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?"

Ed laughed. "We all saw him ask for Jack's card and take it in his left hand. That's the card he still has, so it must be Jack's."

I nodded and then held the card out. "I'm sorry Junior, but the AI has spoken. You received a three point nine."

"What!" Jack Senior screamed. "He's my son! He's a Howell! There is no way any son of mine scored that low! I won't have it! He's better than any prissy girl like her! He's better than you! You lie!"

He reached out to tear the card from my hand and stared in disbelief at the clear score of three point nine next to a hologram of his son. There was a moment of silence and then he started ranting again.

"It's a lie! It has to be an error! My son isn't some limp-wristed low scoring ape!" Jack screamed as he stalked back and forth in the room. His son had fallen to his knees in shock and remained there looking at the floor, silently.

Ed looked at him and sighed. "Actually, I'm guessing that your son's score is pretty accurate," he observed, only to have Jack turn to glare at him.

"Really?" Jack snarled. "And why would my son, who was taking college level math classes last year, not get a higher CAP score?"

"Because CAP isn't just intelligence," Shawna said. "They say it stands for capability, aptitude and potential, but think about the sub-scores the system keeps. Yes, intelligence matters, but so does compassion, bravery, honesty, and integrity. They aren't just looking for some brain, but someone who has something to give to humanity."

Jack snorted again. "But my son has something to give to humanity. He's a Howell, and I'm a six point five, so he should be at least that. His mother is a six point nine I heard. We divorced years ago, but she left Junior with me. With that he should be at least a six point five. And how did that mousy Amanda end up with a seven point zero then? Is her father some great man with an eight?"

Barbara coughed for a moment. "No, her father is some bum off the street who couldn't score a three if he had two people standing next to him providing the right answers. The score isn't genetic though. It's about who you are, and how you treat others. It's about a person's Potential for service in the future."

Jack just scowled and I could see Junior sink further until he was nearly lying on the floor. I sighed. "I hate to do this, but it seems to be the only way. AI, could you elaborate on the sub-scores for Jack Junior?"

The AI responded. "That should be kept between Jack Junior and any sponsor considering taking him on as a concubine."

I felt myself nod. "I know, but in this case I think it's the only way to resolve the disagreement going on. I would encourage doing it."

There was a pause and then the AI began to speak. "Sub-scores for Jack Junior can be provided at a general level. Intelligence is above average. Compassion is low; Sexual Drive is excessive and results in a low score. Empathy is nonexistent and gives a low score. Bravery is low. There are signs of sadism and dislike of authority. Subject might be borderline sociopathic. All these factors contributed to his final score."

Everyone was silent for a moment after the damning report spelled out by the AI. I tightened my arms around Bethany and whispered. "I'm so lucky to have found you."

She seemed ready to say more when Jack exploded. "Compassion? Empathy? Who cares! He's my son and he will be a citizen! James, you have influence with the AI, tell them to score my son at six point five, or just declare him a citizen! You've broken every other rule when it helped you or yours!"

I stared at Jack for a moment. "Jack," I said cautiously. "I have not once given a direct order to the AI. I've made suggestions or asked for favors, but I don't try to run this place, and I'm not about to overrule the AI when it made a decision based on an untold amount of research and observation. Jack Junior is now part of the concubine pool. If someone selects him as a concubine he'll go with them. If you want, he can stay in your pod for the time being, but he is a concubine and belongs in the dorm."

"We'll see about that!" Jack snarled. He grabbed his son by the shoulder and dragged the still crying boy to his feet before storming out of the medical bay.

Ed sighed. "I hope he realizes that the armory is locked."

Barbara joined in the sigh. "Where does he think he's going I wonder?"

I was going to answer when Shawna gasped. "He'll go out that battle passage and try to get either Manuel or Ruth to make his son a citizen."

Bethany started laughing. "That might be useful if the AI listened to them, but we've already heard that it ignores those two. James is the only person the AI pays attention to."

I smiled and looked over at Amanda. "So, you are now a citizen and get your own household and as soon as we have a free one, your own home. How do you feel?"

Amanda looked around. "I'm still just...I don't know... I knew I had a chance...mom and so many others tried to help me recently...and I wanted this for mom...but...I...what do I do?"

Barbara smiled and gave her daughter a hug. "You join the adults now. I'm sure we can find you a few concubines to help you make the transition and if you need to, you can stay with me for a while."

Amanda suddenly shook. "Concubines? Oh my! I get four don't I? That means I can have Lisa and Christine. Christine will love that, she and I have so much fun bowling or on the games in the recreation hall. I guess I could take Zenita. She's so sweet and I know she wants to be in a family again, but who can be the stud. Tom is handsome, but I just don't feel a connection."

Bethany gave me a kiss as I smiled. "Would Nathan work?" I asked Amanda.

Amanda turned to me in shock. "Nathan? But isn't he...?"

Bethany giggled and called out. "AI, before James confuses the poor girl further can you be nice and tell her who Nathan is registered to?"

There was a moment of silence and I sighed. However, just before I could repeat Bethany's request the AI responded. "Concubine Nathan is now the registered property of Amanda."

"What?" Amanda said. "But doesn't Nathan belong to Yvette?"

Yvette's voice crackled out of a speaker. "He hasn't been mine since two days after Tom and Carol showed up. But James and I wanted to surprise you after your testing and Nathan agreed to go along. Oh James, you should know that Jack is in the command post right now, loudly complaining about the fact that the armory refuses to open on his command. Wait, he's now storming off again, still dragging his kid. I feel sorry for the boy."

"Life is full of such small disappointments," I said.

Amanda was just looking around. "You really mean I can have him?" she asked, still involved in the earlier conversation.

Yvette responded again. "Yes, he will be a great concubine for you. Not only does the young man fuck like a god, but he's sweet and caring. It's just that he was a bit too passive to really please me. I will miss him in the future, but I needed a male concubine who could be a true partner to Philippe and Nathan was more of a follower than I wanted. We have parted as good friends though. And he's looking forward to helping you form your own household. Although if you are taking Zenita, I expect her to be the alpha in your home."

Amanda looked down blushing. "How did you know I was thinking about her?"

I laughed. "Blame me. I had the AI open a channel to the command post where Yvette was, the instant testing ended. She wanted to hear the results."

"And you did everyone proud Amanda," Yvette said. "You proved that everyone was right about you. Stand tall and smile. As for Lisa, Christine and Zenita..." there was a pause.

"We accept!" the trio must have shouted from the command post. Amanda just stared into space as the rest of us in the medical bay collapsed to the floor laughing.

Of course, heading to the recreation hall to celebrate became the next order of business for Barbara and Amanda. I watched them go and was about to leave when Shawna sighed. "I almost forgot the results."

I paused and looked at her somewhat confused. She just winked. "The results of the pre-natal testing we just did. Don't tell me you forgot too."

I turned to look at Bethany who still had her arm around me. "I guess I did," I admitted.

Shawna giggled. "Well we did have some excitement. And the news is rather basic. Bethany, Tina, Janice and Meiko are all perfectly healthy as are their babies. No twins, but you should have healthy children in another four months or so. Brittany and Kitty are both pregnant, but both are less than a week along so other than confirming conception there wasn't much I could do."

I turned Bethany for a kiss. "How does it feel?" I asked her.

She smiled. "Part of me still thinks I'm far too old at my age, but I have the body of a college co-ed and, right now, the woman I've become revels in knowing that I'm pregnant."

We waved to Shawna who was resetting the medical pods and turned to leave. We had just reached the door when the AI reported. "Sponsor Jack and his son have died."

I stopped. "How did he manage that?" I asked.

The AI reported dispassionately. "Jack left the enclave through the battle tunnel dragging his son. He tried to approach one of the fighters and was shouting to be taken to the man's leader when the person he was approaching pulled a knife and grabbed him, slitting his throat. His son just sat there in shock as the man finished him off."

I sighed. "Well, I guess we need to go see Jack's pod and let his concubines know. They are in his pod, correct?"

"Yes," the AI answered. "The former concubines of Jack are in his pod."

Bethany gave me a kiss. "I've talked to them at one of the parties they attended. They won't miss Jack. He was not very kind, and I get the feeling he was trying to force them to do things with Junior."

I shook my head as we walked down the hall to the pod that had belonged to Jack. It proved to be a short walk and the door was standing open as we approached. Bethany and I had not even reached it when Janet and Edith stepped out, both carrying small bags.

Janet looked at us defiantly. "Let us go before that weasel comes back with his son and forces us to finally fuck the little creep. I'd rather be out there where bullets fly than take any more lip from that over-bred toad."

Edith scowled as well as Bethany started laughing. I tried to speak, but a gentle hand on my shoulder told me not to and Bethany coughed once to bring the laughing under control. "Well I wouldn't recommend leaving the enclave since then you might see the lifeless bodies of Jack and his son lying in the corridor out there, but we can move you to the dorm for now."

"What?" Edith said mouth agape. "What do you mean?"

I sighed. "Jack Junior failed to score a six point five. When I refused to ignore his score and make him a citizen, Jack stormed off and they left the enclave. The AI just reported that the first person he encountered out there killed him and his son."

Janet gave a bitter laugh. "It couldn't have happened too soon. God, I can't believe I ever accepted his offer to be a concubine!"

Bethany looked sad for a moment. "Was it really that bad?" she asked.

Janet glared at her for a moment but then sighed. "No, at least it shouldn't have been and didn't need to be," she admitted softly. "It wasn't too bad on the ship, although Jack hated having to hide in the pod, but somewhere he got the idea that just because he had scored six point five all his problems were solved and everyone would worship him."

Edith joined in. "We were picked up in San Francisco at a diner, but it turns out that Jack was living along the north coast in a small town where he was one of the only people with that high a score and he had been taking advantage of that with the ladies. He was really shocked once we landed on Ishtar and none of the ladies looked at him."

Janet laughed. "Yeah, he would complain constantly about how the girls were snubbing him worse than he had been snubbed all through high school. Oh how he hated the fact that he couldn't just wave and get a girl to come jump on his cock."

Edith nodded. "Then finding out that you had planned so much drove him crazy. Jack kept bragging on the trip out about how he would save everyone and become the top citizen the first day we arrived. But then you had the sponsor meeting and everyone immediately recognized that you were the one they wanted to follow. It got worse at the first party. You have lovely concubines who are so attentive and Jack thought he deserved the same sort of attention."

Janet sighed. "Fat chance though. When we first heard about your tradition, Edith and I hoped he'd accept it and try it. We did want the relationship to work. But he had to be lord by force, rather than because we were truly devoted to him. He treated us like slaves and rarely did anything he didn't have to do. It was actually embarrassing, especially when we heard that other concubines were helping with all sorts of things, and Jack just sat around asking the AI to show movies. At least he was too lazy to pay much attention to us."

Edith nodded. "And he never noticed when we stopped getting into bed with him and slept with each other as protection from his son."

Janet laughed. "He couldn't stand the thought that we were pregnant. He stopped fucking us after we landed because of that."

Edith just smiled and looked at Bethany and I who had stood quietly through the exchange. "Don't worry. We are actually happy. It's a relief to think that we are free of Jack, even if we don't know who we will end up with."

Bethany smiled. "Well, let's set you up in the dorms and then we can get you over to the recreation hall," she said. 'I don't think we'll find you a new sponsor tonight, but if you ask nicely I'm sure any needs you have can be taken care of tonight."

Janet and Edith laughed at this and rushed ahead of Bethany and I as we headed off to the hydroponics pod to find them some beds. As we did I asked the AI to transfer the pod to Amanda, promising myself that I would let her know about the arrangement at the party.