Descend- Seeing Stars, Sean Oswald [best e books to read .txt] 📗

average life expectancy should probably be more like six hundred years.”

      “So what does that mean for Jay at his level?” Amelia asked.

      “As near as I can guess by the sixth threshold we are going to live for thousands of years and by Jay’s level likely tens of thousands. The cell sample that he gave me the other day displays signs of almost perpetual vibrancy. More important though than how long we will live seems to be the idea that we are mostly going to stop changing after we reach our full growth.

“So, assuming that the Forlorn or whatever other threat is out here doesn’t kill us, we will likely keep looking and feeling like we do now for ninety-nine percent or more of our life span and will only break down at the very end.”

      “This changes everything,” Mia said.

      “How? Does it bring my son back?” Meikiyo demanded.

      The tall girl with her model-like figure looked over at her much more petite sister wife. Sorrow was written across her face but more powerfully sympathy filled the fused bond between them. “That isn’t what I meant at all. I’m not Higen’s mother, but I hurt for you. And I want him back. You will have any help I can give you.”

      “I think what she means is that we have to keep pushing the leveling up so that we expand the entire team’s life span but also that given tens of thousands of years we can take a slower approach to dealing with the Forlorn and A’snkarnt,” Jessie said.

      Jay coughed. “I hate to disagree, but actually, I don’t think it changes anything about the priority. In fact, the idea that we may have eternity to live means that we only have more to lose. I intend to put an end to these threats or at least find a place for us to be safe.

      “The plan as I see it is to gather information on where Higen is and rescue him. At the same time, we have to keep planning how to truly be free from these enemies. During that time, we need to take advantage of every opportunity to increase our power and skills. Once we have a secure home, an Earth Two so to speak, then we can slow down and take our time.”

      “Does that mean that you are going to fuse the rest of the team?” Trina asked.

      “No, err… not right away. First, we are going to consolidate what we have. That is the goal for now. Then we will look at adding more to our fusion. The broader our fusion becomes the more I realize that it isn’t just about who I am adding. Yes, I still gain the most, but you all are growing in power each time that I fuse with someone too. So, I will want input from you about who we should add next,” Jay said.

      “Okay, well then let’s set up a schedule and put the plan into place,” Amelia said. Jay could feel the synchronicity that existed between them. They were all on board and it felt good to be part of a larger whole.

Chapter 2-Organizing

That was essentially the easy meeting. His wives were all getting along remarkably well since Trina had been fully brought on board. Jay felt like the other shoe was gonna have to fall on that front at some point, but he wasn’t gonna borrow trouble if he could help it. Now though, he needed to handle some of the less agreeable meetings.

      He had assigned Amelia, Trina, and Mia to help organize some of the others. If Meikiyo felt left out she didn’t say anything but instead had gone back to her room to mope. Even from here he could feel it. Jay had hugged and kissed her and renewed his promise that they would find Higen. He also told her that he expected her to train with them, so that when they did find their son, she would be in top fighting shape. That was the only moment he had seen any of the normal fire in her eyes. Jay simply realized he was going to have to be patient with her.

      He then went to the section of the ship which was designated as the science lab. It was actually a series of rooms honeycombed together with various projects set up throughout it. Right now, it was cleared of everyone except for Team Jay members. Although even with that limit there were more girls here than he had expected.

      When he walked in, Huong must have perceived the question in his mind because she said, “Many of the non-fused girls are trying their hands at different projects here.”

      “That’s probably good,” Jay said back.

      “Yeah, everyone wants to feel useful. Half of them want to know that they have a place even if they don’t want to enter into a lifetime commitment with you and half of them are hoping to catch your eye so that they can be the next to get fused. This is all before people find out that leveling up enough makes you almost immortal. You are gonna have a line of girls demanding to fuse with you then,” Huong said.

      “Fuse with us, you mean. You and all the others are as much a part of this group consciousness as I am,” Jay replied.

      Huong laughed and got that wicked grin on her face. “Whatever you say. I just know I’m not the one sticking my boy part into their girl part.”

      Jay rolled his eyes and shrugged. “So is there anything I need to know about here before I go and deal with the other groups. Oh, and who