Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:55:27 -0500
From: Vic James <vicjames2@hotmail.com>
Subject: Peabody and the Host - 18
Peabody and the Host
By Vic James
vicjames2@hotmail.com
Copyright 2013 by Vic James
http://vicjames.com
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Eighteen
Abbott walked out of his doctor's office with his lab
results. He had worked long enough with Lin to know what his
results implied. He sat in his car and thought about he wanted to
do.
When he got back to his office, he picked up the microphone
and said, "Comm. Get Lin."
"Lin, here." He heard almost instantly. Abbott frowned. There
was no lag. But he had bigger problems.
"Lin, this is Abbott Mills. I have just received some lab
results that show my calcium, phosphorus, and RBC dropping."
Lin listened and thought to himself, Lan, please tell me you
did not impregnate one of the lawyers.
"I will come to Earth as soon as possible."
"OK. Lin, if I am pregnant, I would like to have the baby."
"Abbott, you should not risk your life in this way."
"Lin, I want it. Is it possible for you to compensate for the
nutrients to allow me to bring it to term?"
"Abbott, I need to do some research. I will call you back
within an hour. Comm. End."
"Comm. Get Lan."
"Lan, here."
"Where are you?"
"We are in the park."
"I need to speak to you privately. It is about Abbott Mills.
It is urgent."
"Where do you want to meet?"
"My room."
"I will leave now."
Lan said, "Peabody, Lin needs me to help him with something.
I will be right back."
"OK, big daddy. We will be here."
Peabody saw Pon and he called to him.
"Hello, my love."
"Hello. I was wondering if it would be possible to have a
stream, or a little creek running through here."
"I know Ban has given it some thought. It is definitely
possible. I will let him know you would like it. The only thing
that makes it a little complicated is water flow. If you want the
water to flow over a flat surface, it will require pumps."
"It doesn't need to flow."
"That will be much, much easier."
Lan walked out of the park on got on a bike. He drove back
and ran the rest of the way to Lin's quarters.
Lin was waiting for him.
"What is up, Lin?"
"Abbott appears to be pregnant."
"What? That's impossible!"
"How impossible is it?"
"I wore a shield!"
"A fifty three year old shield."
"Oh, fuck! I should have used a condom."
"Abbott wants to have the baby."
"He couldn't possibly."
"He does. He wants me to supplement his blood so he can bring
it to term."
"What he wants, is me. I would imagine he thinks he can get
me this way."
"It is your baby. I think you should tell him you don't want
it."
"Oh, Lin! We have wanted offspring for so long, that will be
very hard to say."
"I know."
"Is it even possible for him to carry it? If so, why did we
wait until we had a human with Peabody's health problems?"
"Because the baby can make Peabody, or anyone with his
medical conditions healthier. Adding those things to Abbott's
body will make him unhealthier. We will effectively be making him
as sick as Peabody was when he got here. If his body cannot
tolerate it-and that is a real possibility-he could die," Lin
told him.
"I think this is a decision for all the brothers," Lan said.
"And Peabody."
"No! Peabody does not need to know."
"He will notice a pregnant Abbott, don't you think?"
"We may decide to terminate it."
"Comm. Get brothers," Lin said.
"Ban, here."
"Pon, here."
"Fon, here."
"Mun, here."
"I need to meet all of you as soon as possible in Lin's
room."
"OK."
"Yes."
"I'm on my way."
"I will be right there."
Lan sat on Lin's bed and worried. This was very bad. Peabody
would probably hate him. Or Peabody could fall in love with
Abbott. They were both humans and Abbott was a nice person.
Lan looked at Lin. "What is your opinion, Lin."
"I can see both sides. We need the young, but he will be
disruptive. We need Peabody's opinion. He could refuse to allow
it, or insist it be born."
"Frup!"
"Double that."
Ban showed up first.
"What is it? Is something wrong?"
"We should wait for the others."
Mun showed up next. Then Pon. Finally Fon was there and Lin
played back the conversation he had with Abbott for the brothers.
"Abbott Mills, one of our lawyers appears to be pregnant with
Lan's child."
"What?" Ban said.
Mun laughed.
"You must be joking."
"He wants to have the child," Lin said.
"Is that medically possible?" Ban asked.
"It won't do him any good, and it could kill him, but I think
it is possible."
"We searched so long for a host and now they seem to be all
over the place," Ban observed.
"Why did you get him pregnant?" Fon asked Lan.
"I wore a shield. Evidently it didn't work."
"It is Lan's child. The decision is his," Pon said.
"I say terminate it," Lan said.
"Forcefully?" Lin said.
"What?" Lan asked.
"I told you he wants to carry the baby. Will you hold him
down while I terminate it? He may struggle."
"Oh, frup!"
"I suppose we could sneak up behind him and drug him," Lin
said.
"You are enjoying this aren't you, Lin?" Lan asked him.
"It is funny. The first interspecies accidental pregnancy."
"We need the child, Lan." Ban said.
"I wonder what Peabody wants to do?" Mun said.
"He is involved, Lan," Fon said.
Lan could feel his relationship with Peabody crumbling.
Abbott got back on the microphone. "Comm. Get Peabody."
"Peabody, here."
"Peabody, this is Abbott Mills."
"Hi, Abbott. How are you? Oscar is wonderful!"
"I'm glad you are happy with him.
"Peabody, I don't know if you are aware of it, but Lan and I
had sex."
"Oh. I knew he had sex with a human."
"It was me. That is over. He wanted to know something about
human sex and I agreed. You love him, don't you?"
"I'm not really comfortable talking about this."
Abbott sighed. "I will come right out and tell you. I believe
I am pregnant with his child."
Peabody almost fell over. He sat on the sofa in the cabin.
"What are you going to do?" Peabody asked him.
"I want you to decide."
"Me? Why me?"
"Don't you think it affects you?"
"It affects you a lot more than me."
"True. But I would like to have the baby."
Peabody closed his eyes. Oh, Lan!
"Are you doing this to get Lan?"
Abbott sighed and said, "Peabody, I won't lie to you. I love
Lan. However, I know he is yours. I have worked with the Alaphin
for a long time. Whenever someone turned them down, I wanted to
say 'I'll do it. Take me'. I would love to be involved in the
colony. I would love to be on Mars. They need the child. But they
are your spouses."
"What do you expect, if you come to Mars? Three spouses? What
if they are not interested?"
"I don't expect any spouses. They are all taken. But I will
have a child and I will be able to contribute something to the
colony. I want to do that. I'm tired of being a lawyer. This is
so much more exciting. I have dreamed of going to Mars my whole
life. Can you understand that?"
Peabody thought. Yes, he could understand it. And there was
always Pon. He looked exactly like Lan. He loved Pon, but for the
good of the colony, maybe he should consider it. Of course, Pon
might not be interested.
"If you are even considering it, maybe we could meet. I'm not
a bad person. I'm a dog lover. I have a yorkie named Tina. My mom
died a couple of years ago. She was my last close relative. I
want a family."
You have too many spouses, Peabody, he told himself. You want
to spend more time with Lan, but you have to keep everyone else
happy. This could be the answer.
"Abbott, is this even medically possible?"
"I think so. I contacted Lin and he is supposed to get back
with me."
"So that's why everyone ran out of here! They are all talking
about it."
"Peabody, as far as I'm concerned, it is your decision. If
you don't want me there, I won't come. It doesn't matter what
they decide."
"What if they decide they want you to come?"
"If you don't, I won't. I'm not trying to cause a problem. I
just want to be a part of what is going on there. If they decide
they don't want me, but you do, you could change their minds."
"Are you doing it for the money?"
Abbott laughed and said, "No, Peabody. I inherited eight
million dollars when my mom died."
"OK."
"OK what?"
"I agree."
"Really? Do you want to meet me?"
"No. I believe you. I don't think Lan would have taken up
with you if he didn't like you. I want you to keep your hands off
him. And Lin, too. Do you understand? If you don't, you won't
stay or I may just kill you."
"OK. Peabody. That is fair enough."
"Abbott are you absolutely sure you want to do this? You
could end up alone on an empty planet. I can't force any of the
brothers to spend time with you."
"I understand that. I will have Tina. I live in big empty
house now."
"But you see people all the time at work."
"I want this, Peabody. I really do."
"OK."
"End comm," Peabody said.
"Comm. Get Lan."
"Lan, here."
"Lan, I need to talk to you and Lin about Abbott."
Lan felt sick. He looked at Lin.
"Let's go, Lan," Lin said.
Lin and Lan rode bikes to the park. Lan felt his life was
over. Why had he done it? Why get involved with someone who
wasn't a host? The answer was, he wanted to be the new host's
favorite. He thought it would be an advantage. And it was, for a
while. Now it was all going horribly wrong.
They arrived at the park and walked to the cabin. Lan walked
in expecting the worst, but Peabody hugged him tightly and didn't
seem to want to let go.
"I love you, Peabody," he said, softly.
"I love you." Lan closed his eyes. Maybe his life wasn't
over.
Peabody pulled away and said, "Abbott told me he thinks he is
pregnant. Lin, is it even possible?"
"Yes, I think it is. Lan used protection, but it was fifty
three years old and the device may have failed. Our shields are
like human condoms in that they are fragile, so it isn't far-
fetched. I won't know for sure until I run scans. His blood work
does seem to indicate an offspring."
"What do you want to do about it? Abbott asked me if I would
allow him here, and I said I would as long as he keeps his hands
off you. But it is your colony. What do you want to do?"
"It is your colony, Peabody," Lin said.
"You said yes?" Lan asked him.
"Yes. I know he loves you. He told me so. But I believe you
love me..."
"I do!"
"I believe you. He wants to be part of this, even if he has
no spouses. He will have a child of his own and he thinks that is
enough. What do you want to do?"
"I don't know!" Lan said.
"Lin, what do you think? Is it worth it, for the colony? If
it works, we would have more kids. I don't know how important it
is to you."
"It is important, Peabody. But we don't want you to be
unhappy."
It is OK with me. It is your decision. I won't let either of
you go. I told him I would kill him first." Lan stared at
Peabody.
"Does that mean you might let others go?"
"Everything will be up to them. If they stay with me, I will
be very happy. If they would be happier with Abbott, it isn't
like we aren't still a family."
"My love, I am really surprised you are taking this so well,"
Lan said.
"Well, I love all of you and I can't love all of you equally.
You convinced me of that. If one of the others would be happier
with him, well, I want him to be happier."
"Lin, is Abbott risking his life?"
"Yes."
"You told him?"
"Yes."
"What do you want to do? Allow him to come?" Peabody asked
again.
"The other brothers already agreed to let you decide, my
love."
"Do either of you think one or more of the others would want
him to be their host?"
"Right now, I would say no. What do you think, Lan?"
"You can release them."
"What does that mean?" Peabody asked.
"It is like divorce, Peabody," Lin said.
"Lie and say I don't love them? I can't do that. I can't hurt
them."
"Do you want one of the brothers to take him as his host?"
"There are so many things to consider. The good of the
colony, Abbott's happiness, my inability to spend as much time as
I would like with each brother, my desire to spend more time with
you. I really have no idea what to do."
"Peabody, if you thought one of the brothers would be happy
with Abbott, would you want him to take Abbott as host?"
"Yes, but not either of you. You have to stay miserable with
me."
Lin and Lan laughed. Lan said, "Abbott is a very nice, kind
person. He asked me if I would be willing to pay more for Oscar
because the owner was having money problems and he wanted to
help. I think if you assign one or two brothers to see to his
needs, one of them might fall in love with him and ask to be
released."
"What about Pon. He looks like you?"
"If he is one of the brothers you would be willing to
release, then yes. Who else?"
"I guess any of the other four."
"Peabody, are you doing this for the good of the colony or
because of your own desires?" Lin asked him.
"For the colony. It hurts to think of losing any of them. I
will miss them very much. Every time I think of one of the
brothers, I decide 'Oh, no not him'. But if it needs to be done,
I guess we need to do it. I really don't know if I have it in me
to juggle six spouses. I'm worried about it now. How will I feel
when I am about to deliver? I can't help but think I could keep
three or four spouses happier than six, and worry less." Peabody
put his face in his hands.
"Let me talk to the brothers and get their approval before we
contact Abbott," Lin said.
"OK."
"Lan, why don't you stay here with Peabody. But first I need
to speak to you privately."
Lin walked away and Lan followed him.
"Are you going to ask for volunteers?" Lan asked.
"Yes, if Peabody is willing to sacrifice for the colony, one
of us should also."
"It is our colony, too," Lan said.
"Exactly. I plan to play back the conversation in the house.
That may help. He shouldn't be the one to bear it all.
"There is one very good thing that could come of this. I have
been wondering how Peabody would feel about raising a clone of
Aracatal as his child and then allowing it to mate with one or
more of his other children. He might consider it incest, even
though it isn't. But if Abbott gestates and raises it, I don't
think it will be a problem. We could have Peabody gestate a
second clone to host for Abbott's children.
"Go back to Peabody. I am sure he is upset."
"Thank you, Lin."
Lin headed for the park entrance.
When Lan walked back into the house, Peabody ran to him and
hugged him.
"I love you, baby."
"I love you, too."
"Are you angry at me for getting Abbott pregnant?"
"No. That was before we were together. I'm just worried."
"I swear to you that I will stay by your side. There is
nothing to worry about. The brothers will decide what is best.
The decision doesn't have to be yours."
"Oh, good. I am not able to decide what is best for them."
Lin arrived at the brothers' rooms and found them all still
together. He joined them and played the recording of their
conversation with Peabody.
Afterwards, they were quiet as they thought about it.
"I said it before and I say it now. I will not give Peabody
up," Mun said. "I would rather die."
"I see it was unfair of us to try to make Peabody decide,"
Ban said.
Pon said. "Do you think Peabody wants me to choose Abbott? I
am the only one he mentioned by name."
"No, Pon. Peabody was only thinking of Abbott and his love
for Lan. As we all know, Peabody is a kind person. He thought you
would make Abbott happiest. That is not necessarily true, of
course. You are not Lan," Lin said.
"I feel so sorry for Peabody," Fon said. "He is suffering
because of this, suffering for us and the colony. He doesn't
deserve it." Peabody, I love you! Fon closed his eyes and
thought, I am doing this for you, my love. He kept his eyes
firmly closed, but tears still ran down his face. "I will take
Abbott as my host."
The others watched Fon and each tried to decide if he was as
brave as Fon.
You could be Abbott's favorite, Ban told himself. You would
not have to sleep alone. You could have all the sex you like.
Abbott is not bad looking and he has always been very nice to
you. He is not Peabody, but no one is, not even Aracatal.
"I will take Abbott," Ban said. "I think two of us is
enough." Fon smiled. He knew Ban said that because wanted to be
Abbott's favorite. Even if he was, Fon would spend plenty of time
with Abbott since he would have only two mates.
"I have never met him. I would like to now," Fon said.
"Comm. Get Abbott Mills," Lin said.
"Abbott Mills, here."
"Abbott, have you changed your mind? You are risking your
life. If you just want to see Mars, you do not need to risk your
life."
"I want to have the baby."
"Very well. We will leave soon to see you. The brothers you
have not met want to meet you."
"I will be here."
"End comm."
Abbott leaned back in his chair and thought about what he
wanted to take to Mars. Then he got up to go home and pack, just
in case.
"If you want to go to Earth, wait in the shuttle. I will get
Lan," Lin said.
"Are you going to tell Peabody," Ban asked.
"Unless you don't want me to tell him."
"I think you should tell him. I don't want him worrying. He
is carrying two of our children," Fon said. Tears were still
running down his face.
"I will meet you at the shuttle," Lin told them as he left.
He picked up a scanner at the clinic as well as a couple of
other devices he needed to supplement Abbott's blood. Then he
took a bike to the park. When he entered it, he got Lan and
Peabody on the comm and asked them to meet him at the entrance.
"Peabody, we have two volunteers to mate with Abbott."
Peabody felt slightly sick, but he asked, "Who?"
"Fon and Ban. They felt if you could do it for the good of
the colony, they should." Peabody was glad it wasn't Mun.
"If they think it is best, then I am happy."
"You don't look happy."
"Actually, I don't know why I said that. I'm not happy at
all. But I know this colony needs more than one host. I figured
that out right after I got here. My kids will need a host when
they are adults."
"We are all going to Earth. I need to see Abbott, Lan.
Peabody, would you like to go? I think it would be a good idea."
"Of course. I don't want to be the only person on the planet!
And I want to make sure Abbott doesn't try to get Lan."
Peabody looked around for his dog, but didn't see him.
"Oscar! Oscar!" Oscar came running and jumped up into Peabody's
arms.
"Oh, you are a good jumper!" he said as he hugged the happy
little dog.
They walked out of the park.
"I will take a bike to the shuttle. It looks like most of
them are here," Lan said.
"OK. I will follow you."
Lin and Lan got on bikes and headed back, with Peabody and
Oscar following in his car. Peabody reminded himself to find out
how to charge the car. It didn't need it yet, but it would. They
entered the connecting tunnel that would take them to the shuttle
corridor. Peabody looked over at Oscar who was enjoying the ride.
Come to think of it, Oscar enjoyed everything! They entered the
shuttle corridor and stopped near the shuttle. Peabody got out of
the car and picked up Oscar. They walked to the shuttle and
entered it. The other brothers were already there. Mun was on a
seat by himself. He smiled at Peabody and pointed to his empty
seat. Peabody decided to sit with him. He put Oscar on the seat.
"Hello, my love."
"Hi, Mun."
Peabody sat close to Mun and Mun wrapped his arm around him.
Mun was erect and Peabody wrapped his hand around his prick.
Fon and Ban tried to not look at Peabody. This was hard
enough for them. Both knew they had made the decision that was
best for the colony, but that didn't mean they didn't love and
desire Peabody as much as ever. Pon was delighted that he would
have to share Peabody with two fewer lovers. Still, he hoped his
brothers would be happy with Abbott.
Mun slid one hand into Peabody's pants. Peabody grinned at
him and lifted himself off the seat a little. Mun pushed a finger
into him and Peabody leaned forward to kiss him. Mun pushed his
tongue into his love's mouth and tried to show him how much he
loved him. He stroked Peabody's tongue lightly with his own. He
wrapped his tongue around the end of Peabody's tongue the way he
wanted to wrap his body around Peabody's. That made his love
moan.
"Could you please do that when we don't have to suffer
through it?" Fon asked.
Peabody felt terrible. He hadn't wanted to make anyone feel
bad. He whispered in Mun's ear, "He is right, my love. Let's
wait."
Mun nodded and Peabody leaned against him. Mun wrapped his
arms around him and rubbed his cheek against his love's. Then he
rested his head on Peabody's and held him for the rest of the
trip.
When they landed, the other brothers got off and Mun said,
"Peabody, I love you so much that I don't know how to express it.
I told them I would rather die than lose you and I meant it. I
could never go back to living without you."
"Mun, I love you, too. I very much want to make you happy."
Then he whispered, "I was very glad you didn't volunteer." They
kissed, briefly.
"Let's go with the others."
Peabody got up and picked up Oscar. Then he took Mun's hand.
They walked off the shuttle and saw the brothers were going into
a room. They followed them in. When Peabody entered the room, he
saw Lin running a scanner over Abbott. Peabody sat next to Lan
and Mun sat on his other side. Mun took one of Peabody's hands
and held it.
Lin projected an image on the wall of the room. "The baby is
right here. It appears to be approximately three weeks old. Is
that about right, Abbott?"
"Yes. Three weeks yesterday."
"Are you sure you want to carry the baby, even though you
will feel awful at best, and it could kill you?"
"I trust you, Lin. I know you will do your best to keep that
from happening. I do want to risk it. By the way, I have already
signed all the forms and releases."
"Lift your sleeve or take off your shirt. I need to give you
some supplements immediately." Abbott took off his shirt.
Peabody saw Abbott was in very good shape. He wondered why he
didn't have a lover.
Lin wrapped a device around his upper arm and told him he
could sit.
Abbott tried not to look at Lan. He noticed Ban and one other
brother were scrutinizing him. He wondered if they were
considering mating with him. He hadn't dared hope that would
happen. But he remembered Peabody saying to keep his hands off
Lan and Lin. Maybe that meant he was allowing some of the others
to take him. He looked at Ban. He had seen him many times, but
they hadn't spent much time together. Abbott thought that like
all of them, Ban was extremely masculine. He started getting an
erection looking at Ban. He decided to look at Peabody.
Peabody was staring at him. He was scrutinizing Abbott, too.
That was completely understandable. He didn't see any hostility
in Peabody's face and that was a relief. The other brothers were
all watching Peabody.
He suddenly felt very strange. "Oh."
"Are you alright, Abbott?"
"I feel funny...I mean strange."
"Is this the first time you have felt this way?" Lin asked.
"Yes."
"Then it is the supplements I am adding to your system. Are
you sure you want to go through with it?"
"Why do you keep asking him that?" Ban asked, hotly. "How
many times does he have to tell you? Will you ask him every two
minutes for the rest of his life?"
Abbott stared at Ban. Lin closed his eyes.
"Ban, he is just making sure. He wants me to be aware that I
will continue to feel this way. Please don't be upset," Abbott
asked him.
Abbott looked at Peabody and Peabody was smiling at him. He
guessed Peabody thought he'd said the right thing.
Ban asked, "Peabody, will you release Fon and myself?"
"Ban, do you wish to be released?" Ban shook his head no and
said, "Yes."
"Fon?"
"Yes, my love. It is best." Abbott watched Fon close his eyes
and cry.
Peabody closed his eyes. It hurt a great deal, even though he
knew it was for the best. Tears fell and he said with his eyes
closed, "I never thanked you enough for the park. I will always
love you, Ban. Ban, I release you..."
"Wait!" Abbott said. He looked at the misery on Ban's and
Peabody's faces.
They all looked at him. "I am doing this because I like you
and I want to help. Not because I want to make anyone miserable.
Ban, you and Fon can remain with Peabody. You should all remain
with Peabody. I am not trying to split up your family. Please
believe me!"
"Peabody, if I am not happy, will you take me back?"
"Absolutely. Instantly. Fon, that applies to you, too."
"Abbott, I am willing to try. As Peabody said, if it doesn't
work, I will go back to him."
"That seems like a good idea to me, too," Fon said.
"Fon, I release you. Please tell me if you are unhappy. You
don't have to suffer."
"Thank you, my...Peabody."
"Abbott, you should say you accept us and will be our host,"
Ban said.
"I accept you, Ban and Fon. I will be your host."
"I guess we can decide where you will live when we go back.
My old quarters are very nice, or you can live in the park. If we
all lived there, it would still seem like one family. That would
make it less painful to me, but I don't know anything about
Alaphin customs or your preferences, Abbott."
"I would like that," Abbott said. "I want to join your
family, not split it up."
"We can do whatever we like," Ban said. "If that is what the
two hosts want, then that is what we will do. Do the rest of you
agree?"
"Yes, I like that idea very much," Lin said.
"I like it," Mun said.
"That would be wonderful. A bigger family would be very
nice," Pon said.
"Abbott could be a subordinate host," Lan said.
"What is that?" Abbott asked.
"A subordinate host is usually the host child of a host. They
are part of the same family as the parent host, rather than
moving to a new home apart from the old host. You would have to
defer to Peabody's wishes and even though you would have mates,
they would defer to Peabody as well. If you told them to do one
thing and Peabody told them to do another, they would obey
Peabody, because he outranks you."
"That sounds perfect to me. As I said, I am trying to join
the family, not pull it apart," Abbott said.
"Ban, Fon? How do you feel?" Lin asked.
"I like the idea. But I have never heard of it. Did you just
make it up, Lan?" Fon asked.
"No. I read about it. On our home world before the first
colony, it was a solution to overcrowding. Everyone stayed in the
same house, because land and homes were scarce, and you can't
have two or more hosts giving contradictory orders."
"I remember reading about it, also," Ban said. "It sounds
like an excellent idea to me. In any case, we can do what we
want. Neither of our hosts are Alaphin, so we don't have to stick
with old rules made up by Alaphin hosts."
"I like the idea. Abbott, I don't plan to try to run your
life. Personally, I would much rather be part of one big family
than a smaller one," Peabody said.
"Peabody, I really wouldn't mind."
"I guess we are all agreed then. I must admit I feel a lot
better about this than I did a few minutes ago. I hope you don't
mind if I hug your mates occasionally," Peabody said.
"No. Not at all. We will all be in the same family. I hope
all of us love each other," Abbott said.
"Peabody, I know we said we did not need to follow old rules,
but by the old rules, you are allowed to have sex with any of us,
including with Abbott. That is what keeps it all one family
instead of two different families sharing a home." Ban said.
Peabody didn't know what to say to that. "Would that mean
Abbott could have sex with my mates?"
"No. They wouldn't be able to achieve erections with Abbott."
He thought for a minute. "I like that idea. It allows Abbott
to have two mates, but it doesn't require me to lose you and Fon
completely. Abbott, I don't know how you feel about it, but that
is my preference."
"Well, it would be nice if I had sex occasionally..."
"You will," Fon and Ban both said. "Very soon," Ban added.
Abbott smiled and said, "I am willing. I wasn't expecting any
mates."
Peabody looked around and everyone was smiling, even Ban and
Fon. He was very happy. He thought two mates was plenty, too. But
he loved every one of them.
"Then let's discuss living arrangements. Since we will be one
big family, I would like us to both live very close to each
other. I don't know if we should add another cabin to the
existing one or add-on to the one we have. I know it is
expandable. What do you think, Abbott?"
"I don't know enough to have an opinion," Abbott said.
"Ban, what do you think?"
"We need to see what the options are for expanding the cabin.
I will go speak to John." Ban got up and left the room.
"When do we leave?" Abbott asked.
"How soon can you be ready?" Lan asked.
"I have my luggage in my office."
"Show us, Abbott," Fon said.
Peabody picked up Oscar and they walked to Abbott's office.
Fon and Ban got the suitcases, with six hands between the two of
them.
"I can carry two," Abbott said.
"Give up doing things for yourself right now," Peabody told
him. "Hosts don't work."
"And I'm a host?"
"Yes," several of them answered.
"Peabody, can I speak to you in private before we leave?"
"Yes, of course."
Peabody followed Abbott back the room they had just left.
Peabody put Oscar down.
"I really didn't expect you to allow me to come. Now that I
will be going, I'm worried that you will resent my presence. Will
you?"
"No. I don't think so. Despite what Ban said about me being
able to have sex with him and Fon, the fact is, I felt I was
neglecting them. They kept telling me I wasn't, but every time I
saw one, he would get an erection, so I knew they wanted to have
sex. I can't make love with six people every day. I got sick the
one time I tried to make love with five of them on the same day.
Even though I will miss Ban and Fon, I am hoping they will be
happier. They won't have to share your affection with all the
others. And I won't have to worry so much about neglecting them.
Plus there are a limited number of offspring I can carry. With me
adding one to the population of Mars every year, the colony is
barely growing at all. We need more than two hosts. If you and I
each give birth to one a year after thirty years, the population
will only be sixty-eight, counting us. Not exactly booming."
Abbott hugged Peabody. "Thank you for allowing me to come.
This has been a dream of mine for years. Not the getting pregnant
part, but going to Mars."
"Well, I don't know how you will feel about our home. I
doesn't seem like another planet, except for the gravity. We live
underground."
"I'm sure I will love it."
They walked to the shuttle.