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Have you ever wanted something with your entire being, but been denied it? I wanted a baby so bad that at times nothing else mattered. Lance and I had planned on starting a family right off the bat. But with this and that we had not got around to getting my fertility turned back on. We were on our way to Terra to have it done, but the chance to see the other planets of Sol had been too tempting and then instantly there was no chance to do it. Not only that but my father was in danger, but we were centuries away from doing anything about both issues.

Betty and Erin were the names of the new girls, and they turned out to be almost as smart as they were stunningly beautiful. Lacking formal education—yes, but you could tell that the raw material was there. I had been talking to them with Ashley and Barb, and all three of us had been cuddling with them, saying to them with that warm comfort of closeness that they were OK. I saw Lance look over at us and saw the shock in his eyes as those two infants found where the food was and became instantly silent.

Lance, the big stupid muscle-bound (especially between the ears) dear, was always on guard to make sure that he never caused me to think that he saw any other women. But Lance was two-hundred percent male, there is no way he could look over at us three nudes and not see us. It is just the way men are wired. Still, he never violated the look-but-don't-touch unspoken commandment, unless there was a vast justification, such as medical or thinking back about it—the beach and sunscreen. Intent mattered to Lance, and as long as the intent was appropriate then he was cool.

I had an absolute conviction of his commitment to me. And his respect for all women. But when I figured out that it was not that there were three absolutely stunning women entirely oblivious to their lack of clothing, but instead he was reacting to the two infants nursing. Naturally, I responded to his reaction, and well you know how it goes. Tip over the first domino and they all start falling.

I fell into a massively dark pit of despair. We had been trying with all our might for the last three years to get a solid base established. We had a lot of success. Marjorie had stopped working at the public library and instead ran our own private library. Ashley and Barb had both gone out for business in college, and even though they had another year until they received their bachelors and then probably another three years at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania to get their M.B.A., they were already instrumental in creating our investment firm as well as responsible for the day to day operations. Of course, no one knew that we were an investment firm as the only investments that our company managed were our own. Bridget and Caitlín were the geniuses behind it all. Both had graduated with a masters in finance, with minors in accounting. Those five girls were our core group, they were the only ones with communication implants and nanobots.

Money was starting to come in faster from our investments than from our playing Robinhood and robbing the criminals. All of this was floating around in my awareness, but at this moment all I was aware of was a massive ache in my heart for a child that may never have a chance to be born. Lance made eye contact and then Lance had me in his arms in a flash, literally in a flash (Or maybe 'like' the Flash?) having dived across the cabin with his full three-Gee trained speed.

He scared the two new girls half out of their wits and disrupted the feeding time as the twin howls let us know of the infant's displeasure. Luckily Ashley and Barb were able to comfort and reassure Betty and Erin, and once the infants started to nurse again, peace descended. Well, it did become peaceful for about as long it takes to say 'it became peaceful.'

Both Betty and Erin suddenly broke out in full belly laugh mode. The kids started to cry again until once more they were quieted in the best way.

Betty asked, "Your name is Lawrence, and you are Jane?" as she pointed to us.

Ashley reaffirmed, "Yes, that is what I said…"

As in unison both Lance and I said, "Yes," and I added, "Why would that cause all that excitement?"

Betty said, "Oh, my! Well, it is like this—I want you to meet Lawrence and Jane," as she and Erin both pulled the two kids away from their source of comfort and handed them to us. I got the boy, and Lance got the girl, as that was who was closest. I instinctively put the boy to my shoulder and started to pat his back. Monkey see monkey do, apparently, as Lance began to the pat the girls back and got a nice warm dribble down his back as a big bubble came out. That started the laughter up again. I guess what goes in must come out and little Lawrence's diaper must have reached saturation as suddenly my chest felt warm and wet.

For a moment it was controlled chaos as floors were mopped, people were washed, and babies were tenderly cleaned. Erin asked, "I doubt you have diapers onboard this ship, but do you have such a thing as a tee-shirt?"

"Sure do," Lance said as he jumped up to go find two of his shirts. My heart did a rapid double thump as I noticed that he kept little Jane in his arms the whole time.

Erin said, "Great, this is how you fold them to make an emergency diaper," and, on the basis that if one baby is saturated the other is also or will be soon, taking little Jane from Lance she proceeded to demonstrate.

Not to be outdone I started to change little Lawrence. While I was adjusting his makeshift diaper under his little bottom, he let fly. Yep, right in the face…. Never trust that the baby is empty.

We traded the babies around as everyone wanted to cuddle them. Ashely and Barb wanted them, no less than I. What caused my heart to thump is that Lance was right there with us. Tee-shirts apparently have many uses beyond covering Lance's ripped abs. They worked out perfectly as impromptu mini dresses for Betty and Erin. My heart said that we had to include these girls in our core team, and I just dove into the project. Lance did not say anything to contradict me.

I could tell you word for word what happened that night. However, I promise you that a word for word accounting of what happened would only cause significant confusion. Bit did zip down and picked up the rest of the core group, and they all immediately fell in love with those two infants. Picture eight baby starved strong-willed, highly intelligent (and incidentally unbelievably beautiful), women, and one hunky man; with only two babies between them all.

Betty and Erin received nanobots and joined our silent conversation group. And for the record yes they were as freaked out by being in a real flying saucer with two real live aliens as the rest of the team had been during their first experience with Lance and me. Betty and Erin's real fascination was a computer that acted as if it was alive. Throughout the night, we planned out their education path. Bit had queried them, and of all things, they both tested unbelievably high for math and engineering.

Betty and Erin did not know who the fathers were, nor did anyone care. And as a result—those babies now had eight mothers, and one stressed out dad.

I had hoped that our plan would just move smoothly forward. However, based on the past, I had my doubts. Eight women and only two babies? I felt sure that this condition would not stay this way very long.