Adventures of an Ancient Space Battleship

Kiru stretched a bit in her seat. It had been a couple of hours since she had started talking with Larelu. They had spent that time getting to know each other, and she was beginning to get a little more comfortable. Although she still wished she hadn’t been ambushed with a visit to Qelu’s childhood home. Then again, thinking back, she remembered her own mother could be a little forceful at times, especially when she was dating someone. Kiru also realized what meeting Qelu’s mother meant about their relationship, but she wondered how well that applied with the Iniri. She already knew from her previous conversations with Megumi that the Soleans were pretty casual about their sexual relationships. From what she had seen and discussed she knew the Iniri didn’t quite think like her own people did either. Yet she had a feeling that meeting the parents still had a similar meaning for them as it did for her own kind.

Larelu suddenly asked her a question. One that caught her a little off guard, “Has Qelu told you anything about raising an Iniri child?”

She blinked, “Um, what? ...no. She hasn’t, why?”

Larelu sighed, “I was afraid of that. Well its her first child, so maybe it just slipped her mind.”

Kiru frowned, “Is there something I should know?”

The Iniri woman nodded, “If you are to help raise my grandchild there is a lot you should know. Raising an Iniri child isn’t the same as raising a Neku child.” she paused for a moment. Possibly considering her next words before continuing, “I guess I should start with the obvious, our psionic ability. We are born with limited telepathy. As we get older that telepathy becomes stronger and more potent. It also has an impact on our mental development. It allows us to pick up concepts more quickly but more importantly, it allows for mother and child to bond on a level that your kind normally cannot. There is nothing more intimate for a mother and her child to share than their own thoughts and feelings for each other.”

Kiru shifted, her mind linking dots. “I see, that explains why Qelu wanted a child so badly.”

Larelu giggled, “All Iniri desire to have a child of their own, and share that kind of bond with their own daughter. It’s a very fulfilling experience, one that some may use questionable means to obtain. Although that is not a subject for today.”

Kiru idly noted that statement down, but said nothing. It was certainly something to follow up on later. It had implications, some of them rather... concerning.

After a moment the Iniri woman continued in a more serious tone. “Anyway, what you need to know most about us, is that not only do we mature more quickly mentally, but that we do so physically as well.”

Kiru blinked. “Hmm, what do you mean?”

“How old do you think my baby Qelu is?”

Kiru was silent for a moment. She had the looks of a young woman, and often behaved like one too. Although she did occasionally behave childishly. “Um... late teens? No older than twenty.”

Larelu laughed, “She isn’t quite that old yet. Her ninth birthday is in a month.”

Kiru didn’t know what to say and just stared blankly for a moment trying to picture that. Qelu didn’t seem like she could be that young. A lump formed in her belly as she realized what that meant. Something Larelu seemed to pick up on.

“It’s not like that. Age is just a number and what applies to one race doesn’t apply to another. Where a Neku takes about fifteen years to develop from infancy to maturity an Iniri takes only five years. In effect, she is equivalent to twenty years of age for a Neku.”

Pushing the lump down she replied, “I see.”

That did make things better, and the idea wasn’t entirely alien to her. The academy had an entire course on the subject. It was well known that different species matured differently. Although that didn’t mean parallels couldn’t be drawn between two races. The concept of legal age became rather... complicated when multiple species were factored in. Even more so when you considered the more unusual species. As some of those unusual species made things... interesting. Very interesting in the more peculiar alien species out there. Some of which were so alien it was better for your sanity to not think about it, and others so weird you would swear the gods that shaped them must have been perverts with questionable morality, and tastes. Thankfully races like those were quite rare. Most sentient races were similar to the Neku in terms of their physical and mental development. Although that still left plenty of room for variance, as the Iniri seemed to demonstrate. It sounded like they were on the fast growth side of the curve, whereas her own kind were more solidly placed on the average growth rate part of the curve.

Larelu stretched lazily. “Anyway, growth rates aside, the only other big difference to note is that we have tentacles rather than arms. It certainly makes things a little different, but I think Qelu can teach you about everything that entails.”

A question occurred to Kiru then. “I see, but why are you telling me all this? Wouldn’t Qelu want to do this all on her own?”

Larelu gave her a look, “Of course, she would, but sooner or later she will need to learn to take advantage of what assistance she has available. Close friends or lovers that you can trust are good picks. At the moment Qelu trusts you, and having talked to you I can see why Qelu likes you.” Her mood shifted suddenly at that moment, and Kiru felt a shiver run down her spine. “But if you hurt my baby girl, I will hunt you down and make sure you regret it.”

Objectively she knew Larelu could never hurt her, but that didn’t make her any less intimidating. Kiru had a sudden understanding about a few phrases she had heard about mothers over the years. They certainly seemed to describe what just happened really well.

Almost as if what just happened never did, Larelu seemed to flip a switch. Her mood returning back to the previous one. “Also, if you two need it, you know where to find me. I’m right here if either of you need advice or assistance.”

Kiru replied, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Larelu glanced at a clock, and then she stood up, “Anyway, we should check in on Qelu. We’ve been talking awhile, and she might need some help. Not to mention it’s almost feeding time for the little ones.”

That reminded Kiru. Larelu had mentioned a nursery. She had also seen two young ones, little kids that seemed to both be around eight, maybe nine. Although with what she had just heard it seemed that the Iniri kid was likely younger. A lot younger. Kiru also had to wonder how many kids were here, and how many of them were Neku taken away from their mothers. She nodded, “Qelu might appreciate the relief.”

With that, she was led deeper into the house. The exit from the foyer led into a hall, and an open door showed her a kitchen where she could see both of the girls she saw earlier. They were happily chowing down on some food, but it seemed Qelu wasn’t in the room. Larelu glanced around the room, and with a satisfied look said, “This way, Qelu seems to be in the nursery.”

She nodded, and then asked, “Out of curiosity how many children do you have right now?”

“Five right now. Those two in the kitchen and three little ones. Most of them are Neku I’m looking after, but Talu, the Iniri girl you saw, is my youngest. She turned three just recently.”

Kiru frowned, and couldn’t help but ask, “Do any of them have contact with their birth mothers?”

Larelu blinked, gave her a look. “Noticed that tendency of my sisters have you? Relax, I’m not like that. All of them have regularly scheduled and supervised visits with their birth mothers. A child needs to bond with her own mother just as much as the caretaker afterall.”

Kiru blinked. Maybe there was hope for the Iniri race? She was about to reply but Larelu continued.

“Not all of my kind share my beliefs though. Most believe that once they remove a child from her mother's care, she should be kept away from her mother for years. Honestly only one year is sufficient and after that supervised visits is enough to establish a natural bond. Rather than creating one artificially ten years down the line.”

Kiru gave her a look, “So you keep them away for a year?”

Larelu nodded, “Just long enough to ensure they bond with me, and make sure the bond is strong. Although most prefer not to bother with supervised visits. Especially younger Iniri who see any child they take as their own. Regardless of who birthed them.”

“I noticed.”

“They forget that we are here to help you Neku as much as we are for ourselves. They think that just because we are the superior race we have the right to do as we please. To a degree that is true, but we can’t forget our purpose.”

“And what is that?”

Larelu gave her a look, “Something to discuss another time. Although you seem to be a very smart and perceptive girl. I’m sure you will figure it out on your own, and what kind of mother would I be if I just gave you all the answers? Hmm?”

Kiru hadn’t expected that answer, but it was worth a shot to ask the question. Before she could reply. Larelu paused at a door, and opened it. During the whole conversation they had gone up a flight of stairs, and down another hall. A couple of open doors showed bedrooms, and one bathroom that they had passed on the way here.

Looking into the room, she noted its contents. It was clearly the nursery with three baby beds set up. A few tables, a playpen, and a bathroom in the corner. The bathroom was open to the rest of the room, and clearly designed for little girls. It had a tiny toilet, and a tiny tub. There was also a sink next to the child sized toilet. A fancy looking fence controlled access. That bathroom area was also where Qelu was standing at the moment. Her tentacles helping a small girl sit on the tiny toilet. A girl who looked a little too young to be using it.

In the playpen another girl, perhaps a year old, was playing with large blocks. A rather normal and innocent scene. At least until you noticed that she was completely naked without even a diaper. The last girl was in her bed, and she too was completely naked.

“No diapers?”

Larelu giggled, “haven’t been around many Iniri caretakers have you?”

Kiru shook her head.

“We don’t use them. No need. As they are quite unnecessary.”

At that moment Qelu looked up from where she was helping the youngest girl, and added her own two cents. “We don’t really need to use them. As we can sense when a child needs to go. Not to mention that thanks to our telepathic ability we can start toilet training much earlier than a Neku can.”

Kiru frowned, “That works!?”

Qelu nodded, and Larelu elaborated, “It does, with enough patience. Babies don’t like just letting it out wherever, but the muscles needed to hold it are unused when they are born and therefore weak. They need to be taught how to exercise them and build them up. It doesn’t take too long to teach them though. Only a couple of months on average. After that they are potty trained.”

Kiru hadn’t expected to hear that. Yet, perhaps she should have. It seemed telepathy had advantages she had never even thought to consider. If she had, maybe she would have thought to ask Qelu about things like this earlier. “So I take it you already potty trained these three.”

Larelu nodded, “I have” she replied as she moved towards the one in the bed. Who seemed to have noticed her presence and was reaching up. Clearly wanting to be held. Even if she wasn’t vocal about it.

Larelu picked her up, and the girl quickly found a nipple and started sucking. Honestly it was kind of cute. Larelu smiled, and glanced at Qelu, “I think she is about done. Clean her up and put her in the pen. I’ll be awhile, so why don’t you and your friend head downstairs and get something to eat?”

Qelu nodded, and with a tentacle grabbed a rag. Wet it in the sink, and wiped the little one down. She was gentle but thorough about it. It only took her a moment, and then she lifted the little one up, and carried her over to the pen. As soon as the girl was down, she motored it to join the other girl playing with the blocks. Everyone in the room watched her as she crawled the distance to her sibling playing with the blocks. She reached the other girl and grabbed a block already giggling. Her sibling smiled and handed her a second block. It was a remarkably cute sight. Kiru wanted to watch a little longer, but Qelu dragged her out of the room.