Peabody and the Host

Peabody and the Host

By Vic James

vicjames2@hotmail.com

Copyright 2013 by Vic James

http://vicjames.com

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You can see a list of my stories under my name at http://www.nifty.org/nifty/frauthors.html

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.