The women selected for the DNA trade had asked for husbands. Lilith nor her followers felt guilty or bad about it. They were sixteen years old, if they had staid under their parents they would have been married before another year cycle anyway. This way instead of a thirty day cycle before resuming duties they could enjoy a year off having any duties. Lilith’s right hand called it training in their husband’s culture. Under the guise of learning what was expected of them as wives by the people who care about their husband. The wives would report on how daily things were done on the first ship and all things needful about the tribe that was not represented there. 

Tribes generally had a color or two in combination of thickness in thier off duty garments. Brown representing the physical world: having energy and matter. Green the living world: the consumption of matter and energy to grow and change. Blue representing the inspirational world: the uncontainable drive to mix the green and brown. White for world order: the compulsion to break limits. Black the consuming world: the flow of all things to their natural end and ability to change it

Lilith was reassured that the men she had selected for them wanted them and would be good husbands to them for no less than 21 years exclusively. At the end of 21 years they could choose to keep the men they asked for, add another male or female to the marriage or leave with up to half of the children and the thanks of the Keeper for reinforcing the DNA of his people.

The standard 21 year marriage was established on the first ship to give children the most stable parentage. Seven years to procreate and raise the child to enter school well behaved and ready to learn. Seven years to reinforce the child’s inner goal to be useful to their self and those around them. Seven years to acclimate the child to their new position of adult help them become solid employees, build a dwelling and find a mate. They wanted people to focus on the needs of the ship before their self. A ship needs a crew.

"Practical" Lidia said out loud.

The Keeper hid his quick smile. The marriage classes were the most tedious thing he was ever asked to do. He looked at his friend who’s hungry eyes on his sworn mate. The Keeper looked at his friend’s betrothed then back at Lidia, his woman the two looked alike. Same tall thin bone structure as Lilith. They were dressed differently his in red and pink his friend’s in peach and orange. His wife to be was a born leader who would’ve, if he did not steal her away, lead the transplantation of third degree bio spheres. She requested a husband after the first stage was finished. She would train her successor during phase two and as she is replaced for a guilt free move to his side. The thought of having a wife started to sink in during the games. This was their first session moving from being married to being married to her. A living woman able to lead hundreds on a mission and look beautiful in red.

Lidia noticed the smile. That was the first indication she had that The Keeper was a man. He reacted to her. She waited for his eyes to turn back to her then took a long look starting with his shoes. They were dark blue slightly different from his form fitting uniform. He swallowed hard and her eyes jumped to his. They said in unison, "Our marriage is going to be fun!" The marriage tutorial had paused so the quartet could laugh. The laugh was a full 3 minuets. All of the nerves and stress that coiled around them melted away. The four sped though the rest of the sessions answering the questions from the program and then started asking questions of their own.

At the end of the program the wive’s ships detached from the home ship. Each woman piloted her ship reversing the steps they took to become one with their wedge and create a new world, echoing the emotions felt leaving their parents but it was different. As they moved toward their new life the knowledge that they were not joining a collection of people their age with the same goals and aspirations but a people old as their parents’ set in. Old is scary to most young people even when it is familiar. Going into something old and unfamiliar terrifies because there are social cues that aren’t listed anywhere that endear you. Picking on the new person is a universal past time perfected by each generation. Ask someone why forks are on right they have no satisfying answer.

For 21 years they will have the job of wife within the month they will begin their work as mothers. Making sure their body produces the best child possible from the DNA it is given. All children from that point on are "Voluntary" just like each moment spent with the spouse after the 21st anniversary. It is the contract "The Order". Every ship had a way of raising people to continue and improve. When you break it up into sets of years instead of a lifetime it isn’t bad. Most people stay with their first mate until death. A few take a second and soon regret leaving their first.

These wives asked for husbands thinking they would get the male version of their self. The men they would call husband were very different. Nothing matched. First ship protocol was highly technical and formal. Lilith’s ship protocol was evolving every day as they came across unestablished etiquette. Establishing order in a way that to the ship was the job of Lilith’s "Left Hand"