“No,” Madhuksara spoke a hitch in her voice as she cried softly. “I have only asked my father about how she is doing.”
“Why your father?” Bowen could only think to keep asking questions. If she cried on his shoulder, he might lose his cool.
“He arranged for her to be adopted,” Madhuksara sobbed.
Bowen picked up his personal tablet computer from the nightstand. “Listen, it's 1738 hours in Mumbai, India. Go use my office terminal and call him. Ask about your daughter, and I mean ask him more than just if she's happy.”
“I couldn't,” Madhuksara said, “I...I...”
Suddenly, Madhuksara leaped out of the bed and sequestered herself in Bowen's bathroom. With a sigh, he got out of bed. He snatched up his uniform and pulled it on as he sat down. Accessing the communications menu, he began typing in contact commands. After a few moments, the United Earth Government logo appeared on the holo-display.
“Welcome to the United Earth Municipal communications network,” said a perky, synthesized female voice, “please state the communication code or name of the party you wish to communicate with.”
“I want to speak with Mr. Danvir Batra.”
“Your party has been located,” the perky voice responded, “who may I ask is seeking communication with Mr. Batra?”
“Captain Bowen, Starship Atlantis.”
“Thank you, Captain Bowen. We will connect you to your party in a few moments. Would you like to listen to some auditory entertainment while you wait?”
“No, thank you.”
“Very well,” the perky voice was undeterred, “kindly wait while we connect you to your party.”
Bowen stared at the screen, which showed an animated, spinning globe of the Earth. Presently, the globe of Earth suddenly zoomed in on Mumbai, India. Just before he was afforded a street view of downtown Mumbai, the view shifted to the kindly face of an upper-middle aged Indian man, his salt and pepper mustache neatly trimmed and his graying, black hair neatly combed.
“Good afternoon, Captain Bowen,” the man poke with barely an accent in his voice.
“Am I speaking to Danvir Batra?”
“Yes, I am Danvir Batra. May I ask why you are contacting me, Captain?”
“I'm calling on behalf of your daughter.”
“Oh yes,” Danvir said, “how does she perform as a member of your crew, Captain?”
“She is an exceptional officer,” Bowen spoke respectfully. “She runs my ship's Combat Information Center with ruthless efficiency.”
“Very much like her father,” Danvir said, a hint of pride in his voice. “The same has been said about me, when I produce holo-movies, Captain.”
“Your daughter explained her past to me, Mr. Batra.”
“I see,” Danvir replied, his face falling, “do you think of her as a disgrace?”
“No, sir,” Bowen said, “we have all done things that we regret. She told me that her pornographic career ended when she had a baby.”
“This is true.”
“She has confessed that she regrets giving her baby up for adoption. I have tried to encourage her to contact her daughter, but she won't.”
“I know,” Danvir sighed, “she feels her daughter is a painful reminder of a shameful time in her life.”
“I hate to pry in a personal matter for a member of my crew, but I want her to be happy. Where is her daughter, Mr. Batra?” Bowen asked softly. “I'd like to put your daughter in contact with her daughter. That little girl may have been adopted, but she deserves to know her birth mother.”
“That is just it, Captain Bowen,” Danvir managed a wan smile. “My granddaughter was never adopted.”
“What?” Bowen gasped.
“This is true,” Danvir said. “My darling granddaughter was so beautiful when she was born, that I could not bear to give her up for adoption. So Indira's mother and I took our granddaughter in and raised her. It has always been our expectation that Indira would one day wish to see her daughter.”
“What has the girl been told about her mother?”
“The truth. That Indira had her during a time when she was doing some very foolish things.”
“Now the proverbial giant killer,” Bowen grunted, “does your granddaughter hate her mother?”
“No. In fact, Indira's daughter is very proud of her mother and wishes to meet her.”
“That's interesting,” Bowen smiled. “Because the ship her mother is serving on is large enough to permit families. If you so desire, Indira's daughter could come to live with her mother.”
“I would dearly love this, Captain,” Danvir nodded, “but I could not make this decision unless I spoke to my little Indira.”
“I can arrange that, if you wouldn't mind waiting a moment.”
“Certainly.”
Bowen got up from the desk, snatched up Madhuksara's sarong and entered the bathroom. He found her sitting on the floor of the shower, crying her eyes out. He gently seized her arms, and pulled her to her feet.
“Madhuksara, get hold of yourself,” Bowen gently shook her.
“I...I...I want my baby girl,” Madhuksara sobbed. “I wish to Krishna that I had never given her up.”
“Here,” Bowen said, wrapping Madhuksara's sarong around her body, and tying it into a strapless wraparound dress, “come with me and speak to your father.”
“My father,” Madhuksara sniffled in confusion, “what does he have to do with this?”
“While you were in here, crying your eyes out. I contacted him.”
Without a word, Madhuksara rushed out of the bathroom. She sat down at Bowen's desk and stared at the holo-display, a new flood of tears flowing from her cheeks.
“Hello, Papa,” Madhuksara spoke in Punjabi.
“My darling Indira,” Danvir cooed in Punjabi, suddenly a doting father, “how lovely you have become....like your dear mother.”
“How is Mama?”
“She is well. Still working in the actor's trade.”
“I am glad,” Madhuksara tried to smile.
“You have been crying, dear. Do you wish to speak of it to your mother or to me?”
“I miss my baby girl,” Madhuksara sobbed.
“How interesting,” Danvir spoke warmly, “because your daughter wants to meet you.”
“What?” Madhuksara gasped, her storm of tears suddenly abating.
“I never gave her up for adoption,” Danvir explained patiently. “I couldn't. She was too beautiful. She deserved to be raised by her own blood. So your mother and I raised her.”
“Does she hate me?” Madhuksara tried to hold back more tears.
“No,” Danvir shook his head, “she is very proud of you. She knows you were once a porn queen and you rose above that shameful life and made a name for yourself in an honorable career.”
“Papa,” Madhuksara whimpered, “would you please let my little girl come live with me?”
“Your captain has already said that you would be allowed to have her with you. I can pack her things and have her on a shuttle to your ship, if you will allow her a few days to say farewell to her friends here.”
“I would be glad to, Papa,” Madhuksara cheered. “You have made me so happy! I could sing!”
“I am glad, my beautiful daughter. I will contact you when we send her to you.”
“Thank you, Papa.”
With that, Danvir's image disappeared. Madhuksara sat at the desk, tears rolling from her cheeks. She looked at Bowen, got up and threw her arms around him, hugging her thankfully.
“Thank you, Captain,” Madhuksara sobbed, crying happy tears into his shoulder. “You have made me the happiest woman in the universe.”
“I take it your father gave you good news?” Bowen asked her quietly.
“My little girl is coming to live with me!”
“Well, I'm happy for you.”
“Oh dear,” Madhuksara cried. “I'll need to arrange for family quarters. She'll need her own room.”
�
�How old is she?” Bowen asked.
“Almost ten,” Madhuksara said, “she will be blooming into a woman soon.”
“A fine time for her to meet her mother,” Bowen nodded. “Puberty is the time when a girl needs her mother the most.”
“Yes, h...how do you think she'll react when I get married and have more children?”
“I'm sure she'll be glad to have brothers and/or sisters, and if you include her in your life just right, she'll even accept whatever man you marry.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Madhuksara cried, hugging him again.
“Why don't you go see the quartermasters about getting new quarters,” Bowen spoke softly torn between doing the right thing and asking her to come back to bed with him. “Tell them, that I sent you, and that they are to make it top priority because you're little girl is coming to live with you.”
“Yes,” happy tears flowed down Madhuksara’s beaming, happy face, “I will.” With a giddy giggle, she started to leave.
“Hey, Commander,” Bowen called, “don't forget your panties.” He held up the lacy pink panties for her to see.
“Keep them, sir,” Madhuksara said, “in honor of the time you got to have sex with Madhuksara, formerly a famous porn queen. Besides, everyone in the ship knows you collect panties.”
“Well, thank you,” Bowen chuckled, then he leaned into her, and conspiratorially whispered in her ear, “I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I own copies of a few of your porn movies, and I still watch them.”
“Oh dear. You do?”
“Yeah,” Bowen said, “I'm quite a fan of yours.”
“Oh, I am so embarrassed,” Madhuksara buried her face in her hands. Bowen put a finger on her chin, and made her look at him.
“Don't be,” Bowen smiled, “why do you think you got this assignment? I wanted a shot at having sex with you.”
“But, you gave me pleasure when we had sex,” Madhuksara protested, “you went out of your way to pleasure me!”
“Of course,” Bowen countered, “I always make sure my lady lovers get as much pleasure as I do.” Suddenly, Madhuksara kissed him and for a moment, she felt like she was back on the set of one of her porn movies, but the feeling passed quickly.
“I...hope you don't mind, Captain,” Madhuksara said, “I...might wish another evening like this...at least until I meet a man to become my future husband.”
“I think that could be arranged,” Bowen swatted her playfully on the rump. “Go get yourself some new quarters, Commander.”
“I should probably see about getting my baby girl some furniture.”
“Let me see to that,” Bowen said, “you have a few friends on this ship, and when they hear that your daughter is coming to live with you, they'll want to surprise you.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Madhuksara nodded. “I will never forget this.”
Giggling, Madhuksara bounded out the door, skipping like a giddy schoolgirl. Bowen shook his head, and then turned to return to his office alcove. Still somewhat in an aroused mood, he decided it was time to fulfill his obligation to have sex with Carmen Ramirez. As he entered his office alcove, the computer came to life, projecting the hologram of a generic female figure.
“Who are you?” Bowen demanded warily.
“My name is not important,” the hologram said in an obviously synthesized female voice, “my agents and followers call me, 'the Mistress'.”
“What do you want?” Bowen snapped. “How did you contact me without tripping my ship's security or alerting the communications department?”
“I can do many things, Captain,” the Mistress spoke with conviction, “as you already know, having impregnated one of my agents. That was an excellent service to us.”
“What do you want?” Bowen growled, starting to lose his patience.
“I know that a Hellkin command ship has emerged from the secret ship yards in the Kordam Formation,” the Mistress smiled mysteriously, “when this conversation is complete, you will find that I have given you something to aid in dealing with the ship.”
The hologram vanished. Bowen rushed to his computer and saw that he had been given a data packet. It was labeled, Hellkin Super Command Ship. He jabbed at the holographic Intercom key.
“Too Far,” Bowen barked.
“Yes, Captain,” Too Far's voice replied.
“I have a job for you,” Bowen said, “Analyze the data packet I'm forwarding to you.”
“Aye, sir,” Too Far hissed, “I will get on it immediately.”
Brooding over the data packet, Bowen typed up a text message for Carmen, which simply invited her to his quarters for her promised love making session. The reply was a brief, crisp ‘coming‘. Some time later, Bowen's door chime sounded. He remotely let her in from his office terminal. Carmen stepped into Bowen's quarters, smiling like the cat that swallowed the canary. She immediately took off her dress, revealing a distinct lack of undergarments. Bowen got out of his uniform in a flash, and took her in his arms and began kissing her. He was determined to at least make her enjoy herself. Falling on the bed, they began to make love. The Atlantis cruised on, fully engrossed in the business of supporting the invasion of the Kordam Formation.
TO BE CONTINUED IN…
“The Phantom Fleet”
Atlantis Short Story: The State Dinner
by Don M. Rady
Atlantis Chronicles created by Michael Brown and Myles Edmundson
The U.S.S. Atlantis was about to receive a visiting delegation from a newly discovered alien race. All dressed up in their dress uniforms, Captain Mitchell Bowen and his second-in-command Commander David Corbin arrived with a formally dressed Ambassador Havendure Lovandiel and chief journalist Carmen Ramirez to greet them. These newly discovered aliens were called the Polistians, a race of beings who just developed faster-than-light spaceflight and were in the process of exploring the galaxy. The Polistians, according to reports from other GFA ships that visited their planet Polistia, seemed a friendly bunch and were very curious about their newfound neighbors. A delegation had been assigned to stay aboard the Atlantis for at least three weeks as they get acquainted with the Galactic Fleet Alliance's finest ship and her crew.
Bowen, Corbin, Lovandiel and Carmen stood casually by the teleport platform to await the arrival of the delegation. All four people were very eager to meet these new aliens, though Bowen was quite nervous concerning this assignment. He admitted to himself that he was not much of a diplomat, spending most of his time as fighter pilot prior to becoming the Captain of the Atlantis. Corbin was also nervous, but was actually eager to play the role of diplomat for a change (or at the very least to assist in the role of diplomat). Lovandiel was rather quite happy to be getting to know a newly discovered alien race; after all he was assigned the Chief Diplomatic Officer. Meeting new people was practically part of the job description for ambassadors. Carmen was equally anxious to get to know the Polistians. She already had in mind a list of questions as long as Earth's Empire State Building and Taipei 101 put together.
“I certainly hope these guys don't sting,” Corbin said to Bowen, in regards to the fact that the Polistians had the heads like Terran paper wasps.
Bowen chuckled, “I don't think we'll have to worry about that.”
“Are you sure there's no need for translators, Carmen,” Corbin asked Ramirez anxiously.
“They told me that they use a kind of voice synthesizer that they put inside their mouths,” Carmen replied smoothly, “and that they have been studying our language for at least three months. They said everything has been tested and approved.”
“I certainly hope so,” Bowen gruffed. “I wouldn't want to have spend the next three weeks wondering what the heck they said.”
“Neither would I,” replied Corbin.
Soon the platform was activated. There soon appeared seven purple silhouettes followed by lots of flashing lights. These silhouettes fully transformed into fleshed bodies just a couple of seconds later. Seven humanoid f
igures appeared in what looked like long and elegant robes. The leader of the group, with the mostly yellow wasp head, was dressed in a gold and yellow robe reminiscent of those worn in flashy Terran television programs of the 1970s. On his neck was a golden necklace with a medallion adorned with diamonds and sapphires. He also had two pairs of wings on his back. The second member, with a mostly yellow and red wasp head, was adorned with red and orange garb similar to that of the leader. He also wore a golden necklace with a medallion adorned with rubies. The third and fourth members were females; both of them with the same heads as the two aforementioned men. Their garbs were mostly purple and light-green, with a glittery appearance. On their necks were silver necklaces with silver medallions adorned with emeralds and amethysts. The fifth member had a black and red head, and was significantly taller and athletic in appearance. He wore mostly a black and gray robe with a silver metallic sash over the right shoulder. He also had what appeared to be a holster carrying a crystalline gun. The sixth member was a female standing beside the leader. She wore an emerald-colored garb with a golden necklace with a medallion adorned with topaz. Her head was mostly black and white, and she had two pairs of wings like the leader. The seventh member had a completely black head with a completely blue robe with a golden sash over his right shoulder. The leader and sixth member then proceeded to step forward toward the greeting party.
“On behalf of the Galactic Fleet Alliance,” the Elnore spoke respectfully to the delegation, “welcome aboard the Atlantis. I am Ambassador Havendure Lovandiel, the Chief Diplomatic Officer of this vessel.”
“Welcome to our ship, “ Bowen introduced himself and Cowboy, “I am Captain Michael Brown. This is my First Officer Commander David Corbin.”
“Greetings,” the leader faintly buzzed as his mandibles began to move while he bowed. “I am Zuaim, Patriarchal Chancellor of the Polistian Hierarchical Consortium.”
Zuaim introduced the rest of the delegation, starting with the sixth member and then introducing the rest from the second to the seventh. Each of them bowed as they were introduced. “This is my counterpart, Aiti, the Matriarchal Chancellor. This is also our High Advisor, Salvei. These are our two handmaidens, Deva and Jennfi. This is Zagovor, Section Chief in the Polistian Defense Securitate. And this is Gezant, our attaché.”
The Atlantis Chronicles- The Kordam Party Page 16