Shipwrecked - Chapter 145: The Immigrants (MF anal atm creampie swallow)

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Chapter 145: The Immigrants

I stood on the shore covering my eyes from the early morning sunshine, the waves lashing against the shoreline suggesting a storm was churning things up to our South. The covering of dark, bulbous clouds to the Southeast added to the conclusion that we were in for a downpour by the early afternoon, if not sooner.

Less than half a day had passed since I'd snorted the cocaine. I'd felt out of sorts, almost hungover, as if my body was reminding me of what happens when that drug is no longer in my system. It redoubled my determination to not touch the stuff again. I hated that feeling. Pain relievers did no good, nor did an extra cup of coffee. The only thing which helped a touch was toking on a joint, and despite being only an hour or so after dawn, I drew my lips together and inhaled deeply as the paper flared and the cherry burned into the sticky green leaves inside. I let out my breath and stifled a small cough.

Nina had left the North before dark and had arrived in time to ensure we were organized in our defense. Even though we expected allies not enemies to arrive, it was good practice regardless.

Kate had spotted the silhouette on the horizon at first light, somehow perfectly able to keep her watch assignment after coming down from her own cocaine-fueled fun. We'd assumed our defensive positions immediately. Only in the last few moments could we see the hull well enough to confirm that it matched the Uhonamonan's description of Ekoh's boat. It looked huge. The bright-red slash across the bow stood out even at a distance. I wondered at the logic of such an overt, eye-catching display in a place where there were many patrols by GS. Catching the attention of anyone was risky in those times. Catching GS's eye was asking for trouble.

I'd held the others back, just in case, still in their positions, but relaxed somewhat. I took a last drag on the joint and tossed the empty paper butt onto the sand. The hull of Ekoh's boat rose high above the water as it moved closer and rode up and over the wave tops, larger swells obvious by the motion of the boat. I twisted the semi-automatic to my side and scratched where the metal had been irritating my stomach. I kept my hand on the grip, though, unwilling to trust too deeply from afar.

Another thirty minutes passed before the boat began to slow. We'd passed on instructions during our last call with the Uhonamonans about the safest approach to the South side beach, and I watched as the boat carefully threaded the narrow channel between the most shallow oyster shoals and began to make its way into the safe anchoring area.

I saw two people on the bow looking my way. I wondered what first impression I presented, a naked white but deeply-tanned man, scraggly beard down over the top of my neck, an assault rifle slung over my shoulder and gripped in my fist. It wasn't exactly a welcoming image, I was sure, but I didn't exactly want to give anyone a chance to misunderstand the seriousness with which I took our the arrival of our invited strangers.

A man stepped forward to join the other two, huge hull bobbing in slow but large motions, and I heard a shout, “Ho, there! We are from Uhonamona!”

I cupped a hand near my lips, keeping the other on my rifle, “Greetings!”

“I am Ekoh! May we come ashore?”

“As you are ready, yes!” I responded, then turned back to shout behind me, “Sit tight!”

I watched as the man disappeared and took the two others with him. Moments later, I saw a decent-sized dingy winched down the port side with three people already on board. To my surprise, I heard a small motor rev up and it sped quickly to the shore.

As soon as the boat touched the sand, one of the men jumped out ahead of it carrying a large, sharp stake attached to a rope. He drove it powerfully into the beach and tugged on it to ensure it would hold fast. Another man on the boat pulled in the slack and tied off the rope around a cleat on the bow, the boat half-up on the shore with the small stern-mounted motor tilted up and out of the water.

A short man leapt from the dingy and rushed to where I was watching silently. He was thin and considerably older than anyone on Phoenix. It was hard to judge his age due to the effects of many years spent working in salt air and sun, but his skin was a lighter brown than the other two men. He wore a colorful button-up tropical shirt and rugged dark-blue jeans, bright-green boat shoes covering his feet. Even as he stepped closer, I could smell his cologne strongly. His hair looked as though his barber had put on a blindfold and randomly cut out thin strips of white strands, sometimes cutting an inch or two from the matts left behind. He had a beard almost as long as mine, but it was stark white though just as wild and unkempt. He looked every bit the part of a man who had just escaped from a banana republic jail where he'd been held on suspicion of practicing medicine without a license. At least that's the impression I got initially.

Then he grinned. His teeth were perfectly aligned and bright white. His lips drew back in a warmth that was almost lost behind the scraggly white hairs over his mouth. “You must be Kal!” he exclaimed. “Ekoh!”

“Well met, Ekoh,” I nodded towards the anchored boat. “Nice ride you've got there.” I slid my hand behind my back to give the signal to those waiting at camp to stand down and for some to come forward.

He grinned broadly. “Appreciate that. She's a real keeper, that one.”

I eyed the approaching clouds and said, “We've got plenty of time to do intros later. Let's get you all sorted while we still have some clear skies, then we'll share a meal and conversation.”

“Deal. Say,” Ekoh added quickly, “it would go much faster if we could get some help.”

“Already on the way,” I said as I nodded back toward the camp where Kate, Hakee, Mie, and Poln were heading towards us.

I saw Ekoh's eyes catch a moment as the naked islanders strode without shame to where we waited. He blinked a few times, tried to avert his glance, and finally said just above a whisper, “That will take some getting used to...”

I chuckled and he looked at me with a pleased expression.

We worked quickly, shunning conversation beyond 'hello' and did our best to offload people and supplies. As a team, we got all but the biggest items out of the boat's large hold, leaving behind the heavy timbers and other supplies we'd use to put up new buildings. For expediency, we stashed items in the common room and inside the storage building as the storm began to race up to our shore. I knew Gale would not be pleased if she saw the disorder we'd created in her carefully organized storage, but I was sure we'd get it sorted out before she next headed South again.

Bailey had worked on a late-morning stew while we offloaded the boat, and by the time we were all shuffled into the common room, she had the steaming crab, fish, potato, and leek stew ready to dish out in heaping portions for the newcomers and residents alike. I carried the pot, still half full, into the common room and put it on its stand just as the rain began to patter down onto the sand.

Ekoh started talking as soon as we were all inside. “It is so exciting to be here! I've dreamed of a new start like this for so long. Uhonamona was nice, but... It was not for me. This place,” he said, as if he'd already seen the whole island, “this already feels more like home.”

I wasn't convinced he was remotely close to making such a confident assertion, but I ignored my rebuttals. He was clearly excited, and perhaps he was just trying to make a good impression on us by offering compliments. His eyes were certainly complimenting the way Kate's legs spread each time she leaned over to offer a small spoonful of the stew to Katie who was resting near Bailey's feet. The redhead's full bush was hard to miss, and Ekoh was not trying too hard to hide his interest.

Intros were made by Ekoh of the other ten immigrants who had arrived with him. The two men who'd been in the dingy with him were Takino, a tall nineteen-year old man with a broad chest and short curly black hair, and Iplah, a man of forty-seven years and the father of Yplanah, a pretty slender young woman of twenty-seven. Ekoh introduced us to shy, long-haired Geeni and her equally-shy nephew Kilba, as well as the forty-five year old-gardener Heeuah with braided hair, and her twenty-two year-old daughter Unune who was taller than her mother and whose arms were thick with lean muscle. The surgeon Kinnon, forty-two, was greeted, the woman strikingly beautiful, her face extraordinarily feminine and soft despite the way age and salt air and sunlight had added a leathery undertone. Last where Enumi, twenty-three, the agricultural engineer, and her young daughter Aholinah, a four-year old, who Enumi told us had taken to being called Holly.

It was easy to distinguish those who had just arrived from those already living on Phoenix.

We natives wore no clothes.

There was a clear, general uneasiness in the newcomers, even in Ekoh. I wasn't sure if it was the excitement and fear about their new lives, or perhaps it was the difference between the way we casually sat naked in front of them and they each sat as if trying to appear smaller and, except for Ekoh, averted their eyes from the bared flesh in the room. Whatever it was, we needed to get a few things sorted out before we went any further.

After the sounds of gentle greetings and soup spoons clanking in bowls had quieted, I stood and said, “We welcome you all here today, and I hope you will follow along for the next hour or so. I trust that the Elders in Uhonamona passed on the terms, but to ensure there are no misunderstandings, let's reiterate them right now, and I will then discuss some of the short-term plans. Amy?”

The rain beginning to pound heavily on the roof, Amy stood slowly after placing Azure in Kate's arms and pulled up one of her large notebooks, titled Island of the Phoenix - Official Records. Over a period of minutes, Amy read aloud the entire Constitution, not pausing for questions or comments. Once finished, she quickly began to read the statements regarding the terms by which the newcomers would be received and accepted. Amy mentioned the three-month trial period, and explicitly enumerated various ways in which that probation would be considered violated.

I watched faces for reactions, but almost none were forthcoming. No one but Ekoh made any long-term eye-contact with Amy or even glanced for more than a second or two in her direction. It was clear the nudity was making most uncomfortable. I wondered how long that would be so. I recalled how Kylana, Tila, Tika, and Hunamu had been similarly discomforted and it had taken some weeks before the quartet began to acclimate to the behavior.

The rain still coming down hard, I thanked Amy and said, “Now would be a good time for questions.”

No one spoke up, so I added, “Please, don't be shy. We don't want any misunderstandings. Please, ask anything.”

Heeuah, the gardener and mother of Unune, finally offered. “Must we be without clothes at all times?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all. You are free to wear or not wear clothing as you are comfortable. This is a freedom we feel strongly about, but nudity is voluntary.”

She nodded but didn't respond, looking at her daughter. “And...,” Heeuah added after a moment, “we understand... there are freedoms... to be with those we choose?”

I recalled that Heeuah and her daughter had been two who were rumored to be incestuous. I nodded, “Freely chosen. So long as there is legal consent from all parties according to our laws, your relationships are yours to decide.”

“So it's true,” Iplah, the fisherman and father of Yplanah said with mild surprise, “you are saying that... my daughter and I...”

When he didn't complete the thought, I nodded again, “This is acceptable, yes. So long as you both consent, your private life is yours to choose. Even if you choose not to make it private...”

I heard Bailey and Keekah giggle behind me, and I couldn't stop a small grin from spreading.

“Uh,” Iplah replied, “so... this also is true...”

“That we share intimate moments in public places and with others?” Hakee said, “All true. There is no shame, only joy, in what we do with our bodies.”

“But,” I added quickly, “You do not have to share what you wish to keep private. But, know that such sights are common and cherished by all currently residing on Phoenix. We believe it bonds us together in ways other places do not understand.”

There was silence a moment, then Ekoh raised his hand, saying, “This may sound like a stupid question, but... I mean... Look at all of this,” he said, sweeping his hand from where Hakee leaned against the doorframe to the spot where Kate cradled Azure against her shoulder, the woman's legs spread just enough for a few strands of reddish curls to show above her thighs, “. . . Kal . . . how do you get any work done?”

While the other newcomers uniformly looked aghast at Ekoh's imprudent question, those of us currently naked burst out in laughter. “Some days,” I responded trying to catch my breath, “that is a challenge!”

Ekoh didn't seem to understand why we thought his query was so funny. He looked confused, adding, “I do not mean to judge or offend! No, only... Well, I'm a man, and... I mean... I mean... Look!”

That set us off again, and Kate finally said, “You'll get used to it. In a few days, this will be normal.”

“My apologies, miss... Kate?” Ekoh replied, “But you... you are anything but normal! You are stunning! Uh! Oh my,” Ekoh added. I swear I saw a light pink color spread over his light-brown cheeks. “I am so nervous I'm making a banana skin out of myself. I do not mean to say I see only your flesh, but... how can I not say how I have never, in my life, see such sights as these! I daresay I am having trouble paying attention to the serious business at hand.”

As our laughter died off, I glanced at Kate and saw that she was sizing up the older man. She clearly liked the compliments, rambling as they came, and I knew she was willing to show him a good time.

“It's not just him,” Kinnon spoke up, pointing towards Ekoh, “I, too... Well,” she said, moving her hand towards several of us, “how can I not notice?”

I glanced down and realized that my flaccid cock had started growing, perhaps turned on by the idea of Kate with the older man. I bowed my head slightly and said, “My apologies. I do not wish to distract. I... Look, can we just get past this a moment and finish up on the questions?”

Kinnon's eyes barely left my cock as a few simple questions about the North were asked, and while Amy showed them a map and explained the island's features, I sank back next to Kate and whispered, “Seems you have an admirer...”

She grinned, “Seems so...” Kate wrapped her arm in mine and leaned against me, then added, “He is rather handsome for his age. Don't think I've ever been with a man so short. That sort of turns me on, honestly.”

“Short, huh? No wonder you and I never hit it off,” I said with a grin.

Kate pinched me, then giggled, “I kinda want to know how small it really is.”

I knew she was referring to the private demand Ekoh had sent along when negotiating to come to Phoenix. He'd ask that no one make fun of his small penis. I'd offered assurances that it would not be an issue, but I'd also let him know that he was free to show or not show himself as he wished.

“Think it might be fun to play with?” I asked.

Kate purred, “Mmm-hmm. Kinda like when I'm sucking Poln's little one. I wonder if it is even that big. I'm getting wet just thinking about it.”

“Well, between Tok on one end, and possibly Ekoh on the other,” I continued, quietly, “we've got about any size a woman could ask for.”

Kate slid a hand down my thing, somewhat discretely. “And which one of these new women are you most interested in fucking?”

All of the newcomers were attractive in one way or another, but the woman who'd most caught my eye was Kinnon, the forty-two year old surgeon. Something about her was starkly different. It might have been the contrast of sharp lines around her lips and the soft curves of her cheeks, or the fact that her eyes, at least from a distance, looked almost amber or gold. I couldn't help imagining what it might be like to kiss her. I told Kate my first choice.

“I can see it. She's gorgeous. And she clearly can't keep her eyes off your cock, my love.”

I looked up again to see that the woman was watching Kate's hand slowly stroking my thigh, my bobbing hardon just a couple of inches from the redhead's fingers.

Amy had finished up the questions and I heard the rain die down. I stuck my head out and saw the clouds had a decided broken pattern, a clear opening overhead and most of the way to the horizon, a thin line of clouds hanging low to the South. I watched a moment and based on the movement of the last of the passing storm's clouds and the distance to the ones far away, I expected we had at least two or three hours till the next round of rain passed in.

“Well, if there are no more questions,” I paused to allow for anyone to interrupt, “this would be a good time for a tour of the South.” Everyone rose and stepped outside except for Keekah, Amy, and Bailey, the young mothers staying behind with the young ones. They would sort out the night's sleeping arrangements. It helped that so many of our people were in the North working the fields, we had plenty of space for everyone to be comfortable that night.

Hakee led the tour around the main camp while Kate and I began to work through the newly-arrived supplies in the storage building. Mie and Poln took up fishing duties to bring in fresh catch to add to the stew for the evening meal.

The first boxes, bags, and crates we checked were generally personal effects. Photographs, toiletries, a few books, clothing, trinkets and a few pieces of jewelry. It felt odd and invasive to paw over the items, but it had been explained that we would do so for our own security. I'd not let on that I worried about someone bringing in undocumented guns or drugs. I was surprised how much makeup was included. On Phoenix, cosmetics were unheard of. No one wore any, and as far as I knew, there were only a few items in our storage, mostly a couple of bottles of nail polish and a tube or two of lipstick.

Interestingly, in one duffle bag, Kate found two silicon dildos, one quite large, and one toy that could only be described as 'double-headed.' It was perhaps two-feet long, and both ends of the pliable dong featured prominent penis heads. I had to wonder if it was Unune and her mother Heeuah who enjoyed riding that toy together.

We saw nothing of concern in the personal effects, and dug deeper into the stack of boxes and large crates. The boxes contained a wide assortment of items. Tools and nails and screws. Pillows, sheets, and thin mattresses. More clothing, including a couple of rather sleek dresses and a tuxedo. Foodstuffs, some long-term packaged goods such as industrial-sized tubs of peanut butter and honey, canned fruits, sacks of dried nuts and dried beans, dehydrated milk, sugar and salt. There were also sacks of wheat flour and masa. I wondered how far the latter had traveled, and how much had been bartered to acquire it.

The food all looked in good shape so we stacked it clear of the other items so that we could move them into the food storage building. The last big box held a great quantity of items related to Kinnon's surgery skills. I couldn't identify everything, but I knew enough to put the items to the side so that Kinnon and Manu could compare notes at a later time.

The first crates held useful items such as fishing equipment and supplies as well as more tools and things needed to construct some of the new buildings. The next few held items I assumed were the makeshift tent materials. I became even more certain we must prioritize shelters over crops for a few days when I touched the thin material and simple alloy connectors. Those tents wouldn't have done well in a moderate shower, let alone a full-on Summer slammer. They would do for clear nights, but it was hard to predict when those might come in the middle of Spring.

The final crates held the last set of supplies I was still expecting: the guns and ammunition. The Uhonamonan's kept their word, supplying seven semi-automatic rifles, a submachine gun with a large round drum, and two sidearms, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition needed for each weapon. They'd tossed in a crate containing about two-hundred grenades. I cringed at the thought that we'd need such things. I wasn't sending them back, though.

There were still some things back on Ekoh's boat, mostly the larger wood materials for the buildings, but also some of the more fragile items we hadn't wanted to risk on the choppy surf, such as a few crates of rum and brandy, a few scientific instruments such as a microscope and a large Newtonian telescope, as well as what Ekoh described as a 'boatload of fresh hen's eggs.'

I hadn't had eggs since I'd come to the island. Well, that isn't quite true. We'd tried some of the island birds' eggs a time or two, and while they were edible, they weren't exactly what I'd enjoyed from chicken. I looked forward to a big skillet-full of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and some of the 'piglet bacon' which was available again after a couple of fresh catches in Keekah's snares. The latter wasn't aged or cured the way American bacon had been, but it tasted much the same and it fried up nicely.

“Well?” Kate asked after we finished moving some of the items out of the storage building. “Thoughts?”

“Reasonably assured, I think. Nothing to worry us in any of this. Other than some discomfort and the emotions that must be going through their minds, all seems well to this point.”

“Agreed,” Kate responded. “Say... want a quickie?”

“Always,” I replied honestly. Her hand had already been stroking my cock for a couple of moments, and thin precum was drooling from the tip.

Kate grinned and knelt just inside the doorway of the storage building, taking my dick into her mouth greedily. She hummed as she sucked, but it lasted only long enough to wet my length. Kate spun around, rested one hand on a crate and used the other to reach back as she bent over, pulling her buttock wide and showing me her wet, creamy pussy.

I sniffed her crack, savoring the heady mix of sweat and arousal, urine and musk. I lapped Kate's cream, her fur tickling my cheeks, running my tongue from her hard clit up to her sweaty, hairy anus, and back along her slit. She moaned and I stood, quickly sliding my length into her wet hole.

Kate grunted as I began to pump her, her warm channel slippery and snug. I reached under her and found her clit, twisting two fingers around it in a circular motion. Kate's hips slapped back hard as we rutted, and I felt her vagina tighten as she started to climax.

I let go her clit and gripped my wife's hips, slamming myself hard against her ass. I looked down to see Kate's creamy discharge smeared along my length, her tight butthole glistening with perspiration. I grunted and ground myself against her, pushing my penis deep before withdrawing just to the tip, then I slammed and ground again.

Cum erupted from me and I groaned in euphoria. Quickly filling Kate's pussy with semen, I breathed heavily, the heavy scent of our sweaty bodies tickling my nose, my cock twitching as it drooled the last globs of jism into Kate's vagina. I pulled back and watched as my cum slowly leaked from the redhead's swollen cunt.

She wasn't done, her fingers quickly sliding over her clit and frigging it with determination. She breathed back, “Eat my ass.”

I dropped to my knees and inhaled along her crack, the rich, dark scent of my lover's butt filling me with excitement. My tongue brushed her anus and she shuddered. I dipped it into her tight hole and pressed it between the clenched ring. Kate pushed back and her ass enveloped my face. She ground her body against me, and I struggled to breath. My instincts took over, and I quickly lapped Kate's pungent backdoor as she masturbated. “Fuck my ass!” Kate commanded.

I was half-hard again, but surely willing. I worked my dick up into the woman's well-lubricated butthole and the tightness and heat caused me to swell with excitement in her bowels. She groaned in discomfort and pleasure as I began to sodomize her, my hips pressing against her as her anus slowly yielded.

“Oh, yeah... Oh, yeah... Oh... fuck. Fuck... Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck...” Kate climaxed again, her body shuddering. Her anus clenched several times as she came, forcing my cock from her slimy opening. I could smell the sharp odors of Kate's ass in the closed room.

Before I could move, Kate spun around and took hold of my dick, pushing it into her mouth and moaning loudly as she deep-throated me. I knew she was cleaning herself from my length, and it made me boil over with arousal, quickly filling her mouth with seed, the woman swallowing as quickly as she could, washing down the essence of her bowels with the salty pungency of my cum.

I pulled her to her feet and we kissed deeply, the sharp, thick flavors on her tongue a delight in my mouth. “Well... now that that's out of my system,” Kate said, grinning.

“Yeah, right,” I replied with mirth, “I don't think it's ever out of your system.”

She laughed, “True.”

“Suppose we should get some work done before the storm starts back up.”

- - -

The tour group headed in from the East an hour later after wandering around that end of the island and visiting the tree farm. Several of them showed fruit growing towards maturity, and it was just a matter of weeks before the first would be harvested. Eyeing the sky, Hakee suggested they wait to do the quick tour to the West end and suggested instead it would be a good time for an early supper, followed by drinks and an early bedtime.

All agreed, and Kate and I cleaned the fish Mie and Poln had caught that afternoon and dropped them into the simmering stew along with more potatoes, leeks, and a few onions. Around the fire, we ate quickly as the wind picked up again and the threatening storm front darkened the sky prematurely.

As I helped clean up the supper dishes, Ekoh walked up and said quietly, “Thank you so much for your welcoming tone. I didn't really know what to expect here with strangers. We aren't as sorry a lot as we might seem.”

“I suspect you're underestimating our impressions of you. Some seem nervous, but I think that's to be expected,” I replied. “You've all just uprooted your lives to move here amongst strangers with odd customs. It will take some time to acclimate, I think.”

“Perhaps so,” Ekoh acknowledged. “Is, uh... is...”

He stuttered and grew silent, and I asked, “What, Ekoh? Is what?”

“The woman with red hair. Kate. Is she taken?”

“Married, you mean?” I asked. “Yes. To me.”

“Oh,” he replied, disappointment clear in his tone. “Oh! Earlier... I have made a fool of myself and crossed a line! Please understand I meant no offense!”

I chuckled, “No offense taken. Kate is a beautiful woman. And... Marriage doesn't mean exclusive, not necessarily. She is free to be with whom she will.”

“Not... exclusive... You mean,” Ekoh paused, “you mean you would allow her to bed other men?”

“Allow? No. She doesn't need me to allow her to do anything. Our relationship is quite open. If she's desirous and it makes her happy, then she may freely choose her own relationships beyond ours and I accept and encourage her. As it is for me, as well.”

“You are... open?”

“Quite. I have four wives and several lovers here. Kate has a husband, me, and a wife of her own, Amy, who is also my wife.”

Ekoh shuddered and shook his head. “This is all so confusing.”

“Think of it this way. Marriage, here, is more about a special commitment. A ritual of personal importance, not really a traditional social contract. Kate and I were married before The War. Long story I'll tell you some time. But we were open before those days, and now we are even more so. The people here, they are family and our intimate companions. Those who choose so, at least. For those who don't, and some don't personally seek out non-monogamous relationships, they are free to decide for themselves what is right.”

“I think I see,” Ekoh said, looking past me to where Amy strode by holding Azure. “And this one, Amy?” When I nodded, he continued, “She is also your wife?”

“Yes. Also married to Kate. We had a ceremony some months back. Keekah and Bailey are my other wives.”

“And... the child... is not yours...”

It wasn't a question, but I answered it anyway, “No, Tok is Azure's father.”

“I... I struggle understanding this. I have never known a woman who would so easily share her man with other women, and I cannot see how a many could be so willing to let his wife... his wives... know other men.”

“You don't have to do any of that yourself, Ekoh,” I said cautiously, “just know that you are free to form whatever relationships you wish with those who consent to such relationships.”

“Are there any... women... who are not... tightly committed to others?”

“Truly single?” I thought for a moment. Amy, Bailey, Kate, and Keekah were clearly out, as were Hakee and Nina. Gale had Tok, Kylana had her uncle, and Manu was mostly exclusive with Amu. That left three. “Mie, who you've met, is thirteen, though she enjoys intimacy with several of us. Tila and Tika, who you've yet to meet, are twins. They mostly keep to each other. So... I don't believe such a woman as you seek is here at this moment. What of the ones who traveled with you?”

Ekoh shrugged. “I... I haven't gotten to know them well, I'm afraid. I was focused on getting us here, and I'd had no time to meet them before we left, the rush to get away and such.”

“Tell me what happened, Ekoh. Why the sudden push to have you and the others sent out before Progress showed up?”

He looked down at his shoes, then said, “I was a trouble-maker.”

My breath caught, the red flag rising in my head. “How so?”

“I was not for war, not unless forced to fight for our island. I led protests which were causing the Elders problems. Peaceful, nothing violent, but some refused to work, others refused to take arms. As a leader of those who wanted to stay out of the fighting, they wanted me gone.”

“But,” I replied, Ekoh's story and what I'd heard from the Elders during our negotiations not meshing, “they were reluctant for us to take you. The Elders strongly advised us that you should not be allowed to come here, that you were a cheat of some sort.”

He nodded, “This is because there were two Elders who sought to jail me and felt that justice would not be served if I was allowed to leave. It was only due to the pressure of those who protested that I was left free. Some wanted me to be refused sanctuary on Phoenix so that I could be used as a symbol of what happens to those who don't rally around the deal forming with Progress. Rumor was I would be executed.”

“Christ,” I muttered. “So some wanted you gone to keep you from leading the protests, others wanted you restrained so that they could punish you. Gotta admit, Ekoh,” I said evenly, “it was only because of Tok's recommendation that we agreed to your coming here. He thinks very highly of you. I trust him. I must be honest and tell you that I give trust slowly and respect even less readily.”

Ekoh nodded slowly. “I understand. I will earn both. You will see. I did not seek to overthrow the Elders. I didn't want conflict. But most of the Council refused to consider our views. They were decided, had secretly negotiated with Progress to become a colony, so I suspect, and the Elders who did so held no value in our independence. It broke my heart to find out how little they cared about our views. I may have been wrong, I admit. But all I wanted was my voice, and the voice of dozens of others, perhaps hundreds of silent voices in all, to be heard and our thoughts to be considered. I'm no cheat. I'm not a trouble-maker without cause.”

“Well... You're here now. That is behind you, as far as we're concerned. All that matters it what you do starting today. You do your part, meet your obligations, earn my respect and trust, and that of the others, and I think you'll find us willing to hear your view even when we disagree. The people here are kind and caring, but they will defend like a cornered tiger what they value.”

“I hope this is so,” Ekoh said, drawing a thin smile.

“What do you want here, Ekoh? I don't mean this in a judgmental manner,” I asked, “but why are you here... really?”

He leaned against the building as I stacked the last bowls to dry inside the covered, protected hutch attached to storage. Ekoh spoke more softly. “Love.”

“Love?” I asked, my eyes drawing together.

“I had it once, Kal. Only once.”

He grew silent, so I asked, “Your mother?”

Ekoh nodded. “No one understood us. I cannot say why we were drawn together. Oh, I was a boy when I first felt it, but I was a man before either of us said a single word to the other about what we felt. By that time, she was growing older, and I was becoming a respected member of our community. My island, where I was born, is called Tinto, and it was the first place I was ever forced to leave. That time, my mother and I got away in the night after our one understanding friend told us that we were to be jailed for the nature of our relationship.

“We moved around a while, never staying long in one place. We told others we were lovers, never revealing our blood relationship, but it became hard to live the lie. Through our movements, I developed enough contacts to begin to earn money trading and soon I was delivering Western goods to those who wanted them. This was all before The War, of course. She died twenty years ago now, and even as I've become wealthy, I've only ever sought a woman who could fill me with the emotions I felt for her.”

He grew silent and I said quietly, “That's a big shoe to fill, Ekoh. It sounds like she meant everything to you.”

“She did,” he admitted, “and I know I will never find someone like her. But I still wish to find love. I tried to talk to others in Uhonamona about my past, but word got around and I began to be isolated. Oh, sure, they loved that I shared my wealth and made their lives easier with the trade I brought, but they thought of me as unworthy of their society, even as they never so much as said so. It is very lonely living that way...”

“This woman... this 'love' you seek... must it be monogamous? Must it be someone who is your everything? Yours and only yours?”

“I... I do not know... I had only thought to consider something... different... this day. I do not know how I might feel about that. I find it... difficult to not feel that I might be jealous. Strongly so. To share a woman I love with others... I do not know how I might do so...”

“What of the women who came here?” I asked, repeating my earlier thought. “What about Kinnon? She is here alone?”

Ekoh shrugged. “As I said, I do not know her well. I feel she is... not for me.”

I blinked. “What? Why not? Kinnon is clearly smart and she's a gorgeous woman.”

He shrugged again, looking away. “I... I just know.”

I stepped back as the rain started to fall lightly, the others still outside shelters scurrying inside quickly. “Well... don't rush things right now, Ekoh. Perhaps, if you give it time, other options will present themselves. Monogamy is not the norm for those of us already living here. We have found that multiple loves, multiple lovers, is more satisfying than one, but no one will judge you if you find that not to be so for you.” I glanced out to where the clouds had fully blackened the horizon, the wind whipping the surf up into a froth.

“I need to rinse off in the water real quick. Care to join me?”

Ekoh eyed the surf, then seemed to check to be sure no one else was around. He nodded and followed behind as we raced down to the water. I dove in quickly, trying to beat the lightning starting to hit out near the horizon.

Ekoh stood on the shore nearby, still in his clothing. I could tell he was contemplating what he should do.

“One thing you'll get used to fast, Ekoh, is being naked in the water. No sense ruining your clothes in the brine. No one's going to much care in a couple of days, including those who came with you. Come on, we only have a couple of minutes.”

That seemed to shake him from his conundrum and the man slipped his shoes and shirt off first, then dropped down his drawers. Even in the failing light, I was able to take a quick glance at Ekoh's penis. It was soft and withdrawn, the short, thin man's length hard to judge in its flaccid state. It looked to be little more than a head covered in foreskin. His hairy testicles were another matter, the meaty sac full and jiggling. I tore my eyes away before he caught me looking.

I seriously doubted anyone would say anything to the man. Good grief, like I'd said before, next to Tok, we all had small ones. Granted, Ekoh's did appear to be smaller than average, but I suspected that no potential partners would turn him down over it. If it worked, someone would enjoy and treasure it.

Here I was, thinking about the man's small size just hours after I'd fucked Kate with my own reasonable length. I knew how lucky I was to have so many willing and wonderful lovers, as well as to not shoulder a burden around the size of my cock. I suppose, if mine looked like Ekoh's, it might be very difficult to be confident sexually. Perhaps that was the true root of his desire to find love. His mother hadn't made a big deal out of his penis size and she'd given him pleasure without judgment. Maybe, once Ekoh found that women, such as Kate, found him exciting, he might be less of a hold out for “The One.”

We finished quickly and I raced ahead to the bath as Ekoh collected his soaked clothing. I rinsed off with the fresh water and toweled dry while the older man removed the brine from his skin.

“Listen,” I told him, “give yourself some time, okay? I don't just mean a couple of days. It took some of the others many weeks to begin to feel comfortable with things here. I think... you worry about things out of your control, and that will hold you back more than anything. Let it come to you naturally here, don't try to force things. Feel free to be you. There's room for you here if you work hard and care about others first.”

“I really appreciate that, Kal.” Ekoh let out a long breath as he wiped the rest of his skin dry. “Say, uh... I... I uh... I didn't bring any fresh clothes in... uh...”

“I'll fetch them for you,” I replied, stopping a grin, “err, where are yours?”

He told me where to find his clothes in the numerous bags and boxes and I returned moments later with a dry set which he very quickly put on. “I think you're laid out in Gale and Tok's shelter for now, along with Takino, Heeuah, and Unune. That okay?”

“We had tighter quarters on the boat, so yes, thank you. For everything.”

- - -

I checked in on the other newcomers, several of whom were already laid out on their thin mattresses in the common shelter, two of them in the empty shelter normally shared by Manu, Amu, Mie, and Poln, and four others in Gale and Tok's hut. All those in the common shelter were covered with blankets and talking softly with each other in the Uhonamonan tongue. I listened a moment, speaking quietly to Mie and Poln as they set to head off for the night's watch. The two were excited by all the new arrivals and they were eager to get to know them more over the coming days.

Rather than disturb the immigrants, I retired to my shelter where Keekah, Amy, and Bailey were already in bed, all four young ones in the bed with their mothers. Keekah's eyes flickered briefly and she smiled at me sleepily. There was barely enough room for one more in the bed without dragging the spare mattress over, and I decided I'd rather not disturb Amy and Bailey, who seemed to be sleeping. Plus, I wondered where Kate had gone.

I checked back in the common room but didn't find her there. I looked in to Manu's hut, but Enumi and Holly were already settled into bed. I tapped on the frame beside the curtain which hung in the narrow passage between the common shelter and the hut shared by Gale and Tok when they were in camp. I heard Kate's voice respond, “Come on in.”

“Wondered where you'd gotten off to,” I said quietly. She was leaning against the wall next to where Ekoh stood, the redhead towering over him by a half-foot or so. Takino was on one mattress, and Heeuah and Unune were on the two near the back wall, all three watching me as I stepped into the room.

“Just chatting with everyone before heading to bed.” She turned to the man beside her and said, “Ekoh was just telling me about his boat. Carries enough fuel to make long-distance trips, plus he's got a surprise or two he won't tell me about stashed on board.”

“Surprise?” I said evenly, “don't much care for surprises, myself.”

“Worry not, Kal,” Ekoh assured me, “these are happy surprises. Gifts, you might say. I think they will delight everyone. I'll retrieve them in the morning if the weather holds fair.”

I nodded, “Alright then.” I yawned. It wasn't terribly late, but the exertion with Kate and the day's excitement had worn me out. “Everyone comfortable for the night?” I asked the other three listeners.

“Fine, yes.” Heeuah replied. “This is most kind of you, uh.”

“Well, if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask anyone. You should take a couple of days to get used to things then we'll see about putting you to work. Hakee will want to finish your tour tomorrow and take you North if the weather is good. Most of you will go to help in the fields in a few days, as well as a new shelter there. Others will stay here to work on new buildings in the main camp. Until then, just relax and try to learn what you can.”

“Thank you,” Takino replied, “this I will do.”

I turned to Kate and said quietly, “Our bed is a little full tonight, perhaps we should slide in with Nina and Hakee?”

“Sounds good. I'm bushed,” she said, yawning with me, “goodnight, everyone. Goodnight, Ekoh,” Kate added, flashing the man a warm smile.

“Goodnight, Kate. Again, my apologies for being... out of line... earlier.”

“Again, no apology necessary,” Kate answered. “You said nothing I don't like hearing.” The twinkle in her eye said it was true.

Ekoh shook my hand and said, “Tomorrow, look forward to learning more from you and your people. We have a lot to do, and I am determined to do my part.”

“That's all I ask, Ekoh. That's all I ask.”

Kate and I stepped back down the hall and turned down the passage to the shelter where Nina and Hakee slept. The two were still up and talking quietly when we came in. “Mind if we shack up with you two tonight? Our bed has about seven people dozing right now.”

“Aww, the babies?” Hakee asked.

I nodded, “Got room for us?”

The mattress was just big enough for the four of us, so Kate and I slid under the covers behind Hakee. I kissed each woman a moment and said, “Worn out, or this could get interesting.”

“Not for me right now,” Nina said, “I'm on my period.”

“Didn't know that stopped you,” Kate said with a grin.

“Usually doesn't, but I'm a bit sensitive. Hakee tried to get me off earlier and I just couldn't cum.”

“Well,” I suggested, “if that changes, you know where to find some willing fingers, lips, and a dick to help you out.”

“Promise I will come-a-calling,” Nina laughed.

I debated whether I should tell them about the conversation I'd had with Ekoh. I was a personal moment, some private thoughts he'd shared with me. I wasn't sure if I should say anything. I decided I wanted to talk it out a bit, and that together, we could help Ekoh adjust and, perhaps, find happiness he'd sought for so many years. I laid out a condensed version of the conversation.

“If he wants monogamy, that's fine,” Kate said, “but he won't find it from anyone who's been here. Unless, maybe, one of the twins were interested, but I've become convinced they are generally gay, a bit curious about boys, maybe, and in love with each other. And I can't see Mie wanting to give up Poln or Kal...”

“And she's awfully young for that sort of thing, anyway,” Hakee added, her sister turning thirteen the previous month.

“She's the age Bailey was when she pretty much decided she wanted no one but Kal,” Kate replied.

“Not so,” I corrected her, “she wasn't monogamous with me long. She was Keekah's lover as quickly as I was.”

“True,” Kate admitted, “I guess I wasn't thinking about other women. She has said she wants no other man. I suppose that sort of arrangement would be much easier for a guy to accept.”

“I expect that's true,” I said, “jealousy is awfully powerful, and a lot of men... most men... would have no desire to see their lovers shared other men.”

“Yet you enjoy it,” Hakee said thoughtfully, “why?”

I shrugged, kissing Kate's neck from behind. I smiled. “I just love how it makes me feel, to know that someone I love is enjoying herself, that she's being brought pleasure. It may not be me, but someone I love is experiencing that, and it makes me feel really good. Compersion is a powerful sensation, thought admittedly, it can take some time to recognize and embrace.”

“Do you never get jealous Kal?” Kate asked softly, her hand wrapped in mine. “I mean... I had some early on when Nina first joined us, but I fell in love, too, and it just felt right. But... you know, maybe seeing Amy with Tok, or me with anyone. Don't you get a little jealous?”

I wanted to be honest with her, so I considered my thoughts a moment. “If I ever did, it was long ago. Maybe there was a moment here or there, maybe a possessive moment, but not really.”

“Possessive moment?” Nina asked.

“I recall feeling a bit jealous a few months back, when Kylana first arrived. I thought maybe she and Popko had gone off to fool around, and... I suppose I'd wanted to be her first, and the idea that Popko would get to be that man had made me a bit jealous. Just a bit. But it was there.”

“Ah... Firsts,” Nina said slowly, “Yeah, those I can understand... I suppose I would get jealous if there was something like that and Hakee sought it out from someone else before me. Not like 'the first time' or anything, but still... I could see that. But why were you jealous? It's not like the two of your were involved at that point, right?”

“We weren't,” I replied. “I didn't bring it on intentionally. I suppose I fantasized about it a time or two and I let that idea grow in me, that I'd be her first, and it felt wrong that such a built-up-experience would not come true. I got over it. I admonished myself and stopped it from growing too strong. Since I've been trapped here as the sex slave of a near-dozen women, I think I've grown accustomed to having all my intimate needs fulfilled ten times over.”

Kate laughed, “Sex slave, huh?”

“Ohh,” Nina added, “sounds kinky. Like... we tie you up and you do what we tell you? I could get into that.”

I grinned. “See what I'm forced to put up with?” I asked the room.

Hakee giggled and then said, “Well, I'm in if you are serious...”

“About tying me up?”

“Yep.”

I reached past Kate and stroked Hakee's thigh, “I might just let you three do that... another night.”

“Deal,” Hakee agreed.