Chapter 7

Month -4: Terry had learned more about his patron in Central Command, whom he had learned was Vice Admiral James Hawkins, formerly of the Royal Navy. He had worked with Hawkins in a few NATO projects, but was surprised to find him so interested. When he learned that Rear Admiral Franco d'Alessandro, with whom he had worked more closely in NATO, was the naval deputy to Hawkins, he thought he understood more. D'Alessandro had been a carrier admiral in the Italian Navy, but had substantial national and NATO intelligence background.

Given this information, Terry was able to learn that Hawkins was the designated head of the 17th Naval District, which would be headquartered in the McMasterat system, behind Earth on the axis of advance of the Swarm.

As he thought about this, members of his household continued to learn about each other, and explore their relationships. Terry himself would also explore, especially with women with whom he had had a less than ideal past relationship.

He knew that he was responsible for building the intelligence sensors needed, although he did not yet know the ship type that would carry them. Increasingly, however, he was learning that if they wanted weapons, they very well might need to adapt Earth technology to space, merge Confederacy technology, and arrange production to supply their needs. Somewhat to his amazement, the Central Command weapons designers were focusing on railguns, plasma torpedoes and other line-of-sight unguided weapons.

While the Castle, Mercury and some of the other Confederacy ship classes being made available were said to have weapons, they were line-of-sight devices that had been built to destroy navigational hazards ... There was no evidence that they were part of what advanced Earth militaries considered "combat systems", with tight integration among sensors, command & control, and weapons.

It was also not apparent that the Confederacy had well-developed long-range armament, presumably missiles and appropriate sensors. Terry was not a full-time weapons engineer, but he was aware of speed-of-light limitations and how they could affect radars. Terry, and much more Catherine, knew of ways to increase radar range. Kim might well have ideas of the use of passive long-range geophysical and gravitic sensors, and Elaine on the electro-optical, to launch missiles with autonomous homing.

He thoroughly endorsed the philosophy that intelligence collection often should be clandestine, but also recognized that there would be times that things would go wrong and the collecting vessel would have to shoot its way to an escape route. For that reason, he was increasingly concerned that he could not, in the short term, send reconnaissance vessels on missions, unless he took steps to arm them. He was, at least, relieved that there was no political sensitivity requirements, similar to those that put the USS Liberty and USS Pueblo into harm's way with no ability to defend themselves.

Terry never said it aloud, but he considered the first four women as likely to be the emotional and intellectual cornerstones of the family. He thought Elaine and Bob might be core people as well, but the timing wasn't ideal. Nevertheless, he gave time to let the five bond.

Dolores and Mary had the best people and leadership skills, although Terry suspected that Kim, once she saw the family as she did her team, would also be a key emotional leader. Kim and Catherine, however, had sheer creative brilliance. Bob might be very good for the big picture, while, in different ways, Bob, Karen and Elaine had different approaches to general problems involving very fine detail and much data.

His assumptions were accurate, and family members started to focus on one another. Among the first were Dolores and Mary.

Dolores waited until the AI told her that Mary was alone and reading, and dropped in on her. "Hi ... got some time to talk, Mary?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"Mary dear, we already know each other. Now that Terry has designated us as leaders, I want to be sure that we see this positively. You and I have very different, but I think complementary, personalities. I wasn't just thinking, though, of the ways we lead." She stood and assumed a slightly comic formal pose, and raised her right hand in what was obviously a sign of some sort: fingers straight, with, as much as possible, the tips touching. "This, dear, is the duckbill position."

Intrigued, Mary said, "I have no idea what that hand sign means, but it's probably interesting. Want to explain?"

Giggling slightly, Dolores said "Oh. You have a cleaner mind, or something. She made a fist. "Would this be a bad idea for the activity suggested by the first sign?" Mary's face showed her utter bafflement. "Got it. You know about erotic fisting, right?"

"Sure. I've never done it. I guess I've been nervous about the idea since I've seen patients who were hurt that way."

"Exactly, Mary. I'll bet some of the people who might have done the hurting, without any intent to harm, thought you used a fist to fist." Mary decided she was over her head, and gestured to Dolores to elaborate. "The first sign, Mary, is really an intermediate hand position if you are fisting properly. Of course, you start with a couple of fingers, and work up to four without the thumb -- then the thumb is the next stage. I'm mostly talking vaginal here, but anal works too, just with a lot more care.

"You have to get your partner fully relaxed. The hand position I showed makes it easiest to slide four or five fingers in and out. When they go in easily, and you can get part of your wrist inside, only then do you actually form a fist, and twist it around in interesting ways.

"It can easily take an hour and a half to get to that point, with a new partner. Lots and lots of lubrication is needed, natural and added. Good fisters, in fact, tend to insert their nondominant hand, so their dominant hand is free to stimulate, and to help the opening. Of course, your mouth can also do great things.

"Mary, honey, I am generally more dominant than you are. To build our trust, I'd like to submit to you in a very pleasurable way. Having you fist me, I thought, would be a very nice way to let you be in charge -- much more edgy than a strap-on. How does that sound?" Mary shivered.

"Wow. It's crossed my mind. I've seen a few pornos with it, but I always wondered how it worked, or if the women had abnormalities. I've never talked to anyone who actually has done it.

"Hell yes. I'd like to learn it. Maybe I should have it done to me first?"

"No, I don't think so. That won't have you as focused on our interaction. If I did it to you, at least I hope you'd be shivering in pleasure. We do have to be practical -- if I were doing it to you, I might start with you on my lap, kissing as I fondled, but I don't fit on your lap. We can work around that. Shall we go into your bedroom? " Mary hadn't noticed that Dolores had brought a tote bag.

"Mary, this is a bit of a challenge. I don't want to be topping from the bottom, but I do need to give you information. Luckily, your medical knowledge will help, because lots of people simply don't understand the anatomy.

"So, before I get naked and stretch out for you, let me explain a few things. As I mentioned, it usually works best if you insert the nondominant hand. Also, wear a glove on the hand you insert, not particularly for sanitation, but because rubber or plastic, covered with lubricant, is more slippery than skin covered with lubricant.

"One fundamental rule: if anything doesn't feel good, for either of us, stop instantly, pause and then restart at a less intense level. Even though I have a good deal of experience, I still would want lots of feedback from the ... er ... fistee, because I can't tell what she's feeling.

"It's not obvious to many, but the fister has to be comfortable as well. If the fisting hand cramps up, it can go into spasm and hurt, or just not be flexible.

"In general, the more excited the fistee, the easier things will go. The fister, however, has to keep control -- an excited recipient might try to bear down before she's ready.

"Eventually, all your fingers will slip inside. At that point, rest and let both of you experience it. When it feels right, slowly form a fist. That is likely to stretch me enough to give amazing feelings, even though you have a small hand. Next, rotate your wrist. When your fist rubs my G-spot, it feels heavenly.

"Remember I'll be feeling very vulnerable, but, if things have been done well, in a comfortable way. This isn't sadism and masochism, but edge play. We left your dominant hand free because you now can use it everywhere -- my clit, my breasts, my ass. You exert gentle control, and submission, with the inserted hand. While it will be just the two of us -- hell, lots of people can fist themselves -- this is also a nice time for a group, so I could get stimulated even more ways. I wouldn't recommend trying a 69 on your first attempt, but that can be something to approximate.

"Now, I want you to get more dominant. Since I'm a good deal larger than you are, you're going to have to dominate by force of will. How do you want to see me? Completely naked? Heels? Heels and hose? Lingerie?"

"Just heels, I think. I know they make you feel nastier. Dolores, I also realize I've never really, really looked at you, inch by inch, and I'm going to do that now. I want you to be very aware of my inspection.

"I'm not sure how to describe your body type, besides delicious. You aren't a hardbody like Catherine, or as Kim really is under softer skin. Voluptuous maybe? I can't see any place that you have an ounce of excess fat, but you're curvy like none of the rest of us -- you remind me of some kind of big cat.

"Your breasts are amazing -- uptilted yet they can be lifted and moved around, and perfectly shaped. Strip and lie on your back.

"I want to be relaxed and focused when I start. I am going to sit on your face, and you are going to get me off with your mouth and hands. Start with my ass." Dolores smiled as she realized Mary was intuitive about this. As Mary squatted, Dolores felt the smoothness and warmth of her skin. Dolores hadn't fully realized that the petite Mary was quite firm. She didn't know Mary was a serious amateur skier and tennis player.

Dolores rapidly got out of her intellectual mode, as she tongued Mary's ass, cheerful that nannites kept it immaculate, as she fingered Mary's clit. Mary pressed down, which made it a bit hard to breathe, something just right for Dolores' mood.

Mary decided it was time for a different sensation, and turned around, rubbing her clit against Dolores' mouth. Dolores opened wide, sucking and licking, and soon brought off her excited friend.

Now, Dolores lay back on the bed, as relaxed as possible. She spread her legs, raising her knees to reduce her tension even more. Mary bent and gently licked her thighs, swirling her tongue up to her belly, and then down, flicking back and forth on her slit.

Mary rose, and slipped the glove onto her left hand. She spread lubricant over her hand, and then spread Dolores' labia, putting generous quantities of the gel between them. With one, and then two fingers, she pumped it inside.

Chuckling to herself, Mary reflected that she thought this might become a much nicer way to have her gynecologist check her. Mary's anatomical knowledge, of course, helped her picture each step. She formed her fingers into the duckbill, and began to probe Dolores, fingertips easily sliding inside. Intuitively, she rotated her fingers each time they went a little deeper. With her other hand, she spread the lips, and fingered Dolores' clit.

Dolores moaned "So good. When you get in beyond the wrist, slowly make a fist and rotate it. Pull against my G-spot. Know that you have put something in me that is wider than any cock. I want to surrender myself completely to you."

Mary knew she had to keep focus, but breathed faster with the feeling of power. As her hand went deep, she had to move quickly to maintain position, when Dolores' hips bucked off the bed in an unexpectedly fast orgasm. Mary shifted her weight and pushed back. She was very aware of her fist being surrounded by fiery wetness.

Eventually, Mary's wrist could take no more of Dolores' almost continuous orgasms. She slowly withdrew her hand, rolled to the side and pulled Dolores, a much larger woman, to her breasts. Dolores was soft clay in her hands, purring.

Mary mused that Dolores' emotional intelligence had been just right. The two were not just leaders in the household, but now truly equals, complementing one another. She looked forward to a session with Dolores fisting her. Feeling more and more relaxed, she decided not to tell Dolores to bring her to a climax, but to stroke her hair and have them fall asleep together.

At breakfast the next morning, Mary and Dolores walked in, arms around one another, and radiating good feelings. While the others didn't know exactly how the two had spent the night, they obviously had had a fine time of it.

After breakfast, Terry started the staff meeting. "Among our first priorities is to obtain replicator patterns for existing Earth technology. There's a huge amount to do, and we need more people to do it. I don't want us to let up on recruiting core team members, as well as getting other people that might or might not join the clan, but will work with us for the long term. Keep your eyes out, as well, for people that could help in the short run and that we can evaluate for the long haul."

"We need Karen soon, because she can track down resources that we need, but where we don't know who has them. She can even sometimes find things we can't exactly specify. Remember that she's going to need more medtube time and emotional support than other people do, so she comes before Bob. We might also need to recruit Siobhan before Elaine, since Siobhan can advise on human interfaces.

"That still doesn't mean we don't need more people. I think we have to have, very early, aviation ordnance techs, machinists, and electronic techs, to work with weapon and sensor deployment. That also probably calls for a gunner's mate/missile.

"I'm rapidly thinking we need to get one or more people that are hardware system integrators, or perhaps come from a ship or aircraft customization background. In the near term, with the replicators available, we won't be rolling out complete spacecraft, or even some weapons. There will be substructures to assemble. There will be pods to modify, and then things to install inside pods.

"In the meantime, we'll get Moe's machinists, electronic technicians, and supply clerks to start stocking the ship.

"With the large replicators, it's likely to be the case that we bring the prototypes to them, rather than the other side around. In this category, I'm talking things such as complete airplanes, or at least large mission modules that go into transport aircraft. I've arranged for a secure hangar at Andrews Air Force Base, a little farther into the Washington DC suburbs than Bolling AFB, but into which heavy transports, including the President's, fly. That hangar will hold at least an industrial, if not factory, replicator, and is generally huge, able to fit three large transport aircraft. Its functions, though, will move to the Pacific base when the island is ready.

"We will have even larger replication facilities at Midway Atoll, but it will take at least a month or two before they are ready. Shift things there, however, as soon as possible. Remember, the largest items might go by ship, possibly high-speed transports like the prepositioning ships, or even aircraft carriers.

"Technical intelligence people will have a lot to contribute. Elaine is the best oriented in that discipline, although she also does electro-optical and materials MASINT."

Mary and Dolores had been whispering. "Terry," Mary asked, I have just a little grasp of MASINT from my medical intelligence work. Dolores doesn't have any. Since it's your specialty, could you elaborate?"

"Sure. It's a framework that pulls together a lot of odd intelligence collection disciplines. Let's say an enemy rocket is of interest. A technical intelligence (TECHINT) specialist would photograph it, go through the manuals, and then test-fire it to learn its capabilities. The materials MASINT specialist would go to the test range during and after the firing. Rather than putting sensors on the rocket itself, the MASINT approach would look at the light emitted by the rocket motor, the chemicals it put into the air and the characteristic sound of its takeoff and flight.