Astra Pt. 04

"As I said my parents drank your product when they were home and when I came of age I figured out why. It is the only alcoholic beverage I drink. I even placed bets with military commanders who wanted cases of Blue Star Whisky and I told them I wanted cases of your mead. I won two cases by the way and bought no Blue Star."

She laughed at that, "Alright I will talk with them and get back with you on this. Do you have a lawyer to work with?"

He smiled, "Grace Winters soon to be Grace Travus as she and the other ladies have set a date finally. I would also recommend that you look at the cure that is circulating. You are a lovely lady and it could add years to your life and remove the grey from your hair at a minimum. It is also free."

She smiled, "That has been a topic of debate at our family board meetings as well. If we should include it. We have heard of no negative effects and have seen hundreds of documented cases, from Alzheimer's disease to cancer being cured.

You have refocused pharmaceutical companies into finding what it does not cure so they can change their research."

He nodded, "I know you sit on a board of one or two and they should consider embracing these outer colonies. New diseases and such may creep in that the cure does not cover, or cover completely. The unknown if you will."

She smiled, "Thank you for inquiry today Mr. Travus."

He nodded to her as she ended the call. He went and got dressed in a suit after getting cleaned up with the help of Aiko, Sprits, and Ash in the shower. He had 3 hours before the meeting and they all wanted to be serviced fully before he went into his afternoon meeting.

He obliged all 3 of them and was almost an hour behind schedule. He left them wasted on the bed while he got finished getting cleaned up. As he walked out Astra walked in to collect samples from the ladies. Jack shook his head and went to the officer's mess on deck 2 which was laid out like a boardroom for this meeting.

He walked around and met all the new ladies and apologized for the delay and the noise. Treven senior had brought his wife as well who seemed interested in what he had to say and shocked by some of the sounds. Jack's ladies, those conscious, provided reports on all the activities they and the other wives had been undertaking that day.

Mr. Treven was shocked when he saw the order for all the drives Jack wanted and the engine chassis he needed. He looked at Jack, "When are you wanting these?"

Jack smiled, "As soon as possible. I can build the drives; you know this. I have all my fabricators working on other components because I know you can deliver the engines. Whatever you cannot build we will build here or in transit.

I have models going to find all the reinforcements we are going to need. The 2 construction ships will be manufacturing those support beams before moving to engine construction. The other four will be manufacturing the stations. That brings us to the main topic of this meeting. James, Linda and Treven senior know this already. The ladies with you Paul and you had to sign an NDA for this meeting.

I don't need one for Gloria. It is not the technology that is a big concern. It is history. Within the next 25 years, Terra will get approached by many species. This eventually leads to acts of civil disobedience with xenophobes in the minority. Yet they will have a strong enough voice that it cools off alien species negotiations for hundreds of years.

I am not out to change that aspect if you will. I would hope the leaders will listen to my advice on the matter when the time comes, but I cannot force them to listen. It will likely be altered because of what I have introduced. It would be altered if what I told the President comes about and the colonies, I end up establishing in Tau Ceti separate from the federation.

A separate human government. These will happen because Terra has no means of long-range or long-term control over vast areas of the universe. Let alone their own galaxy. The reason for the separation is to keep alien species negotiations and contact flowing until the rest of humanity is ready to accept the larger universe."

Grace got all 3 NDA's signed while he spoke. "You and your ladies have a few generations of children. Many will become mid-level ranking officers in the Military. This is across generations. Eventually, your line with the ladies dies out in my timeline Paul. Francine and James will eventually marry.

Their children will eventually help to produce my mother. I studied a lot about Francine and the struggles she went through to keep the company alive after Senior and James had passed. You were working as a corporate officer for another company Paul. Not relevant to this discussion.

Yes, Gloria, that means you are my grandmother six times removed. That information would make Francine and James, and their children a target to any who do not like what I am doing. Trying to kill me before I am 'born again' into this timeline.

Now knowing this about your future I have two options for you. As a separate subsidiary under Treven Engines Setting up Treven Commercial Port Authority and Space Docks Management. There would eventually be 6 of them. We will start with 1 and move to 3 quickly.

Next month the President will announce the growth figures and the fact that the planet will not sustain our population into the next century. These docks will help to build colony vessels of all types. Patents have been sent in. The government has been given 5 systems that humanity could easily adapt to. Based upon history.

Some are very distant. It would take 20 years with the new drive to get to the furthest location. This will have to be done in steps. Tau Ceti will have laws against xenophobia and AI bias ingrained into the bylaws of the colonies.

They will be home to a lot of hybrids and potentially women who are carrying my children who wish to relocate knowing the hardships of colony life. Another shipyard.

Then others will be built in Tau Ceti to provide its own protection force and inter-colony transports for local markets. In short, it will thrive. Those protections being added are in line with the steps I have taken to advance technology in this timeline.

Astra can confirm, 90% of the designs I submitted in the last batch of 4,000 had no comparable product in the other timeline. The other might have had something similar but they are different designs.

Astra chimed in, "Closer to 95% and yes he is correct. He is not pulling and has not pulled from the blueprints in my repository. Those are locked away and referenceable only by me at Jack's direction."

Jack looked over at Paul, "You could run the stations here under this subsidiary. You could do it in Tau Ceti which might provide your lineage with different options that 'could' allow it to exist longer. Both are possibilities and nothing is guaranteed. Now we know how to make hybrids.

There are 5 now and 3 more can be created. Until such time as the meeting with the Drakor is concluded that is the limit. So far, they have all been my wives. If you decide to undertake this journey to Tau Ceti with us we would offer the opportunity to become a hybrid to you, Paul.

After the meeting with the Drakor, you could eventually make your wives hybrids as well if they are of the right mind and disposition. NOT before. That is a fate punishable by death. The Drakor set that requirement.

Until we have graduated to a state as a species to be deemed worthy of existence according to the Drakor. That will occur in roughly 3 years when all hybrids are required to go alone to a meeting with the Drakor. The nature of this meeting is to be discovered by each hybrid. Based upon your previous history and your past current history you would most likely be like Ash and Akio, a Red Blade.

The one to jump to the front to defend your family and the people. Blue blades are more like our planetary defensive forces who are the cautions attackers and brilliant at the defensive side of things. Then there are the Justice types. Those that are a balance of the two. Extremely rare. I am one of those. Grace may very well be one of those. From what I have been told I am the only hybrid justice. We cannot confirm with a hundred percent certainty that is the case with others until this meeting and ceremony.

When this choice is given, it is given only once. We approach it differently than the Drakor in that hybrids must choose this course. Carol is expecting 7. After she gives birth, she will be the 6^th hybrid in our group and the last of the wives who have agreed to go that route. All the other wives have asked to be injected with my DNA.

Carol has that now and it can extend your life but not make you a hybrid. It will alter your DNA and internal organs." Carol brought up the images of her scan versus mine. "Your first choice is where do you wish to work Paul, somewhere else, our Starbases, or with us on the Tau Ceti Starbases?"

Paul looked at his wives-to-be and spoke with them for a few minutes. He looked across, "How long do hybrids live?"

Jack sighed, "Meltora and the Justice Drakor I have communicated with talked about hybrids living for centuries. I could very well be alive when I am born. The true answer is we won't know until we live it."

He looked across at his parents, "I know you won't necessarily agree with the decision if I decide to go to Tau Ceti?"

His father looked at him, "I am not 100% sold on the whole hybrid idea, especially for my own son."

Jack looked across, "You are getting ahead of the conversation here. The first question is what location. He could go to Tau Citi and choose not to be a hybrid.

It is not a condition of going. The worlds are a botanist paradise, Gloria."

She nodded, "For the young but I understand the allure. I will support Paul in whichever choice he makes."

His father sighed and nodded, "If he does go what will you do with the stations here?"

He looked across at James, "James is the obvious choice to oversee them locally. Francine belongs with Treven Engines. She is the future of the company because she is an engineer. She is not a businesswoman she will travel between location but Treven will become her home. Not like you guys, James will help you and oversee the Starbases.

You are both hardcore business and numbers. By the time you retire and he is running it all he will have children to help oversee the expanded empire if you will allow it. Either of them could do this. Because of my ties to Francine and James, I could not see pulling them away from Terra.

I might not even be born into this timeline for the changes I have done. My choices are to travel to new colonies. Some of my parents might not meet now. I also understand that risk and it is more likely the more these changes are embraced.

I know it and they know it. That is why that option is not available to them. You just need to choose a path first. Where do you wish to work?"

Paul looked over, "Tau Ceti. It sounds like my children and their children have a better chance at life on Tau Ceti."

Jack nodded, "Then comes the choice. It is being offered to you only once. Right now. Be warned it has restrictions. A hybrid is a hybrid until death. There is no quitting. Hybrids are meant to help humanity. Not rule them. That means Justices could help to establish the founding rules on these colonies and they could serve in the courts.

But they would never seek political office because they have embraced their nature and focus on that aspect. Which means you would likely work on building a defense force and the support infrastructure to support them.

The change to a hybrid does not change your nature. You must come to terms with your nature, accept it and the way of the sword. To be a protector of humanity. With that said. Do you choose to become a hybrid?"

Paul looked at his ladies and then back at Jack, "Yes. I would accept that offer."

Jack nodded, "When are you getting married?"

He sighed, "We have a week until graduation. We had talked about after that."

He looked at his wives, "Astra will remove your birth control implants before then. When he becomes one, he can get you pregnant through those devices. For the safety of the children they should get removed before he becomes one."

They both nodded their understanding. He looked at Paul, "I cannot bring you on as a member of my crew aboard this ship until you are married. Rules set into Astra on who the crew can be. I can ensure you are 'assigned' to one of the other ships until you do get married.

You have a contract to sign in regards to becoming a hybrid. We make it very cut and dry. You must do sword training to become a master at it. The nature you are embracing today will be the nature you have to maintain for the rest of your life. You must embrace your role as a protector of humanity and you know you are restricted from making hybrids until you have your own psi sword.

Roughly 3 years from now. If you break that tenant, we are required to kill you and the one you change or ones if more than one. I am telling you this now because that is a Drakor rule as part of their 'diplomatic negations.' They consider it an insult to their ways and require us to address any hybrid who violates that.

I want to take a moment and put this into context for you. The Drakor saved a life of a member of a species that has discovered FTL technology. That gives the species gifts. That person becomes a hybrid then they are choosing to be a guardian and ambassador for your species. In regards to the Drakor. They establish a series of unspoken tests.

You ask the right questions, show your respect to their customs and come to understand their way of diplomacy. You will eventually be given a meeting location. Hybrids only. Any non-hybrids of your race show or show before you then your species is set for extermination. They have the power to do it upfront. They communicate psionically and they give you the ability to do the same.

You meet where they say, with what they ask you to bring, and with nobody else present but hybrids. You have established your species is worthy of saving. Do not for a second believe they will not watch over us because they will. We must avoid corruption and stay focused on our nature. That includes procreating like mad for humans. If you want surgical procedures to help with that, Astra has them.

I do not recommend the nerve reduction in the genitals. If you do any of the others, she can explain the outcome and the risks. Ladies if you enjoy walking you will want to keep an eye on what he has done if anything."

They both laughed. He smiled, "My 3 existing wives are passed out right now from the session I had before coming in here."

Astra nodded, "Yes they are still sleeping it off. He has had more than one night where he has, for lack of a better turn, fucked all of them into a state of unconsciousness. It has been harder but not impossible for him to do that with Ash, Sprits, Aiko, and Grace all being hybrids now. But he has done it with all of his ladies and then turned to me to deposit more for the sperm bank."

Gloria was shocked and Carol threw up the file on his diagnosis and then the surgical procedures that had been done and the effects of each one. She looked at you, "Done by our government?!"

He smiled, "Indirectly; done by the AI's they put in charge of launching the mission back in time. So, they ordered the mission, they just did not define some of the parameters and the AI's 'adapted me' for spreading DNA.

They took some extreme measures. Not Astra but another we now know as Jada did the procedures."

He saw Paul's brides talking with Paul and pointing at the list of procedures. Jack looked over, "Anything he wants to be done, I mean he, but it would be to the ladies benefit or detriment, would be between Astra and the 3 of you.

I just do not want your wives coming to me to complain because you are fucking them non-stop every day and they need a break. That is called more wives if you get into that situation. Regardless of that stuff. You have one more decision to make. The change takes 24 hours before your skin returns to a normal appearance. Do you want to do that today or wait until you are married?"

He spoke with both ladies and then turned back, "After we graduate and marry."

Jack nodded, "Good. You are decisive. Be decisive and embrace your nature. We have a dojo and gym onboard. You will get a workout when you are not giving your wives a workout."

The ladies laughed at that but Jack just nodded. Jack looked over to James, "300 billion TC's grants for the 6 stations that will be built. 200 billion each for the construction of the first 3 with a focus on the space docks and ports. Another 200 billion in reserve for expansion on those 3. As funds become available, they will get funneled into an account to work the continued construction of them and the next 3. The first is military vessels.

The second will be colony exploration vessels, and the third will be geared toward mining and hauling vessels. As well as other commercial vessels. Those three need to be ready at the same time, or close to it. The docks are large enough to work on 2 or 3 battleships on each one. If you must shuffle and mix them around keep in mind the security nightmare.

The stations themselves will have to have business, restaurants, hotels, and a whole host of other needs. They have patent offices at the other starbases. These do not need those. They can file with the other offices. These are commercial ports. Commodities, enhanced Security, A military hangar bay with launch tubes that will support the new fighters.

They will follow station rules as the military will not own or operate these stations. I return I might make another dramatic entrance to see how the sensor net upgrades and the new fighters respond to fast-moving bogies. I do not expect you to do this all yourself. Find talented people and have at least 20% of all positions open to those who are just starting out. Help to train them and cultivate new talent.

Treven engines will be doing a lot of work out of these docs as the larger vessels have to be built out here. Grace will work with you and your father on the finer details. An outside law firm will be selected to watch over my patents and check for patent infringement issues. Particularly on weapons. They will be aggressive on violations.

Francine, you have the engine to work atmospheric aircraft and shuttles. Personal conveyances. Those that are not traveling the galaxy at 5x speeds. You got the design and that is income to your company and you should pursue those avenues. Work with these tools. It is a starting point for you and building a couple up will do you some good. They are lighter in weight, without the space components.

They would be big news and a hot commodity to the Death Valley racers as well. You got the same air-breathing speeds and you are lighter. They can work to reclaim their course record from me."

She laughed, "Alright this is you schooling me on business because I am an engineer."

Jack nodded, "Find a good or a few good structural engineers to work the Starbases as your head contractors. Just some ideas James."

He nodded, "I have people in mind and it creates openings for some who are ready to advance. The expanded construction facilities from GS are coming to bear. The final stock buy-out will net you another 20 billion in profit from the takeover."

He nodded, "Grace, ensure it gets taxed. Then roll the rest of the funds into the stations."

She nodded. Grace looked at Treven Senior, "He had 1.3 trillion TC's when we started the day. He granted out 300 billion to the stations. Then set the first 200 Billion down for each of the first 3 stations. He will take the profits from those to complete the other station. Then there are the businesses he is investing in and ships he buying outright to be retrofitted.