressing. She left her shift in a heap on the floor and sat back down.

"It's not right, Lacey. It's not right. My handsome young Jeff shouldn't be saddled with his mother." Still Lacey waited. "God, what a hunk," she sighed.

"It's one thing," observed Lacey, "having thoughts about something you can never do. Now, the rules are gone. You can have him if you want him, Barbara. Do you want to share his bed for the rest of your life, or do you want a fling with him to get it out of your system?"

Barbara was poleaxed. She sat in stunned silence for a long time.

"I think a test drive might be in order," Lacey said gently.

"Yeah, right, how am I going to do that? 'Hey, Jeff, want to fuck your old mother?'"

"Barbara, one of the things that have changed that no one talks about is that we're going to have to be more honest with ourselves and with our multiple partners," said Lacey. "I can be more honest. I can tell you that I'm looking forward to being young again. I'm not sure I want to choose a sponsor right away but I damn sure need a roll in the sack, and soon. I can tell you that I wouldn't kick Jeff out of my bed, at least for a night. I don't think he'd offer to sponsor me. I'm not sure I would accept if he did offer. But I sure need some relief from this itch," Lacey smirked.

The outer door of the living unit opened and sixteen-year-old Carrie Verduin poked her head in. Seeing her mother and Lacey, she straightened up and walked in, nude, followed by her fully-clothed brother, Jeff, and then by Marcie Palmer, fourteen and also nude, and Carrie's ten-year-old brother, Jason.

Lacey scooped up all of the clothes on the floor. "Do you have your CAP card?" she asked. Barbara nodded. Lacey turned and headed for the kitchen as the youngsters settled themselves. Barbara seemed to shrink in her seat, attempting to cover herself without being too obvious; she was an utter failure.

"All the concubines are nude now, Mom," Carrie said softly. "Just relax. It's not a problem after the first few minutes."

Lacey returned, handed a green collar to Barbara and sat back down as she put on her own collar. Lacey kept her eyes on Jeff, appreciating his interest as her upturned arms forced her breasts into prominence. She intentionally let her knees fall open and smiled in satisfaction as his eyes fell to her crotch. "Two beautiful nude girls on either side, and you're scoping out an old woman," she cackled. Jeff blushed deeply and tore his eyes away, only to have them fall on his mother. "Put your collar on, Barbara. You've got nice tits and holding your arms like that displays them nicely."

No one moved. All eyes were on Barbara. Her gaze moved in turn to each of the others. Finally, with a sigh, she lifted her arms and put on the collar. Jeff squirmed, trying to ease the pressure in his pants.

"I think it's time for a planning session," said Lacey. "But first, Jeff, it would be a lot easier for me to get used to nudity if you joined the rest of us, at least for a while. Would you mind being undressed in here?"

Now Jeff was on the spot. There was silence in the room as Jeff tried to make up his mind. "Jeff," sighed Barbara, "there are four naked women in the room and you're nineteen years old. If you don't have a hard-on, I'll be shocked. The anticipation that you're creating is going to leave all us girls sitting in puddles unless you hurry." That brought guilty chuckles from the rest.

"Mom's having a hard time too, Jeff," said Carrie, "but she won't ask. Do it for Mom, will you?"

That was enough for Jeff. He tore his shirt over his head, stood up and pulled down his pants. His very nice cock sprang into view. He sat back down, tore off his socks, folded his clothes and stacked them haphazardly on the floor in front of him.

"Thank you, Jeff," Barbara murmured. She fought to tear her eyes away from his rampant cock, settling her gaze on his blushing face.

"Okay," said Lacey with a heavy sigh. "We're about to be scattered into a number of households. I don't know how much sexual experience you three youngsters have had, but I know you have never -- or rarely -- actually slept with a lover. I think all of us are going to wind up living in a group of at least two women and a man. We're going to start seeing our partners having sex. We're going to start having sex in view of others. We're probably all three in the group going to have sex at the same time. After the first time or so, it'll be as ordinary as being nude is about to become.

"What I want to talk about is, what kinds of people do you want to be in your family group? Do you want any of your real family in your group? Do you want to have only young people? Do you want an experienced mother in your family? Do you girls want an 'older man' as your sponsor? Do you want to only be three, or are you willing to have five people in your family, or even seven?" Lacey stopped talking and let the rest gather their thoughts.

"That's a hard one," allowed Jeff. "I've always lived with Mom and Carrie. I admit I have fantasized about both of you, but I never thought it would actually happen."

"So, that means you don't reject out of hand the idea that you'd take Barbara as a concubine?" asked Lacey.

Jeff looked searchingly at Barbara. "It sure would change the relationship."

"She's going to look your age, Jeff," said Carrie. "I think I would stay with Jeff and Mom, if that's what they wanted."

"It's time for some honesty, Barbara," said Lacey softly.

Tears began to run down Barbara's face and her lip quivered, but she smiled. "I love you, Jeff. I have always loved you as a son. I truly like you as a person. I admit that I have thought about you as a man. I don't feel good about myself right now. I feel old, and fat and ugly. I'm scared that you might choose me out of pity and not because you really wanted me." They were all silent for a time.

"This is a big decision," said Lacey, "for all of you. You're talking about brother, sister and mother sharing a bed for a very long time. I think you, each of you, deserve a trial run before you make up your minds. Why don't you three go take a nap? Take the rest of the day to think about it. If you still like the idea, spend the night together. Spend part of tomorrow morning alone, and part together, the three of you, and talk about it."

Mother, daughter and son looked at each other hesitantly. Jeff stood and extended his hands to Barbara and Carrie. They took his hands and stood. He pulled them into a three-way embrace. He gave a first-ever kiss on the lips to his mother and then to his sister. The kisses were chaste. Carrie, with a gleam in her eyes, kissed Barbara. The kiss lingered and Carrie began to nibble on her mother's lips. Carrie pulled Jeff's head in and they exchanged kisses, their passion building. Jeff broke off and began heading for the bedroom, one arm around each of them.

"You can leave the door open," chirped Lacey. There was no reply but the door was not closed.

Lacey and Marcie were alone, silent, taking each other in. Jason had long since gone up to the playroom. "You and I need to figure out our own situations," said Lacey softly. "I would never have had a conversation like this with you before this extraction. I need to be honest with you, and I need you to be honest with me. Can you do that?" Marcie nodded slightly.

"I am so horny," breathed Lacey. "I haven't had sex in a long time anyway. They told us they upped our sex drives and lowered our inhibitions. Watching Jeff's love pole and seeing them come together has me ready to scream. It's all I can do to keep my hands away from myself." She giggled like a schoolgirl.

Rather than answer, Marcie opened her knees, revealing her glistening, swollen pussy. She chuckled self-consciously. Lacey followed suit.

"I'm afraid," Lacey continued, "that I'll say yes to the first man who asks me, without checking his CAP card, just to get him into bed. I need some relief so I don't do that. I was thinking about Jeff but now he seems to be spoken for."

"You helped him," Marcie pointed out, "maybe he'd help you. It's not exactly a great burden on a teen-aged boy to have sex with a woman."

"I don't think I could ask him," she replied. "And I don't think I could impose on Barbara and Carrie like that, not when their relationship is just beginning."

Marcie sighed and nodded. She knelt between her mother's knees, hands on hips urging her forward. "I don't have a lot of experience with boys," she giggled, "but I know my way around a pussy."

"What if Jason comes down?" Lacey asked in horror.

"AI, will you see that Jason stays up there until we're done?" asked Marcie.

"Acknowledged," intoned the AI.

2 Section 21 -- Home-bound

Men -- and a few women -- began to step off transporter pads in the main transporter room. Each was dressed in the street clothes worn when they arrived the day before. None of them was happy. A scant few of the women had minor dependents in tow. Some of the children looked bewildered and some were upset.

A girl of about twelve years appeared on one transporter pad in the midst of a world-class tantrum. The nearby staff were loath to do anything for -- or to -- the girl. One steward scooped up the girl, if only to restore use of the transporter. Almost instantly, a very harried woman -- obviously the mother -- appeared and stepped off the transporter pad. Next came a boy of about nine years whose tears ran freely down his cheeks but was silent.

"I don't want to go home!" screamed the girl. "I don't want to be eaten by the Swarm! We can't go home, Momma, or we'll die!"

"Marnie," whined her mother, "I just can't do it. I can't be the sex slave of some man I don't even know. I can't let him have me anytime, anywhere, any way he wants. I can't let him have me right in front of you, right in front of Aiden."

"Is that it?" screeched the girl. "You don't want Aiden to see you fuck, so we're going home to die?" The woman blanched at her daughter's coarse language. "Mom, Aiden has seen people fucking, and it bores him. He doesn't care."

The woman turned to her son, who nodded agreement with his sister. He embraced her around her middle. "Please, Mom, please keep us safe. Please don't take us home. I don't want to die. I love you, Mom. Find us a family here, please! I'll always behave, Mom. I'll protect you, I promise!"

The woman broke down and began sobbing as she crumpled to the floor. The staff wisely kept their distance, allowing the scene to play out on its own. The woman's wracking sobs brought both children to her side, cooing and trying to console her.

"Momma, will you make me a sister?" asked the sobbing girl. "Make Aiden a brother, please, please, please! I'll help you take care of the babies, Momma. I'll help you find a good man. We'll be safe, Momma!"

The woman was finally able to get her emotions under control. She sat up and collected her two children to her bosom. "I will," she said softly but fiercely. "I will keep my children safe. I will do anything it takes, anything, to keep you safe."

2 Section 22 -- Rodriguez family relocated

"Please return to your living unit," the AI told Maria and her girls through the still-green collars.

"What's going on?" asked Muriel.

"An explanation will be provided in the living unit," the AI answered. "It is rather too loud in the common area."

The door closed behind Pete, the last to enter the living unit. Maria and Muriel sat on the sofas. Juanita and Pete remained standing. "What's up?" asked Muriel.

"Concubines are being concentrated by category," the AI said into the room. "You are about to be moved to another living unit. You have expressed your desire to be sponsored together as a family. Until you are sponsored or your circumstances otherwise change, you will share the new living unit with other families like yourselves. Volunteers who still need a large number of concubines will be directed to the area of your new living unit."

"What about Connie?" asked Maria.

"Consuela is being transferred to a living unit housing mothers of one or more children," the AI answered.

"Pete is a child," Juanita pointed out. "What's the difference?"

"Am not!" spat Pete.

"Consuela is suitable for selection by a volunteer who only wants or needs a single concubine," the AI explained, "and who is especially desirous of children. She will be placed in an area with other concubines similarly situated. Single concubines without children will be housed elsewhere."

"When are we going to be transferred?" asked Maria.

"Now," said the AI. "There are no irreplaceable personal effects in this living unit. Segregation and concentration by type aids both sponsors and concubines to match up rapidly. It is entirely possible that you will accept sponsorship very soon after transfer."

"Will we be able to see Connie again?" asked Muriel.

"That will require the permissions of your sponsor and Consuela's sponsor," the AI answered.

"Okay," sighed Maria. "Can we stay here and rest before we go?"

"We've been sitting on our butts all afternoon!" said Pete.

"Mom's right," said Juanita. "Or rather, Maria is right. We should stay here for a while. We should stay together, alone. We should take this time to re-center ourselves in our new environment. Pete, thank you for your good behavior this morning. Thank you for being quiet while Muriel and I talked with Mo ... Maria about our nudity.

"I'm glad we want to stay together as a family. I love you all, even when I don't like you very much. Being sponsored together in a family has consequences that should be said out loud."

Turning to Pete and gently but surely reaching for his semi-hard cock, she said, "Muriel, for you and me, staying together with Maria means we agree to have sex with Pete. Not whenever Pete wants us, but not never, either. Not in our pussies until Pete's birthday." Juanita's words and touch had made Pete's cock grow fully erect. She gently tugged on his cock, coaxing him toward Maria. They sat on the sofa across from her. Juanita continued to fondle Pete's cock.

"Maria, you had a hard time making that last step to become a concubine. I know it was really hard for you to undress and let us see your body. You waited until the absolute deadline before you undressed. I know you're sitting here now, wanting to curl up so we can't see you. I'm sorry it's hard for you. We knew it would be hard for you. We're trying our best to help you.

"But it gets worse, Maria. I want all of us to be together. I'm positive that all of us want that. Maria, Pete comes with you no matter what happens to Muriel and me. Pete is going to share your bed, Maria. Pete cannot fuck you until he's fourteen. But you know as well as I do that Pete is not going to wait eight months before he sinks his dick in a woman.

"Our sponsor is going to need to know that you have already come to terms with this and you won't create big headaches for him. He's going to want to know the same thing about Muriel and me. I got his cock in my hand, Maria, and I can swallow it down my throat in front of a crowd without blinking." She threw her legs apart. "I'm not afraid to do this because I know Pete loves me and he would never really hurt me. I know Muriel is right now reaching the same decision.

"Maria, I want you to spread your legs wide open. I want you to invite Pete to kneel in front of you, to look at you and to explore your body with his hands, every place on your body. We'll give him a guided tour of a woman's sex another time. For now, let him heft your boobs, pinch your nipples and run his fingers up and down your coochie. When you're absolutely sure you can let Pete do that to you whenever he wants, then we'll go to our new living unit."

Tears were running down Maria's cheeks and she was flushed with shame at the very thought of doing what Juanita had said. She sat still, looking at all three of her children, for a long time. Juanita remained silent while she continued to stroke Pete's cock, so he wasn't going anywhere. He was smart enough not to speak.

Maria let her chin drop as she spread her knees, exposing her pussy. Pete made to move, but Juanita squeezed his cock to hold him in place. Still silence reigned in the room. Finally, Maria looked at Pete's face. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"He's waiting for you to invite him," said Juanita. "Pete will always wait until you invite him. He will always wait for an invitation from me or from Muriel. He will surely let us know he'd appreciate an invitation, but that's as far as he'll go."

Maria smiled through her tears. "Come to me, Pete," she softly said. "I love you -- all of you -- with my whole heart, but I'm afraid. Come and help me overcome my fear. Come explore my body."

2 Section 23 -- Ken & June part company

"Are we really going to start another family together?" June Davidson asked her now ex-husband, Ken. "Do you really want that? Ken, it's time we be honest with each other. If you change your mind later, I'm helpless. Things haven't been good between us for a long time. I know, they weren't terrible, but I don't know if we can get the spark back between us. The rules have changed, Ken. I'm a big girl now. Tell me the truth: you're not really looking forward to another twenty years with me, are you?"

Ken was crestfallen. "I suppose you're right. I'm willing if you are, but you seem to be going the other direction. What about Leah?" he asked.

"What about Leah?" she replied. "Do you want her? Do you think she doesn't know about us?"

"I'd leave it up to her, but I think she'll be better off with her own family. Don't you think she'll be upset?"

"AI," said June, "would you ask Leah to come down here, please?"

Leah found her mother and father facing each other on the sofas. June asked her to sit on the love seat between them. "Leah," said June, "I think you know that your father and I don't really get along very well any more. I'm thinking of striking out on my own."

Leah sat in shocked silence, looking from one parent to the other. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Sweetheart," said June, "think about what's upsetting you. You're wearing a green collar, expressing your availability. Had you planned on staying with both of us and making babies with your father?" Leah shook her head slowly. "We're all going to the same colony, Sweetie. I very much want to be happy there. I want your father to be happy there. I was hoping you'd already realize that both of us have a much better chance of being happy if we're with someone else."

"I can't say I'm surprised," Leah allowed, "but it's hard knowing that I have to deal with it now and not at some unknown time in the future."

"Let's not dwell on it," said June. "You said you aren't planning on staying with your dad. Do you want me to go it alone, or would you want a sponsor to select us together?"

Again, Leah looked from one parent to the other. "If I'm not staying with Dad, it doesn't seem fair if I stayed with you. I think I better find someone on my own."

"I think that's wise," said June. Turning to Ken, she said, "I really don't want to hurt you any more, Ken. When you find your new concubines, you'll want to bring them here. I don't think I ought to be here when that happens. Do you agree?"

"I don't know, June," he answered. "Neither way is very attractive to me. I'll go along with whatever you want to do. Would you take Leah with you?"

"The way I see it, when Leah or I get selected, we'll be going to his home, just like you'll bring your concubines to your home." Turning to Leah, she said, "You should make your own decision whether to stay here until you're selected. I want to have my own space before your father selects his concubines. It isn't that I don't want to meet them. I actually do want to meet them if I have an opportunity. It's just that I don't want to be relocated on zero notice. I don't want to feel kicked out of here, even though I plan on leaving on my own volition."

"I can understand that," said Leah, "but that doesn't help me make up my mind. I think I'd rather stay here for the time being. I don't want to contribute to Dad feeling soso completely abandoned. I'll get to meet his new concubines when he finds them, or at least one of them. When he comes back with a concubine in tow, I can kiss him goodbye and come join you. How does that sound?" She looked at both of her parents for confirmation.