Offers answers to life's queries

“Are you really happy to just spend the rest of your life as a breeder?”

They were lying together in the dark, some time later. Two naked bodies so used to the comforting presence of the other. How many sleepless nights had they shared in this way, facing one great turmoil or the next? Always embraced. Always together. Jesse knew the basic duties of a breeder at least… almost all of their mothers had been one, more than likely. Women whose entire role was to pop out baby after baby to keep the population moving along. Impregnated by random strangers who saw it as their public duty, or wished to leave some sort of genetic legacy… Or just used by those who had a fetish for watching that swollen belly bounce around as they pumped away and suckled at always-full breasts.

It was a simple life. One of endless invasions and repetitive cycles. Each baby might be left with the mother for up to a year, before the next was expected and a Home was provided. Anyone with a womb could do it, really. In fact he was fairly sure he’d heard such a thing could be implanted in those born without them these days too… though the procedure sounded invasive. But Betsy was so smart. She could go on to be one of those few people who actually made a difference in this world. Who could understand the ridiculous complexity of where human science and ingenuity had progressed to, in these latter years of the 22nd century. She could be one of those on top of this boiling pyramid of people just using each other for constant gratification. Why on Earth would she be so calmly accepting of a role in which she was wasted?!

She watched the play of these emotions across his face… and knew exactly what he was thinking. “It’s not about what I could do, if pushed and pushed by the idea that I need to validate my existence somehow… That’s just your funny, old-fashioned views of what success is, again.”

Betsy turned away and looked at the ceiling, respecting Jesse’s viewpoint enough to give her answer some deeper thought.

“I do wonder where you get them all from… you never speak about your first Home…”

Nor would he tonight, it would seem... silence settled comfortably between them for a while. Until she had her words together.

“I like learning. I like solving puzzles and thinking new thoughts and seeing things from different angles. But I also like exploring my sexuality, listening to my body’s senses as they’re pushed to their limits and beyond. I have all these thoughts swirling around my head all the time… and it just feels amazing to be able to turn them off for once and let Daniel or Whitney or someone drive me completely blank with overblown stimuluses. To create life is the point of life. It is the greatest drive that has got us all the way here, from being single-celled organisms floating in the sea. I feel it in me already, and want to do nothing else more than answer it. I like to think that maybe any babies I produce will be smarter because of who I am… Maybe one of them will live up to the expectations you seem to have for me…”

She turned back towards him, chiding a little with this reflection that perhaps it was Jesse who was trying to make her into something she wasn’t. Guilt flashed up in the boy’s mind as he realised what she was getting at.

“But I’m happy with where the algorithm’s pointed me! I was so worried it was going to agree with what you and everyone else seemed to be thinking. Which is why I know it has got it right for you as well! You’ve always been my pretty, little sissy-slut… and I think, deep down, you know it...”

Betsy stared straight into the heart of his soul… and Jesse couldn’t hold the gaze. He still wasn’t convinced… but at least he knew she thought she was right. Her happiness had always been what buoyed his own…

“Now, though… I’m going to break a few rules.” The tall girl stated, with perfect confidence. “I’m pretty sure I’ll already have had my first dose of fertility hormones mixed in with dinner tonight… and I’m going to try to make sure my first baby… is yours!”