I awoke the next morning and held my wives just enjoying the sensations. I looked up and saw a young me sitting there. "Good morning," I said to him. He smiled "good morning prime we have things to discuss". I looked at Cora and Lisa and they were still out. I looked at the young me "let's move to my office as not to wake them".
He nodded and disappeared and I got up hearing a few grunts.
I got to my office and he was there. "Now what can I help you with?" He smiled "we wish to access your aura in casses of emergencies".
"Explain how?"
"We can use it as an extension of you to keep you and others safe. We can amplify the effects and help you control them. When you reached out to your mates we saw the connection and investigated. The bandwidth is higher than your network and we wish to use it in case your network is unavailable. We wish to make redundancies now that offspring are in the mix"
"Offspring" I heard from the bedroom then the sound of them running to the office. They looked at the young me and he just smiled.
"Both of you have started ovulation at the same time. We assumed you wished this for mating purposes. Both of you have taken control of the nanobots in your systems and started the process".
"I didn't know we could do that" Lisa said. I looked at her "I wonder if being around all those kids yesterday did something". They both looked at me and smiled an evil grin.
"Were we correct in our assumption or should we reverse the process?" The young me asked the room. "Absolutely not," Cora yelled.
I looked at the young me "yes to using my aura". He nodded and vanished.
I looked at my girls and stood, they looked like happy little kittens. I went to them and they clung to me "like I told you when it happens it happens I don't care who is first". They came and kissed me and Lisa got a look "there is only one way to find out. Vickey come here please".
Vickey appeared and looked at Lisa with a quizzical look "yes Lisa". Lisa took a deep breath and looked at me then Cora then back to Vickey "we are not to be distributed for the next 72 hours. I mean nothing unless we say otherwise please. Tell them he is in the tank again" she giggled.
Vicky gave me an evil grin "understood loud and clear"
For the next 72 hours my wives were the center of my universe and that's all I have to say on that.
Finally it was Friday and time to see the mayor. Something was nagging at me like I forgot something and figured it will show its head eventually. They just grunted at me as I got up so I collected kisses and went to the shower. At my desk I got a coffee and called for Vicky.
"So you survived I'm impressed" I scowled at her "yea yea yea, We have work to do" she gave me an evil grin. "We have the mayor coming today and that's about it. Sandy has things on the ground under control and flowing smoothly. She has been running interference for the DOD who want to examine the equipment. She keeps them full so they don't have the opportunity. The twins report that morale went up after the name change, they say thanks for that. The kits have kept momentum up when it comes to their mission. Your brother is in Australia with Kim and Gar, Gar is driving this time. The moon base is at 50% and ready for visitors. The AI is in place and checking her systems".
I looked at her "how powerful is the AI?" She smiled "she could run the planet. I used an existing one that has been used hundreds of times before with no AI overlords". She started to giggle.
"Very funny but a good selling point. That's what people are going to see".
"I anticipated that so I told her to view the media and use that to make sure they know she has no ill intent". I nodded at that "good plan". She smiled again "her name is Sara". My turn to smile "when do we get to meet her?"
"In a bit she is still checking her systems"
I nodded "are we still ok to go to the moon with the mayor?" She nodded "yes she knows your coming and wants it to be perfect right down to the flight systems". I shook my head "I can't believe that thing is mobile" she laughed "you have to remember it's mostly empty space, the antigravity system can do it with one unit so that is why it has 4. All of our aircraft have triple redundant systems as safety protocols"
"I've wondered about that". She got an evil grin "I know" and she stuck her tongue out at me.
I looked at my arm and dialed the mayor "good morning captain" I heard in a chipper female voice. "Good morning, are you and the hubby ready to go?" I asked, knowing the answer.
They were excited as I passed off the phone to Vickey, she was going to collect them for me. She looked at me "ETA, 45 min". I looked at Vicky and smiled "let them go weightless if they want to". She smiled and nodded.
I got up and dressed in a polo and slacks picked out by my wives. "You look good in dark earth tones" Lisa said and I took her word for it.
They were wearing identical flowing dresses with just different colors. "To make it easy for the humans," Cora said. Lisa was in blue and Cora was in red and when the dresses came together they changed to purple.
"That is so cool" I said to them. "I know right. Vickey found it for us" Lisa said "it's supposed to wrap a type of fusion reactor cooling fins" Cora added.
I looked at the girls and they were glowing. "Everything was going well but I was still forgetting something. It was on the tip of my brain but was stuck there. They girls looked at me, I guess I had a look on my face. "What's wrong?" Cora asked and I looked at her. "You know that feeling that you're forgetting something. I just have a bunch on the go". I got up and hugged them.
We watched the shuttle land and Vickey escorted them out. I had cheated and had the translator nanobots pre installed when they were in flight. Vicky activated them and prepped them to meet aliens. They walked to me wide eyed and slack jawed.
I put out my hand "hello there I'm the captain but I would prefer if you call me Brad". He took my hand "thank you Brad, call me Jude and this is my wife Ann". Ann took my hand "OMG it was so smooth and the weightlessness was interesting for sure" she giggled.
"Good morning it's a pleasure to meet you" Lisa said in English. My eyes shot open and she smiled "I've been practicing" she said in her own language".
Ann looked at both Cora and Lisa "it's a pleasure to meet you" she put out her hand. Lisa took it and smiled. "This is just OMG I'm in space" Ann said then caught herself.
They were both about 50 years old and obviously still in love based on my observations. "First of all you are going to spend an hour in the medbeds to get the next level of care". "There are different levels?"
"What you experienced was the emergency end of the nanobots, now you are going to get some upgrades. These will become available soon so you're getting a preview of what's to come".
We made our way to a medical bay and they both went into the beds.
"Vickey bring them to be 35 again. That should get a few happy people". My wives came to me when they were asleep. "They will be thrilled when they wake up" Cora said.
I looked at my mates and told them how beautiful they looked, resulting in them giving me a twirl. The colors of the dresses swirled like fire dancing this way and that.
If they were wearing normal clothes I never would have noticed but the dresses alter light around them. The material was reflecting the ribbons that led to my mates but they were different. Interlaced with their ribbons there were smaller ones that wrapped around it. I spit my coffee all over myself and started to choke and they ran to me to check on me.
"What was that?" they both said.
I regained my composure and didn't know what to say. "I think I just saw something but I need confirmation". I went to the shelf and got a hand scanner and scanned them. I stood staring at the screen not knowing what to say. I looked back and forth between them and the scanner.
"What is it?" they yelled in unison. I transferred to data from the scanner to an empty medbed. There was a display for both of them and they were showing 6 viable embryos in each of my mates.
They looked at me and the waterworks started from all of us. It's a good thing our guests were out because there were a lot of tears and cuddles.
"How did you know?" Cora asked me. "The dresses reflect my aura, I can see your ribbons and the babies have them already and they are wrapped around yours. That must have been what was off this morning". I held my wives "don't ever think I'm anything but happy about this news ok".
Lisa came to me and wrapped her arms around my neck "I love you my holy man" my eyes got big and Cora laughed. "At least one of us doesn't have to carry 12 at once". We all broke down laughing.
We have 15 minutes left so we went to the refresher and got cleaned up. We got back just in time.
The mayor sat up first and reached for his glasses. "You don't need them anymore". He just nodded and sat up and looked at his hands then to his wife who was sitting up.
Lisa and Cora came with mirrors and they both just looked at their reflection. "How" was all Ann said.
"You bodies have returned to being 35 again and you are in perfect health".
They weren't talking so Lisa broke the silence "I hope all politicians are this easy to deal with". We all laughed and they relaxed.
"I don't know what to say" as he swung his legs over then jumped off the bed. "Haven't felt this good in years". Ann was nodding.
Both of them were stretching trying on their new body. "This is going to be the norm eventually for everyone". Jude looked at me "now will you tell me why Vancouver?" I smiled "I have a daughter that lives in the lower mainland so it seemed right".
He looked at me "that's it, I've been racking my brain trying to figure it out" he laughed. "Nothing complicated, I had to start somewhere".
The girls were discussing the dresses and I looked at Jude. "Come with me please". I took him to a clothes replicator. "That suit looks uncomfortable, pick out some comfortable clothes and get changed. There are no sizes, the unit scans you and makes them to size". He nodded and picked out a more comfortable outfit of jeans and a polo.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
We went to the communal area and sat and talked. I showed them the replicators "yes it's just like Star Trek". We had something to eat and drink and sat to talk. "It's no secret that your inner city is in rough shape and Hastings is a mess. We are going to change that if I have my way people will point at Vancouver and want to live to our standards". They were smiling so hard it looked like it hurt.
"You realize you just made my career" Ann was nodding. I smiled "that's your end, I want nothing to do with politics". They looked shocked "I'm serious, I have zero political aspirations".
"That's enough of that topic. How are things going at the dump?". He looked at me "never in a million years would I think the dump would make money. I've been approached by manufacturers about the plastic pellets already. My assistant sent off some for testing and when the results came back people took notice. We supply all the local plastic manufacturers now and they are very happy about the prices".
Lisa and Cora were talking with Ann "the hospital is amazing, I went there myself and saw the kids. It's a miracle". I interjected "it's not a miracle it's science that saved those children, nanobots to be exact. They can read your DNA like a book and figure out what to address. They are still in you doing work and when they are finished you pass them. The second kind you have it to translate for you and they are with you permanently, you now understand every language on earth".
That drew shocked faces. I brought up their health stats and showed them "you have access to this as well using my tech". I looked at them "one big thing about the medbeds is they remove additions, at least the chemical part. We have methods for the other as well, mental health can and will be properly addressed and dealt with, no more needless suffering. I want big things for this planet and I want to use Vancouver as a shining star".
I brought up a hologram of the park "this is a fully automated, AI driven amusement park that for a time will only have access through Vancouver airport. I want to open an airline based out of Vancouver with cheap flights and zero emissions".
I looked at them and almost told them to blink, they were so wide eyed. The mayor came to and looked at me.
"How are you going to stop others access, I can't negotiate flight access". I zoomed out and made it obvious that it was on the moon. He looked like he was going to have a stroke.
"Oh my" said Ann "a moon base" said Jude, we all just nodded.
"Yup, an amusement park on the moon bringing real space tourism. Let them see the tech that will be in their lives soon. All run by an AI named Sara who we can meet tomorrow". Ann dropped her fork, Lisa giggled and put her hand on her arm "what is so alarming about that?" Lisa asked. Ann looked at her "like meet the AI in the sense of the park is done?" We all just nodded.
Apparently she is an astronomy buff and heard nothing. I looked at her "it's cloaked at the moment so all people can see is rocks"
She was practically jumping in her seat "I love amusement parks" Jude was nodding, staring at me.
"Captain, please tell me why are you doing this?" I smiled at him "Vickey could you come here please". She did and said hello "would you bring them up to speed". She did just that for the next 20 min.
"Judging on the damage you have done to the people and planet I was getting ready to move to another planet after you destroyed yourself. By my calculations less than 100 years and this planet will no longer be able to sustain life". They looked shocked at that.
I told them about plans to clean the oceans and the skys. The space junk was more of a PR stunt with benefits".
"Are they manned?" Ann asked. "Yes they are and we possibly can meet the pilots" they seemed ok with that.
"Let's go see where we are helping on another hidden side" I said as I rose from my seat. "Let's take a walk to Progress". That got me questioning looks from the guests and smiles from my wives.
We all fit in the lift and when the doors opened the smell of lunch hit us. The lift comes out right next to the communal meal area.
There were children running in the grass around the tree and people milled about with smiles on their faces. There were 2 meetings going on in the corners. Handmade signs noted that one was AA and the other was NA, that made me smile harder. I saw Sam dishing up food and she waved.
"Where are all these people from?" Ann asked and the twins were there to field this one. "These are the homeless families and singles we have found so far". She looked shocked "you abducted homeless people". I started to laugh "do these people look abducted, everyone here is here of their own free will. We are giving them a second chance. A good chunk of these people had additions but they are gone now so they can move on with their lives".
We walked around and met with more than one that knew the mayor. They got to see first hand the good we are doing and they seemed pleased with it.
Ann looked at me "you doing this just because you can" it was more of a statement than a question. "Yes. These people needed help the fastest so I started there. Here they will have a second chance or even a third. I have no political agenda, that's your end, I just want to help the people. I will tell you my plans and you can help me accomplish them above the board and all legal like".
Ann and Jude looked at me and started to laugh. "Are you sure you're not a politician?" he pointed around and everyone was dead silent listening to me. My mates came to me "you forget how important you are around here" Lisa said and I think I blushed a little.
We made our way back and we went to quarters for my guests. We showed them the clothing replicator and we lost our wives. Jude and I sat with a coffee and talked.
"I've been waiting for the sales pitch of getting me reelected if I do this or that for you. It's not coming is it?" I looked at him and smiled "no it won't and it never will. I don't want to play a part in politics but I see it happening in my future. Until then I'm an honest businessman that has a lot of toys to bring to market" I giggled.
"What kind of toys?" he slid forward on his seat. "A global communication network to start. I have 9 satellites in place now that could take over all communications from the planet" he looked shocked.
"And it's in place now" I nodded "the Pegasus network came online a few days ago"
Jude looked stressed "I don't know anything about a company that big" I shook my head. "I need your help with an airline based out of your city for moon excursions". His eyes got big again. "I may need your connections and that's all, I want to be transparent"
"I'm assuming you have the capital?" I looked at Vickey "how much are we worth now?" She smiled "just over 11 billion in your accounts. I'm having fun with the stock markets" she giggled.
Jade looked at me "I will take that as a yes. What do you need from me?"
I smiled "I need a spot to set up shop at the airport and a landing zone. If there is any construction to be done we will do it and we can look at upgrading the airport as well. When I'm done the airport will require no services". That got his attention "no services" I shook my head "the building will be set up to produce its own power and water, waste services you've seen already" he nodded.
We talked until the women came to us to show us Ann in one of the dresses as my girls. She looked beautiful and her dress was a brilliant violet. Then it changed to a blue and shimmered through the blue range of colors.
I looked at my wives wondering what was going on. Cora spoke first "the material reacts to mood and thought. Lisa and I went through some training with Vicky to master it. Outside of anything it's just fun". Lisa looked at Cora and then both their dresses turned blue then red finally purple. Ann tried and got a dark green, we all laughed at that.
I went to my wives "I didn't know you went through training for today, thank you" I hugged them both.
Both of them kissed me and Ann was watching and she blushed and her dress turned white. She laughed "how do you do it so easily". The girls shrugged and their dresses returned to their previous color.
Jude looked at me "is there anything the replicators can't make". I smiled "they can make anything that they have designs for and they have sufficient feedstock". Jude looked at me "you called the material at the dump feedstock". I looked at him "now you're seeing the big picture. I can make anything from that material including food".
Ann slumped in her chair and her dress got pale as the enormity of the info. Jude ran to her and she waved him off sputtering something. "I'm sorry I just got it all at once. I need to get out of this damn dress" she laughed. The girls went to get changed and Jude and I got drinks as we sat.
"So tell me what powered all of this? You must have access to new power systems".
"It's a type of fusion and yes that is one of my end goals. I want to bring cheap or no cost power" That got a smile. The girls returned and joined us.
"What if I tell you I will not let any superpower have any of these weapons". That got a smile from Jude "you have no idea the calls I have to take regarding your ship at the hospital. The DOD wants to come in and take it apart, you might want to give them a call".
I nodded at that "who did you tell where you were going?" Ann jumped in on this one "just a few close people, we didn't know what to expect so we kept it low key".
Jude smiled "is it ok to let the cat out of the bag now?"
"I would ask that you wait till after my reveal if possible. I don't want to show too much favoritism and I don't want to portray that". They both smiled at me "you're here out of respect because I'm affecting your city and deserve an explanation".
Jude looked at his wife then me "well I'm glad you chose Vancouver". Ann was shaking her head yes as my wives spoke up "so are we".
Jude looked at me "so you grew up in Canada?" I nodded "I was born on the east coast but have lived all over Canada doing contract work so I have a broad overview of the country".
That got smiles and Ann spoke up "we both grew up in Langley then went to college together then back here. How did you all meet? That's got to be a good story". The girls looked at me "it's up to you how much people know" Lisa and Cora looked at one another and smiled.
Lisa told the story of the rescue and how she claimed me, we left out Cora's origins I'm still dealing with that. Lisa got into how men do the child rearing in her culture. Ann was laughing talking about Jude doing that, He disagreed.
"Do you have children?" I instantly regretted asking that seeing it's a sore spot. Ann added "it just wasn't in the cards for us". Cora spoke up "it's never too late". Ann said "I'm too old now" with a defeated tone.
"No you're not," Vickey said as she appeared. "You now have the body of a 35 year old in perfect health. All that was wrong with you is now fixed". Ann's eyes got huge "I can have babies" she yelled.
Jude had a blank look on his face as his wife jumped into his lap. My girls looked at me and smiled with their hands on their tummies. Ann looked around and realized what she did and started apologizing. We all just giggled and kidded on as she stood.
"Just the thoughts of having a baby makes me happy". She looked at her husband "what do you think". Jude smiled "I'm just going with the flow and we will let nature decide". They kissed and you could see the love they still shared.
Ann gave Jude a look and I think he blushed and I knew that look.
"Well why don't we turn in for the evening". My wives looked at me and nodded and I think Jude blushed harder. I stood and stretched my back out "it's 2o:00 your time and we have a big day planned tomorrow. The replicator can make anything you need as well as clothes for tomorrow". We let them settle in and enjoy their evening.
We got to our home and Lisa said to me "I think they are still in love". Cora added "did you see how she looked at him". Lisa stopped and looked at me "I see the look in the mirror" she leaned in and licked my nose and I returned the gesture. Not to be left out Cora leaned in and kissed my cheek "I think they want to check to see if all their parts are working order". We all burst out laughing.
"She is nothing next to my pregnant mates". I kneeled on the floor and put my forehead on both of their stomachs and held them close. I felt the tiniest of tugs where my skin touched them. It was like the tug I get from Lisa and Cora but it was like comparing a punch to a feather touch.
I smiled and looked up and they both put a hand on my cheek. "Come to bed baby" they said in unison. They looked at one another and giggled as I rose. We undressed and did our own parts research.