Jack's Wage Slavery Pt. 02

"Why?"

"The world was sterilized millennia ago. Lost most of its atmosphere. Cooked by its sun. It no longer supports life. We wouldn't survive there. I'm amazed the Prime lasted as long as she did," Plato explained.

Jack heard some cranky crying and opened his eyes to see Joseph settling down as Eve took him in her arms.

"Queen Elissa?" he called as he closed his eyes again.

"Yes Jack?"

"Can we go home, please? Oh, and can someone get me some clothes?"

"Yes Jack."

Chapter 23

Running was a luxury he'd missed. As he reached the halfway point he let himself drop down to a trot then a jog and finally a walk.

He came to a stop on a bridge over a deep stream. He recalled jumping into one much like this one to rescue a child. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He turned his face up to let the early morning sunshine soak into his skin.

A woman walking along the path with her child in a stroller held her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright reflection being cast off of the slave collar Jack still wore. Jack pulled up the collar of his t-shirt to cover it and called out an apology.

In the three months since he returned home Jack had spoken with three separate Chuuruthian doctors. They'd all agreed after comprehensive examinations that he was safer to leave the collar in place. It's interconnection to his nervous system were too numerous and microscopic to remove without leaving him with some residual loss of sensation. What sensation he'd lose couldn't be determined easily.

The Altarian Security Ministry techs managed to make the explosives in it inert so there was no longer any chance of it exploding, which was a relief. They also confirmed that its receiver was dead but the transmitter was still active though there was no one left to receive and interpret its signals.

The collar wasn't painful, it didn't impair him in any way, and everyone who saw it was impressed with its beauty and workmanship... until they realized it was permanently attached to him.

For Jack, the sight of it brought back memories of pain... and the death of Beth and Drew.

"Excuse me?"

Jack turned his face and looked at the woman he'd blinded with his new jewellery. Her face tickled a memory and her name popped into his mind. "Miro?"

She beamed him a huge smile as she was so pleased he remembered.

"How's your arm? How is Meela doing?"

Her smile got even wider. "My arm is all healed up, thank you, and Meela is wonderful thanks to you! I never got to thank you for what you did for us that day!"

"It was my pleasure. I did feel a little responsible because that idiot was trying to get to me when she crashed into you two," he said with a frown.

"No, please! You weren't to blame! I got my day in court to speak out against her antisocial behavior and she's no longer a threat to the public."

She was smiling at him which made Jack start to feel restless so he shook Miro's hand, said his goodbyes, and waved as he started running back.

He really pushed himself hard the last few miles and when he arrived back at his condo door he was dripping wet. He stepped inside and heard the squeals of happy children. That always brought his spirits up.

"Good morning Jack!" Diana smiled and walked over with his daughter Emily in her arms. She was named after Diana's mother. He'd missed her birth and that was something he would never forgive his kidnappers for. Ever.

Emily was pure human. Not a spec of Altarian DNA to be found. While she was beautiful like her mother, she was blond like her father so Jack contributed something to the genetic mix.

He kissed them both and Diana pushed his sweaty body away. "Shower, now!" she said with a fake grimace.

He made his way to his bedroom and looked at the women relaxing in his living room. One notable absence was Stella. She'd spent a lovely week with him when they returned but she had a life she had to pick up on one of Altaria's colony worlds. She had a position at a University there. He missed her but he understood her need to get back to her life. The life that had almost been stolen from her.

He smiled and went to take his shower. He closed the bedroom door, carried some underwear into the bathroom and closed its door too. The door closing thing was a new habit he was teaching himself as there were so many kids in his place now.

He got the water running and let it spray over his head. He closed his eyes and let the heat wash away his tension. If he concentrated he could hear the voices of the ladies in the living room and the sounds of the children. He needed that these days.

Hands rubbed soap on his back and he smiled. He knew who it was without looking. The small but strong hands could only belong to Eve. She was living with him now too. Queen Elissa was arranging to buy out another neighbor and expand his condo as it was becoming tight. He wouldn't have it any other way though.

After the 'Grand Rescue', as the joint Tik/Altarian/Human mission had become named, and once the mad Allsa Komanae had been euthanized, the Tik documentarians arrived on the Allsa Komanae home world to dig up the names and home planet locations of all of the kidnap victims alive or dead. They were able to find records for Kekk and Ghia's planet and returned the couple to it but they'd had no success in finding Eve's planet. They'd done their best to track down her previous slave owners and their records but the planet was never referenced. Eve herself had no memories of any planet other than the Allsa Komanae home world so she couldn't help. They knew there was a planet out there where Eve's people lived. Maybe one day they'd find it but in the interim she was happy just to stay with him so she moved in.

Eve pressed herself against his back and wrapped her arms around him. He thought she was just giving him a hug but her hands rested on top of his thighs.

"Jack, do I... do I belong to you now?" Eve said quietly.

The woman who'd spent her entire life a slave was feeling a little lost with her new freedom. She needed him. Truthfully, he needed her as well.

"Yes, you're mine. For as long as you need me."

He felt her soapy hands move to wash a particular part of him until it became hard as steel. Jack rinsed the soap away and turned to face her, lifting her into his arms. He kissed her hard and she moaned into the kiss.

Jack pressed her body against the wall and ground his cock against her.

"Oh Jack! Yes! Take me! I'm yours! Please!" Eve sighed and her body shook. Jack squeezed her ass cheeks as he pushed the head of his cock into her tight opening. "AAAHHH!!! YES! OH JACK!" Her legs wrapped around him as he drove himself roughly into her deeply again and again.

His motions began to accelerate as she clung to him. She began to honk deeply and he didn't even try to suppress her noises. He had no idea where such a loud sound came from in her small body but it meant she was truly happy so who was he to take that from her.

"OHHHH OHHHH OHHHHH!" she cried and he felt her clamping down on his cock deliciously. He was a ways off so he let her ride out her bliss and when she began to show signs of sensitivity he slipped free and just held her as she gasped against his shoulder.

Eventually she pulled back and gazed up at him with her lovely pale grey eyes. She raised an eyebrow, an expression she was learning from him, to ask if he wanted to continue but he just smiled and shook his head. He kissed her tenderly and she stepped out of the shower to dry off. He washed his hair, careful of his horns, and rinsed off.

When he stepped out Eve was gone so he dried himself off and slipped on his briefs. He stepped out into the bedroom and got dressed in his casual clothes. It was the weekend after all. No work today. They had a dinner party at the Queen's residence to go to in the late afternoon but otherwise the day was theirs.

He went out to make himself breakfast and SennLann rushed up to him to get her morning kiss. She wasn't that frisky in the morning but she insisted on a kiss to start her day.

"How are the girl's?" he asked her when she pulled back with a sigh. Gold eyes locked onto his excitedly.

"They are amazing!" she gushed and pulled him over to see them in the playpen he'd bought for them. They had their mother's coloring and they'd grown to the length of Jack's forearm between his wrist and the inside of his elbow. He reached down into the playpen and stroked the cheek of one of them. The other one smiled as well. He wondered once more just how that worked. He couldn't wait for them to be able to talk and be able to describe what they felt. He smiled at SennLann once more and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

He walked into the kitchen and made his breakfast. Eve was there with Joseph. She adored the child and Jack had been worried that when they returned she would be distraught when Drew and Beth's families wanted the child back. It had been a nerve wracking month as they waited for word from the South African authorities but it turned out that the abducted couple had no immediate family and the family they did have wanted nothing to do with a child born on an alien world. Jack began the adoption process the moment he heard this but they were still waiting for the legal permission from Earth. Queen Elissa had granted Joseph Altarian citizenship in the interim.

Jack carried his breakfast out onto the balcony and relaxed back in a chair next to Diana. Emily was having her breakfast at her mother's breast and her mother was absolutely glowing with happiness and contentment. The brunette's previous nervousness was gone as she'd taken to motherhood in a big way. She was a natural.

"Hey beautiful," Jack said with a smile.

Sparkling green eyes looked back at him with love. She truly was lovely!

His plan for the day was exactly this. Just relaxing with his family until they went out to the party so that's what they did.

The Queen's residence was a large ranch style home in a very good neighborhood. Not exactly what you'd assume a Queen would live in but it was spacious and comfortable and reflected the class and approachability of the Altarian Queen.

Gee and Bal opened the door and were immediately pulled into hugs from Jack. He hadn't seen them since they'd returned him to Altaria as they'd been in charge of the clean-up work on Allsa One and the Allsa Komanae home world. He effusively thanked them once more for saving his life then held the door open for Diana who had Emily in her arms, Eve who was carrying Joseph, and SennLann with the twins in her arms. The two agents were a little shaken but secretly delighted by Jack's emotional outburst towards them. They guided the ladies and their charges into the family room where the other mothers were with their children.

Jack walked into the living room and saw a broad shouldered, powerful looking woman in a lovely sleeveless green dress. From her stance he saw that she would have been more comfortable in a military uniform. She was at ease... but not really. Her ebony hair was bound in a long braid down her back. Her skin held a rich brown color and her eyes were scanning the room.

Standing next to her was a lean redhead woman who was laughing with two tough looking grey haired soldiers who were attempting to balance their drinks atop a shiny but dented Tik.

"Hi, I'm Jack!"

The group turned to face him and his horns immediately captured their attention.

"Yeah, the guy with the horns," he grinned.

Cha'Risa stepped forward and held out her hand. Jack shook it and she smiled at him.

"It's an honor to finally meet you, sir," she said.

"Jack, please. Major Cha'Risa Ash. I believe the honor is mine. Gee and Bal's report said some pretty amazing things about you and your team." She nodded with a smile and he turned to the redhead as he said their names and shook their hands. "Captain Nann Graf." He spotted the spade tattoo which was his clue. "Corporal Leo Orlov." Then his partner. "Corporal Maxim Volkov."

Lastly he faced the man in the body of a Tik. If he could be a hybrid Human/Altarian why couldn't this human be part Tik? "Lieutenant Ray Sharif. I understand you were the one who named the bad guys AND got the coordinates for where to find us." He held out his hand and Ray placed his metallic tentacle in it.

"I'm just sorry we didn't get to you sooner, sir," Ray said.

"Just Jack, please. No... it had to happen this way," Jack said quietly, touching the collar unconsciously.

"Why is that?" Ray asked.

Jack looked at the others. He had their full attention. He saw the Major in particular was listening closely.

"If they hadn't successfully taken me the others would still be there. They would never have been found. You had to save them. They needed to go home. The ones who survived. For the ones who didn't you gave their families closure."

"But you avenged their deaths. It's true isn't it. You did that. The Allsa Komanae. They're all going to die. Soon. It's already begun." Cha'Risa said with an intensity in her eyes.

Jack saw her need for vengeance. He saw it in the others as well. They'd all been on Allsa One and the home planet. They'd found the mass graves of the dead slaves. Jack owed them this.

"Yes. Every last one of them will be dead within the next 3 years. The Allsa Komanae will be extinct," he said.

"I understand we're going to have to speed that along. They know their Prime, the last Prime, is dead. Their society is fragmenting rapidly. The concern is that these remaining splinter groups, as their brain functionality begins to seriously degrade, they might try something desperate. Violent. We're going back out there with the Tik to hunt them," Nann said.

Jack was well aware of the discussions about dealing with the remaining Allsa Komanae. He'd been asked to speak to a special council comprised of members from many of the Gate Network Worlds. Hellna was there representing Altaria and a newly appointed Minister of Security for Earth's Security Council was there as well. They were just two of the 33 representatives he'd faced in what could only be called an interrogation.

He'd been questioned about his memories of his ordeal, the Allsa Komanae leaders he'd met, the nature of the collar he wore, and most intensely about the actions he'd taken which led to the present circumstances. The actual content of the meeting was sealed but somehow rumors began regarding his role in their demise. The phrase 'Three can keep a secret if two are dead' may be true but for 33 it was hopeless. Cha'Risa's question to him was proof of how widespread the rumor had traveled as she and her team had just returned from Allsa One which was currently a restricted planet with very little access.

He cleared his throat. "I believe the plan is to send them to their home world to live out their last days. A one way Gate." Jack explained.

"Too good for them," Leo growled.

"Maybe," Jack nodded. He needed to change the subject. He looked to Ray. "I understand you have to wait a year before you are allowed to be repaired. A Tik appreciation rule." He smiled at the man/Tik.

"Yeah, I have to experience the 'fragility of life' and the 'consequence of action.' I get it. It's cool. I was exceptionally lucky. Many times actually."

Nann smiled at Ray and fondly touched his side.

Jack saw Gee and Bal enter the room. He smiled at the group. "If you'll excuse me I should check in with Queen Elissa." he said and received nods.

He made his way into the large family room and saw the women talking happily and holding their children. His children. Joseph included.

Eve was watching him. She was always conscious of him when he entered the room. He gave her a smile and she returned it. Her slave collar caught the light. Hers had been defused like his was but she'd decided to keep it even though hers was possible to remove. She'd told him as long as he had his she would keep hers. He couldn't help but see the comparison to wedding bands and the idea gave him some comfort.

Queen Elissa was also watching him. She'd spent a considerable amount of time with him since his return. She'd been with him when nightmares stole his sleep and she'd gotten him past them. She'd brought his smile back to him by focusing him on the life before him, not the death behind him. She'd guided him out the other side of the depression he'd fallen into and he felt like he'd been given another shot at life.

He caught her eye and she handed Max to Karrel who kissed the boy's face. Elissa joined Jack out on the deck for a moment of privacy. He took her in his arms and held her close.

"I need to thank you. I am surrounded by love and support but more than anyone, the one with the least amount of available time, you were there for me. How did you manage to spend so much of your time with just one of your citizens?"

She kissed him tenderly and smiled when she pulled back. "You were the citizen who needed the most help."

He was lost for words but his eyes told her how much that meant to him.

"That's why I'm Queen," she said quietly with a smile.