Chapter 5

Bobbi and Paul stood nervously at the door. The AI had requested that they watch the kids on the upper level. Neither of them had any children. Bobbi had spent the last two years passed from sponsor to sponsor. An accident cast Paul adrift in the unclaimed concubine pool.

Wayward promised a new start. What they would be doing differed little from how they survived in the recent past. The upper door opened.

When the door opened, a tall, overly voluptuous, dark chocolate woman greeted them. She was taller, like most people in the Confederacy. Bobbi stood at a diminutive five foot two; Paul was only an inch taller.

"Hi, I'm Deidra," she took a step back from the door. "C'mon in," She took another step back to a point where the room widened. Turning, her overly large ass pushed her out from the wall a quarter of a step. "Pardon the stereo cabooses."

Bobbi snorted, until Deidra and the others in the room joined in. Paul had kept a straight face. Once the laughter started, he joined. Deidra took Bobbi's hand, leading her into the room. "This is Maria," her hand motioned toward a tallish Hispanic woman. Pointing left, "Then here is Kayla." A deep brunette, full with curls, waved. "The last lady is Prema." Bobbi finally saw someone with bigger boobs than the ones on her chest. "And finally," she gestured to a marine. "This is Richard." She tuned to face Bobbi and Paul. "May I present... ?"

Bobbi took the hint, hooking an arm into Paul's arm. "I'm Bobbi this is Paul. We seem to be the neighborhood babysitters."

A round of handshakes and cheek pecks took several minutes. Bobbi's reservations about Richard dissolved in the handshake. He neither made an effort to impose or intimidate. For Bobbi, the change was welcome.

"So Paul is the surrogate for your group." Kayla made a conjecture on Bobbi's living arrangement.

"Paul," Bobbi called, loud enough to make Paul turn his head. "We have a misconception we need to clear up." Paul moved over by Bobbi. They locked eyes for a moment.

Paul spoke calmly. "We both are companions." The revelation brought little reaction. His light accent gave evidence that his birthplace was the United Kingdom. "I was picked up at Meadow Centre in Sheffield. Colonel Pickering had eclectic taste. I served him and his harem. There was an accident while his ship was testing a new shield array." Taking a breath, he continued. "I liked the lifestyle. With about five percent of the Marines openly gay and fifteen percent being female, you need people like me that can pitch and catch." His voice showed resolution tinted with pride.

"My turn," Bobbi took the floor. "I'll be blunt. I was a transvestite, a she-male. I still have my cock and balls. I'm open and comfortable with what I am. I consider myself female, who can write my name in the snow, and dot the 'i' with a shot of milk." Bobbi waited for a response. The people in the upper pod stared at each other. "We are used to being..."

"Wait." Richard's voice halted Bobbi mid-sentence. "Are you trying to run out on us?" Paul and Bobbi found themselves speechless. "According to what I've learned, from a security standpoint, every second in any pod is monitored." The moms' heads were nodding. "You will be neighbors and coworkers."

Kayla reached out to touch Bobbi's arm. "Are you producing milk?"

"Yeah, I have been for the last two years."

"The companion Bobbi Granger chose to remain lactating. Bobbi allowed modifications to be made to ensure that the breast milk would be healthy for any human."

Kayla tugged Bobbi toward the nursery by the master bedroom. The nursery opened to both it and the main room. Once inside, she pointed to the bassinet closest to the door. Kayla whispered, "Isaac is due to wake up in about an hour. He likes to start with the right breast. He seems to enjoy rooting for the nipple."

Bobbi felt tears well in her eyes. Kayla hugged her. Then other arms joined in. The group cry lasted a good five minutes. Once the catharsis ended, everyone returned to the living room.

To the kids, Paul and Bobbi were just babysitters. Each passing minute reassured the parents. The AI reminded everyone why the sitters were needed. After a round of hugs, Paul and Bobbi found themselves alone with the kids.

The boys gravitated to Paul. They began building a fortress with plastic blocks. The girls sat down. Picking up controllers, they began to play Kilo Krunch. As captains of colony transports, the girls raced to load pods from Earth and offload pods at various colonies. Each time back at Earth, the pods came faster and faster. Jantel listened to Bobbi read Mother Goose. Isaac still slept.

"If there is an emergency, we have help available, right?" The AI answered Paul's question meant for Bobbi.

"Yes, if there is an emergency, assistance will be provided." Kobe threw a block across the room. "Kobe, a timeout area has been defined if you continue. Your mother will be provided a video of any misbehavior or naughtiness." Kobe sat down quickly, adding the block in his hand to the top of the wall on of the fort nearest him.

Lunch proved to be easier than either Paul or Bobbi had feared. "Bobbi, please supervise hand washing for lunch." Bobbi followed the kids, who ran toward the bathroom. "The sandwiches are wrapped. Juice is in the refrigerator."

Names belonging to each of the kids were on the plates, with the finger sandwiches, pickles, and celery sticks with peanut butter. "Place the boys on either side of yourself, Paul. The meal time will progress more smoothly." Placing the plates out as suggested, he served plates for Bobbi and himself. "Unfold the floor sheet and place it under the highchair."

In the bathroom, Bobbi watched her charges. "Now that our hands are dry..." Bobbi blocked the door bodily. This caused Kobe and Johnny to wipe their hands on the towel again. Once satisfied, she let everyone pass. Carrying Jantel, she exited, following them into the main room. "Walk to the table." A fast walk-race broke out between Abby and Raji on the way to the table.

Paul played traffic control and guided everyone to his or her seat. "Isaac is waking up," the AI informed the people in the pod. "Sit Jantel in the highchair. Paul can monitor her during the meal." Bobbi crossed to the dining area. "Isaac will be wearing a clean diaper when you remove him from the bassinet." Bobbi left the table, heading across the pod.

Once Bobbi entered the nursery, she could see the bassinette's flashing green light. Lifting the lid, Bobbi had a small surprise. Only Isaac's upper torso and lower legs were visible. "The diaper is secure; you may lift Isaac out of the nanite bedding."

Bobbi reached down, "Bobbi's got you." That was more for her nerves than Isaac's comfort. Her fingers circled around his back. The bedding felt like room temperature flour. There was no resistance pulling the baby out. Isaac wore a new diaper that she did not change. Bobbi realized that this meant no nighttime diaper changes, only feedings. She kissed Isaac's belly. Securing him, she headed back to the table.

Isaac was becoming fussy. Once she sat at her place at the table, she exposed her breasts. Moving him to the preferred side, she watched as Isaac rooted for the nipple. Once he latched on, that made Bobbi gasp. The sensation was different, satisfying. "AI, would I qualify to work at the daycare place on Wayward? I mean on my days off."

"I will pass that request to the colony AI for consideration."

After the cleanup from the burp and Jentel's partially successful eating attempt, Bobbi had doubts. In the middle of the cleanup bath for Jantel, Bobbi pushed those doubts away.

When the medtube opened, Kayla remembered to sit up slowly. To survive the slightly higher gravity of Wayward, her bone density and strength had been augmented to what would be normal on the planet. The pod would have its gravity adjusted tomorrow after the kids visited the medtubes. Isaac and Jantel would be changed to survive the gravity while they slept in the bassinets tonight.

Richard came into view. "Hello, again," he whispered as he leaned down and gently scooped her into his arms.

Stealing a chance, Kayla placed her head on his chest and relished a moment of being pampered. She found herself trying to catch his scent. Her nipples become hard. Readjusting her head, she was able sniff his neck. Involuntarily, she felt the heat and wetness build in her groin.

"I have a new shift for you." Richard's voice broke through her thoughts. He carried her to a small waiting room, about the size of single child's bedroom. You could see from the room into the Medbay, but not vice versa.