Disclaimer #1: See Part 1.

Part 3

Stephanie walked slowly toward the house on the hill, her strength sapped by the slightest physical exertion in the afternoon stillness and heat. Supposedly off duty today, she'd put in the extra hours that helped make up for Xandra's medical leave of absence. Between the pilot and several other senior officers, Xandra's place in the colonial government was secured until she gave birth and was able to return to work in her full capacity.

Approaching the peak of the slope, Stephanie stepped into the shade of the tall trees with a sigh of relief. Living in climate controlled, artificial environments all her life left her unprepared for the summer heat of Gaia. Pausing for a moment to catch her breath and wipe the sweat from her brow, she caught sight of her commander lying peacefully in her hammock. The large, fat tabby snuggled against her body had managed to find space next to Xandra's swelling belly and was sleeping peacefully with his front paws draped over the baby's nesting place.

Stephanie smiled and called softly to Xandra as she continued to approach. The commander had been quite testy lately and had made it clear that she didn't like anyone "sneaking up on her." Stephanie suspected this new sensitivity was a combination of her recent traumatic experience with DuMonte and her advancing pregnancy. She was secretly sorry for Brie, having to put up with Xandra's moodiness all the time. As she recalled, Brie had been one of the happiest, least emotionally volatile pregnant women she'd ever known. It didn't seem fair that the even-tempered doctor had to deal with Xandra's downright bitchiness, but Brie seemed to take it all in stride.

Xandra's eyes fluttered as she reluctantly awakened to the sound of her second's voice. Stretching her tall, now ungainly frame, she dislodged her sleeping companion who found himself unceremoniously dumped from the hammock onto the soft grass below. Meowing indignantly, he stretched himself and sauntered lazily onto the porch in search of food and water.

"Sorry Argo, I'm getting too big to sleep with." Xandra yawned wide and sat up, her gaze turning on the intruder who ruined their catnaps. "What brings you to visit in this ghastly heat?"

Stephanie relaxed a bit, trying to gauge Xandra's mood. "Well, I wanted to see how you were feeling after the council session this morning. I know you were uncomfortable about having to execute DuMonte…but I wanted you to now that I'd have done the same thing in your position."

Xandra sighed and leaned back as she answered. "Thanks, but you'll never really know what it felt like. I haven't even told Brie…I'm afraid to."

"You enjoyed it didn't you?" Stephanie paused, raising her hand against Xandra's defensiveness. "It's okay…I would have enjoyed it too. I wished I had killed the bastard in the shuttle bay, but there was no way I could get to him without endangering you and Sandy."

"It's not the same Steph…that would have been in battle, I killed him in cold-blood…and it gave me such pleasure, I can't even begin to describe it." Xandra's voice dropped to its lowest register as she continued. "I had a choice…he'd never have gotten out of the airlock. I chose to space him. I wanted to watch his face as he realized what was happening. I enjoyed watching him torn apart. I felt…pleasure. It's a side of me that I've never given into before, never really allowed myself to indulge. This time I just couldn't stop myself. He'd hurt so many people I love, I just wanted to hurt him back."

"Xan…I don't know what to say. I've never hated anyone that much, but I think if I did, I'd have enjoyed it too. I do know one thing…if he'd succeeded in killing you, he'd have killed our son and I think that justifies anything you did to him."

Xandra lowered her gaze uncomfortably. "Steph…I owe you an apology for that. I should have told you I was pregnant. But you know I had to go after Sandy no matter what the cost. You can't know what he would have done to her…I knew, and I couldn't let it happen."

"It's okay, I understand. I was mad at first that you'd put our child in danger, but then I looked at Sandy and I understood. I knew you'd manage to get away from him, I never doubted that. In a way, I'm glad I didn't know you were pregnant until it was all over. I'd have been chewing nails waiting. As it was, I had my hands full with the settlement and Brie. She was a whirlwind Xandra; planning, getting the council to revert to military government, setting up the caves for the pregnant mothers and the children. I figured she'd fall apart with you up there, but she surprised us all. She never lost hope…except maybe for a little while the night I brought Sandy home. But she pulled herself together and worked even harder. She's a very special lady."

"I know…I wish I knew what gods I pleased to deserve her." Xandra smiled, the tension visibly leaving her body as she spoke of her soulmate. " She's been so good to me and I've been such a bitch. I'm not doing well with this pregnancy thing. My hormones are going wild and they've definitely have taken control. I can stay away from most people, but she lives here and she's so patient with me."

"Yeah, well…my turn is coming up soon. I've managed to put them off until you are on your feet again, but then I have to do my civic duty and join the 'swelling' ranks of the pregnant." Stephanie grinned painfully at her play on words. "I hope I handle it like Brie, but I have the nastiest feeling that I'm going to follow in your footsteps instead. I just hope Penny can handle it. She's so very controlled…you know, a place for everything and everything in its place. If I start acting like a hormone-driven pregnant woman, she just might run for the hills."

Xandra chuckled at the thought of her quartermaster dealing with an over-emotional expectant mother. "Tell you what, if you start feeling too bitchy, I'll come over and you can yell at me instead."

The two women continued to chat easily as the day waned, each feeling more at ease than they had in weeks. Now more friends than commander and pilot, their shared experiences and the pending birth of their child provided a strong foundation for a relationship neither of them had enjoyed before. The face of Gaia was changing and her new inhabitants could not help but change with her.

Brie floated up from the deep well of unconsciousness, dampness on her pale cheeks reminding her of the pain she'd shared with her patient. Shifting uncomfortably under the weight on her chest, she realized that Arianna still lay snuggled against her breast, quietly sobbing. She raised her hand to stroke the young woman's impossibly soft hair with great care. For the Love of Gaia, I hope she survives. I've never felt so much pain in anyone…much less an empath. I don't think I could have lived through what she has. I wish DuMonte were still alive so I could kill him myself.

Surprised by the strength of her own hatred, Brie swallowed back her anger, afraid that the woman-child in her arms would sense her overwhelming emotion. Empaths, by nature, were averse to killing even the tiniest living thing. The doctor now realized that this must be an inbred quality designed to prevent them from using their mental powers for harm rather than good. She now knew in her heart that she could have ripped DuMonte apart from the inside without a second thought, and this was a very frightening possibility. I wonder if the geneticists know about that. With all this talk about breeding for psychic ability, they'd better be made aware of it fast.

She opened her eyes to find Sara watching the monitors intently. The medic's expression was intense and tears wet her smooth cheeks as they flowed freely from her dark expressive eyes.

"Sara…" Brie whispered quietly so as not to wake Arianna.

Sara turned to face her friend, her voice heavy with concern. "Brie, are you alright? I almost lost you both, I was so afraid."

"Yeah, I think so. I just want to go home and sleep. Can you stay with her? I think she'll come around soon and I don't want her left alone." Brie eased her body from underneath the young woman, sliding a pillow under her head as she slipped away.

Sara rushed to her side, helping her to her feet. "Of course, I can stay as long as she needs me. I'll just plan to sleep here tonight."

"Thanks Sara, somehow I think you are exactly what she needs." Brie stared intently into the dark woman's eyes, her words laced with hidden meaning. "I think you know what I mean."

"Yeah…I do." Sara smiled sadly. "I'll be here for her when she wakes…and as long as she needs me after that. No one else knows what I went through. You are the only one I trusted enough to tell. You've helped me heal my past and now it's my turn to help someone else."

Brie nodded knowingly and turned toward the door, exhaustion evident in every movement. Silently she slipped into the cool of the evening and headed for home, confident that her patient was in good hands. Who knows, she wondered as she labored up the hill homeward, maybe they can heal each other? Lord knows they both deserve it.

Sara watched her mentor as she trudged the path from the infirmary to her house on the hill, love and admiration filling her heart for this brilliant, caring woman who had helped her with her own inner demons. Turning back to the tortured young woman curled tightly against her pillow, Sara sighed. I hope I'm up to this. She's hurt every bit as much as I was and it's worse for an empath. Well, I can only try…

Xandra slept uneasily without her partner's warm body snuggled next to her. She was utterly exhausted from the ungodly heat of the day and the awkward weight of her swollen body. She ached from head to toe and her ankles were swelled so badly that she could no longer find any shoes that would fit her. The expression "barefoot and pregnant" had taken on a whole new meaning. She knew she was next to impossible to live with the last few weeks, but she was grateful that Brie put up with her. Fleetingly she wondered what was keeping her soulmate as her eyes slid shut once again.

Brie slipped quietly into their bedroom in an effort not to wake her sleeping soulmate. Xandra's soft snores caused her to smile. Xandra only snored when she slept on her back, something she had been forced to do now that her body was rounded with child. She hated everything about being pregnant and let everyone around her know it. Sleeping on her back was just one of the many indignities forced on her by her condition.

Brie was glad that it wouldn't last much longer. She was just about at the end of her patience, but Xandra didn't know that. Her partner was so wrapped up in her own discomfort that she hadn't noticed the dark circles under Brie's eyes. The doctor was also pulling extra hours to fill in with the gap left by Xandra's absence. That combined with extra work at home, caring for Sandy almost single-handedly and her own foolish decision to get pregnant again herself left Brie craving sleep with a vengeance.

Undressing in the dark, she was acutely aware of the changes taking place in her body. Her breasts were beginning to swell and she felt a slight roundness to her belly. Xandra had been so wrapped up in herself that she had yet to notice the changes in her partner's body. Brie hoped she could keep it her own secret until after Xandra gave birth. Her decision to take on Xandra's further reproductive responsibilities would be appreciated later, but now it would only irritate her soulmate.

Reluctantly she pulled a light sleep shirt over her head. She would have preferred to sleep nude in the heat of summer, but she was trying to hide her condition from Xandra. As she stretched out on her side of the bed, Xandra rolled toward her and pulled Brie into the circle of her arms. Brie felt the baby move restlessly and Xandra murmured sleepily in her ear. "I love you."

Brie smiled as she thought of the two tiny beings growing under her own heart. Twins…partly hers and partly Xandra's. Brushing her lips softly against Xandra's cheek, she whispered back. "I love you too."

Smiling contentedly, both expectant mothers snuggled sleepily, each comforted by the presence of the other.

Late fall

Sara found herself presiding over the tribunal council session. With Xandra and Brie abstaining from participation except as witnesses for the accused, she had been selected by default and, although she too planned to abstain, she would vote in case of a tie. She had become close with the young empath facing charges over the last few months and found that she could no longer remain impartial.

Today's tribunal was the first in a series of planned proceedings to determine the fate of the sleepers. After the latest debacle with DuMonte, the colonists realized that they could no longer depend on cryo technology to defer their decisions. Even Brie's ecological issues had been set aside, although temporarily, so that the council could focus on the fate of the pirates.

Sara cleared her throat as she rose from her seat, the room suddenly silent awaiting her words. "Citizens, we are here today to hear the case of Arianna DuMonte, accused of space piracy and kidnapping. We have all read the charges against the accused. Who will speak in her defense?"

Xandra rose awkwardly from her seat and stepped forward. Turning to face the council chamber, she spoke. "I will speak in her defense, as will others after me."

Sara smiled as she stepped around the table offering Xandra a seat. "I think we can dispense with formalities in light of your condition, Councilperson. Besides, you have always been just as effective seated as you are on your feet."

Only weeks from her due date, Xandra gratefully eased her heavy frame into the offered chair and murmured her thanks. Gathering her thoughts, she raised her eyes to gaze at the council-members seated across from her, making eye contact with each one before proceeding.

"I have known Arianna since she was a small child. I served for a number of years under the command of her father, Aaron DuMonte and during that time, I became close with Arianna. I'd always suspected that DuMonte regularly abused his wife Carla, but he was a clever man and never allowed any outward signs of his actions. Carla was quiet and had been under psychiatric treatment since adolescence. At the time, psychic talents were rare and often went misdiagnosed as mental illness. Carla was probably an empath, like her daughter, but was never tested. First her parents, then her husband had her treated for mental instability instead.

While serving with DuMonte, I discovered that he was involved in illegal operations for his own private gain. He had repeatedly used agency resources for his own purposes and the government suffered great losses as a result. Feeling it my sworn duty to expose his activities, I went to our superiors and divulged what I knew. We then proceeded to set a trap for him. Caught in the web of his overwhelming greed, he took the bait and confirmed all suspicions. He was court-marshaled, convicted and sentenced to exile outside the bio-domes."

Xandra paused as Brie came forward to offer her a drink of water. Swallowing almost the entire glass in one gulp, she handed the glass back to Brie with a smile "Thanks."

Clearing her throat she began again. "After his conviction, DuMonte prepared to take his family into exile with him. I heard he was headed for an outlaw compound in the Rockies. Despite her requests for assistance from her family, Carla got no help and without some powerful intervention, she and her daughter would be forced to leave the safety of the bio-domes with her husband. Apparently unable to face living with DuMonte away from the relative safety of polite society, Carla committed suicide the night before they were to leave the city.

I knew then that Arianna was in danger and I worked as quickly as possible, but he left before I could intercede with the authorities for custody of Arianna. They granted me custody, but it came too late to keep him from taking her away."

Arianna sat spellbound by the story she had never heard before. Her eyes were locked onto Xandra's crystal blue gaze as her breath caught in her throat. She sat anxiously waiting to hear the rest of Xandra's explanation.

Staring back into Arianna's sad violet eyes, Xandra continued. "I followed them halfway around the world. Every time I almost caught up with him, DuMonte would slither away to a new retreat, taking the child with him. Once I almost had them in Marrakech, but he held a knife to her throat as she slept and told me to get out or he'd kill her on the spot. I knew he would do it so I was forced to let them go again.

I knew he was probably hurting her, but I had no idea how badly. She was just a child and I had no conception that he was as warped and evil as he really was. The last time I faced him in Hong Kong, he told me that if I kept chasing them, he'd kill her. He was tired of running and knew that threatening to murder her was the only was to stop me. I tried to justify my compliance by telling myself that I was saving her life. That may have been part of it, but after three years of chasing them around the world, I was just plain tired.

It was about that time that I got the news that my brother, Louis, was dying of the AIDS virus. I wanted to go home and care for him, be with him during his last few months of life. After he died, I immersed myself in the Amphipolis project and thoughts of Arianna rarely broke my concentration."

Pausing as she neared the end of her testimony, she drew a breath and stared directly into Arianna's eyes as she spoke. "She was abused beyond all imagination. She never knew that I followed just two steps behind, never quite able to touch her, to bring her home. She thought I abandoned her, that I broke my promise to rescue her. That would make any child learn to hate. She hated me, that's why she joined the pirates. Ari only wanted revenge on me, not all of you. In her mind, she had every right to hate me. In my mind I hated me too for giving up, for growing tired of the hunt, for going home to heal my wounds while she still suffered. Without her help, DuMonte would have tortured Sandy and probably killed me. She has already been punished enough and she's earned redemption by her recent actions."

As Xandra rose from her seat facing the council and stepped back to take her place next to Brie, Arianna's gaze never left her face. Tears sparkled in her eyes as, for the first time in her adult life, she realized that she had been loved. She deeply regretted harming Xandra and her family and would placidly face any penalty the council imposed on her.

The next witness for Arianna's defense surprised everyone. From a doorway in the back of the room, Sandra Lawless-O'Conner stepped forward to face the council. For a child of four years, she walked with confidence often not found in those ten times her age. She was every bit her mothers' daughter and both women watched proudly as the little girl hopped up into the seat Xandra had just vacated, her feet not even touching the floor.

"I like Ari." The child began, swinging her legs as she spoke. "She saved me from the bad man. She was real scared, I could feel it, but she took care of me anyway. He wanted to hurt me and I was really scared too, but she locked him in a room and hid me until Mama could get there and save me. Please don't hurt her, I want her to come and live with us."

With that, the little girl hopped down from her seat and took Karyn Rose's outstretched hand. Indulgent smiles and one tear-filled violet gaze followed the precocious child as Karyn led her from the room. Her testimony, although brief, had a powerful effect on the council. Sandy's simple words and her honest evaluation of Arianna's emotions spoke volumes to those faced with deciding her fate.

Although Sandy's testimony had been short, Xandra had addressed the council for nearly two hours and Sara thought it good time to take a break. Art Hill came forward to escort Arianna to a private room to refresh herself and try to eat something before once again facing the council. The session was adjourned for lunch and Xandra wearily rose from her chair, hands rubbing her sore back as she and Brie walked slowly toward the settlement's common kitchen to eat. Xandra's appetite had outmatched even Brie's legendary love for food in the last few weeks and after the stress of the morning session she was starving. Brie, on the other hand, couldn't eat a thing, knowing she was to testify next.

Two hours later Brie nervously faced the council. She was a bit intimidated by the prospect of giving testimony for one of her patients. Revealing the kind of information she was about to relate to the council would, in most cases, be a violation of patient-doctor confidentiality. However, in order to help her case as much as possible, Arianna had agreed to allow Brie to divulge personal information she had obtained in the process of empathically treating her. Just how much she said was left up to Brie.

"I was responsible for treating Dr. DuMonte first on the Artemis, then here on Gaia. When I first examined her, her primary injury was a near-fatal disrupter wound to the lower chest, involving her right lung. Upon closer examination I noted the presence of a tremendous amount of scar tissue on various parts of her body. Dr. DuMonte's back, buttocks and thighs are covered with a thick layer of severely damaged flesh. The location and the nature of the scar tissue are indicative of physical abuse over long periods of time. Although healed now, it is obvious that Dr. DuMonte endured many years of painful torture. Additionally, I found evidence of severe burns in various locations of the body, some too unbelievable to mention. Finally, after a complete physical evaluation, it was discovered that Dr. DuMonte has been rendered incapable of bearing children."

Brie paused in her evaluation as her audience squirmed uncomfortably in their seats, faced with irrefutable evidence of Arianna's miserable childhood.

Swallowing hard, she continued with what, for her, was the hardest part of her evaluation. "When Dr. DuMonte failed to respond to usual treatments, I empathically entered her mind in an attempt to bring her out of a four month coma. These methods are usually dangerous and only used as a last effort to save a patient. Psychological melding is not part of physical empathic healing and can cause irreparable damage to both patient and doctor if something goes wrong."

Brie's voice faded to a near whisper, her eyes glazed in painful remembrance. "The things I saw in her mind were beyond anything I've encountered in all my years of training and practice. I cannot even repeat most of it here. I have submitted my logs for the council's review, but even the nature of my reports cannot convey the level of pain I found in the deepest recesses of this woman's mind. As an empath herself, the things Dr. DuMonte was subjected to would have killed a weaker person. The fact that she matured into a productive member of society is nothing short of miraculous."

She paused, rubbing her aching temples as she recalled her experience in Arianna's mind. "I discovered something about myself during this process. Something that scares me and at the same time illustrates what a good-hearted woman the doctor is. I found a hatred in me that I didn't know was possible. I wanted to hurt the man who had damaged this precious child. And all at once I knew I could do it from within. I never before contemplated the powers of an empath with a desire for revenge, but I can tell you now that it would be a horrible way to go. For a few brief moments I wanted to cause Aaron DuMonte to writhe and burn in a hell of my making. If he'd been alive, I don't know if I could have stopped myself.

Arianna treated DuMonte for cryo-sickness just days before Sandy was kidnapped. Knowing what I know now, I don't know how she resisted killing him herself. I don't think I could have been so charitable. She is obviously a profoundly compassionate healer and, with additional psychological treatment, she could be a tremendous asset to the colony. Her inability to bear children will not prevent her from contributing to the gene pool and her empathic talents would be very valuable both as a working member of the population and in adding dimension to the genetic diversity of future generations."

Xandra was stunned by her soulmate's confession of hatred towards DuMonte. She didn't know that Brie was capable of wanting to hurt anyone, but she suddenly found her own hate-driven actions more understandable, if not acceptable. Gently she took Brie's hand as the doctor settled in her seat and dropped her gaze, silently waiting for the accused to take her place before the council.

Dark circles showed beneath pain-filled eyes, set above sunken cheeks as Arianna faced the council. The last few months had been hell as she continued to work with Brie and Sara as both counselors and friends. Her fear of what the council would do to her overshadowed her recovery, effecting both her appetite and her ability to sleep.

"I freely admit to both charges against me. I am ashamed to admit that I did these things. My actions nearly caused the deaths of Xandra and her daughter and yet they both come here to speak for me. Dr. O'Conner healed me in spite of my actions against her partner and daughter. Most important, today I finally know that Xandra didn't abandon me…that she tried to help me. That means more to me than anything else. For the first time in my life I have friends and that feels very good.

Whether you terminate my life or allow me to become a member of the settlement, I want you to know that I will accept my fate with a whole heart for the first time since my mother died. But I ask you to consider the words of my friends and allow me to have a chance at a normal life. If you do, I promise that you will never regret it."

Arianna's passionate words echoed in the silent council chamber. After several long moments, Sara rose and announced the end of the proceedings. "This council session is adjourned. The council will retire to consider testimony and render judgement."

The council debated long into the night. Coming to a decision regarding Arianna had taken little discussion and even less time, but there were other, related issues that needed to be dealt with and one topic lead them effortless to the next. Sara was tired and growing bored as they considered how to handle the remainder of the sleepers.

Rubbing her burning eyes, she tried to pay attention to what Karyn Rose was saying. "I know you don't want to face it, but some of them won't want to be part of our community. Worse than that, there are some of them that we won't want here either. We can't give them a ship and let them go their merry way. They know our coordinates and one of them is bound to come back to take what we've worked so hard for. None of us wants to execute them. So what are the alternatives?"

Xandra had been listening to the entire discussion with a pensive expression. All they've been able to agree on is what not to do. Shifting in her seat, she wondered what it would be like to be comfortable, even for just a few moments. It felt like she had been pregnant forever. As the weeks passed, she was increasingly aware of the pain in her lower back. Her legs ached constantly and her breasts felt heavy and sore. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get these people focused so you can go home and lay down.

Just as Xandra was about to intervene, Brie rose from her seat and addressed the council. "I have an idea, and while it might not be the best solution, I think its one we can all live with."

She paused for effect, waiting until she was sure she had their undivided attention. "We could transport them to another continent on Gaia. Maybe provide some basic supplies and equipment…nothing we couldn't make do without. Let them set up their own settlement or kill each other off, it would be up to them.

Now before you dismiss the idea as too lenient or dangerous to future generations, take a minute to consider 'penal colonies' in Earth history. Australia, for example, began as a penal colony. Over time, it became one of the great nations of Earth. Exile is not a new idea. Societies have been exiling their criminals since the beginning of time. It is a rather benevolent way of dealing with wrongdoers, while protecting the general population. Remember, this isn't like exiling someone to live…or die…outside the bio-domes. If they work hard and cooperate, they can survive…even prosper.

We can chose a location as far from here as possible, but one that will enable them to make a future for themselves without undue hardship. Without modern technology they won't be able to return and cause trouble. As long as our ships and communications equipment remain in tact, we can even monitor their progress and intervene with another solution if this one fails."

Brie's suggestion instantly became the subject of another round of intense discussion. This time though, the council members were working out the details of what they could do.

Unable to endure the uncomfortable chair any longer, Xandra rose and moved silently toward the door. Brie watched her soulmate leave, glad that she had finally decided to go home and get some rest. The doctor's trained eyes studied the position of the child Xandra was carrying and she could have sworn that her partner's burden was sitting lower than it had been the day before. She's closer than we thought. It shouldn't be too long now. I just hope it isn't too hard on her. After all she's been through, the possibilities for complications are endless.

Brie edged her way to the door, following her soulmate into the cold night air. As tired as the doctor was, she knew Xandra must be completely exhausted. Smiling to herself, she picked up her pace in an effort to catch her long-legged partner. Even as large as Xandra had become over the past few weeks, Brie had trouble keeping up with her when she was in a hurry.

"Hey there," she called to her lover. "Wait for me."

Xandra paused and turned to watch Brie hurry toward her. Wrapping her arm around her partner, she leaned down to brush her lips against Brie's inviting mouth. Smiling, the two women turned toward home and the promise of a warm bed and a good night's sleep.

Arianna, on the other hand, found sleep impossible. Tonight, she was alone for the first time since awakening from the coma. Sara had stayed with her the entire time she was in the infirmary. When she was well enough to move to regular quarters, there had been a bit of a dilemma over where to house her. Sara had solved that easily by inviting her to stay in the medic's quarters. Although not overly large, Sara's home was spacious enough to allow the two women to live comfortably together. Hard as it was to admit, even to herself, she found quiet pleasure in the sensitive woman's company.

Missing Sara's comforting presence, she allowed her mind to wonder. No matter how she tried, her thoughts repeatedly returned to the revelations of the day. Closing her eyes, she played Xandra's words over in her mind. She'd meant what she had said to the council…it didn't matter what they did to her. The gift she'd been given today could never be taken away from her. Knowing that Xandra had worked so hard to free her from her father went a long way toward healing her battered soul.

Sandy's testimony had been a big surprise too. In the simple words of a child, she had been made to look more the hero than the villain. She had been stunned to learn that the young girl was not only an empath, but that she had been powerful enough to sense emotions and understand them at such a tender age. Thinking back on it, she realized that she had not developed those abilities until adolescence.

Brie's testimony, however, had been the strangest of all. Clinical at the onset, the doctor had moved from just reporting the facts, to using those facts to illustrate all the reasons Arianna should be allowed to join the colony. She had even revealed a dark side to her own soul that had stunned Ari. For the first time, Arianna considered the real reasons she hadn't wanted to attempt empathic healing with her father. She realized that, once in his mind, the temptation to destroy him slowly and painfully would have been too much to resist.

A million random thoughts spun around in her mind as exhaustion slowly won out over worry. When Sara returned, hours later, the young empath was softly snoring.

Bright sunlight flooded the council chamber as a crisp autumn breeze wafted through the open doorway. Most of the council members were already seated when Art led Arianna to her place at the front of the room and took his own seat. Many people had crowded into the large room to hear the council's decision. Sara smiled reassuringly at her new friend before rising to face the gathered citizens.

"After hearing from some of our most respected citizens and many hours of deliberation, we have made our decision. We have no president for judging another human being, and agreed that we didn't want to emulate the patrician methods practiced on Earth. The informal way we have chosen to communicate our findings in no way diminishes their importance."

Turning her gaze on the young doctor, Sara continued speaking. "Arianna DuMonte, we have heard your story and wonder if any of us would have done as well in your position. You have endured great hardship and survived a horrifying childhood to grow into the fine young woman who sits among us today. A woman, who in spite of her fears, was willing to sacrifice her life to save Xandra and Sandy. Arianna, we invite you to join us, to become a part of our life on Gaia. We would all benefit from the addition of your skills to our settlement and wisdom to our future."

Eyes shinning with unshed tears, Arianna could only nod her acceptance as she whispered her thanks. Overwhelmed by a myriad of emotion, she lowered her head, only vaguely aware that Sara was explaining how the council would handle the rest of the pirates. For Arianna, there was only happiness and relief, profound gratitude and a sense of belonging. She promised herself in that moment that she would work hard -- to become a valuable member of this community and a valued friend to these people who had accepted and welcomed her.

Xandra forced herself to fully awaken and struggled to raise her body from their bed. Brie had awakened earlier to put in a few hours in at the infirmary before joining her partner later in the day. Despite her overwhelming exhaustion and the nagging pains in her lower back, she was determined to get up and get dressed. This morning her favorite hawk was to be released and she needed to be there to say good-bye…to watch as he spread his wings and rose from her fist one last time.

Very few things caused Xandra to feel strong emotion. Her love for Brie and Sandy could bring tears of wonder to her eyes, but something about watching another wild thing gain it's freedom spoke to her soul. It was almost as if she were being set free with them. Of course, everything about her life on Gaia was freedom itself. Perhaps this joy she felt was in her ability to share this wonderful feeling with the creatures in her care.

As she dressed silently, she recalled the events of the last few days. She'd spent quite a bit of time with Arianna and had been able to let go of much of her guilt. Their quiet talks seemed to help the other woman as well. Xandra was delighted by the way her fellow colonists were welcoming Ari to their group. People were warm and friendly, helping the young doctor to forget that she had once been counted among their enemies.

Xandra caught her breath as a wave of pain rippled across her back and around her belly. Brief, but powerful, it left her nearly doubled over. Regaining her control, she straightened and rubbed her aching back. She'd had these cramps several times in the last week. After the first one, she had hoped that she was in labor and that it would soon be over, but each time she was disappointed.

Her mind still occupied with Arianna, she slowly made her way toward the mews. She had been delighted to see Ari smile and hoped laughter too would soon be in her grasp. The satisfied expression of the young doctor engrossed in her work reminded Xandra of herself at the same age. But she was most surprised by the relationship developing between Arianna and Sara. Oh, there was nothing obvious, but the soul-full gazes and the soft lingering touches did not escape Xandra's acute powers of observation.

Sighing with frustration as she struggled up the small incline to the aviary, Xandra wondered if this baby would ever come. Maybe today's hiking excursion would hasten her delivery. She could only hope.

Entering the clearing that housed the raptor compound, Xandra was once again stunned by the beauty of her surroundings. It seemed that the longer she lived on this gloriously untouched planet, the greater her need to experience its wild beauty. The brightly focused sunlight of a late autumn morning cast deep shadows across the clearing, causing the dappled rays to alternately illuminate the brightly colored leaves of the trees surrounding them. The brilliant carpet of fallen leaves below reflected the reds, golds and oranges above. Xandra listened intently as the rustle of wind in the trees played counterpoint to the crunching of leaves beneath her feet.

Art had arrived a bit earlier and had made all the necessary preparations for the day's excursion. Since her injury, Art had taken over most of her work with the birds and with her patient instruction, was now a reasonably proficient falconer. Although he was fully capable of releasing the hawk without her supervision, Xandra wanted to be present to release this one.

"Morning Xandra, how are you feeling?" Art asked as his concerned gaze swept over her disproportionate figure.

"I feel like a whale on land and I'm moving with about as much grace." She ran her hands over the aching spot in her lower back as she spoke. "Got everything ready?" she asked. The stocky man nodded as she continued. "You'll have to get him out of the mews, I'm afraid I can't fit through the door." She smiled ruefully as she glanced down at her protruding belly.

On the workbench at the center of the clearing lay her glove, the hood and the special jesses she had fashioned recently in her many free hours. These jesses were different from the ones they normally used. Because this hawk would be released when they reached their destination, his ankle straps had been removed the night before. The new jesses were made of a very soft leather and would, with a series of twists, encircle the hawks legs in place of the straps. She would remove these jesses just before release, leaving the hawk unencumbered on his last flight to freedom.

The hood was necessary to blind him, keeping him calm during the long walk to the release location. Normally, she could have controlled him without the use of a hood, but her pregnancy had left her somewhat imbalanced. He was very strong and she didn't want to take a chance on him baiting from her fist in his excitement and knocking her down.

As the two worked to complete their preparations, they discussed the provisions Art had made to ensure that the hawk would not starve as he learned to make his own way. They would not normally have released the animal this late in the year, with winter threatening, but they hoped he would find and mate with the female red tail they had released earlier in the summer.

Brie jogged breathlessly into the clearing just as they were about to leave. "Thank goodness I got here in time. I wanted to go with you but I thought I'd never get away. It seems that half of the women in the settlement are going into labor this morning."

Everyone but me, Xandra thought with a weary sigh. "Let's go then."

Art nodded and grabbed the newly made jesses as he turned to enter the mews that housed the red tail hawk Xandra had aptly named Hercules. After a few minutes, he emerged with the magnificent creature resting comfortably on his fist. Xandra stepped in closely behind him and raised her gloved hand to press gently against the back of the hawks legs, encouraging him to step up and back onto her own fist.

Hercules keened a low greeting to the woman who had raised him. Smiling, she answered with low, soothing sounds from the back of her throat. Raising her free hand over his head, she lowered the hood to rest over his eyes and, grabbing the free end of the drawstring between her teeth, she tugged gently, tightening the device securely, but comfortably over his head.

Brie fell into step with Xandra as they began their short hike to the release area. Xandra walked slowly, the weight of the hawk on her fist straining the recently unused muscles in her left arm. She was determined that regardless of the discomfort, she would carry her friend to his new home in the wilds of Gaia. Enjoying the quiet of the forest, the three walked in companionable silence.

The few short miles to their destination went more slowly than usual as Brie and Art kept pace with Xandra's long but carefully placed steps. In her overburdened state, the usually powerful woman struggled up and down the slight inclines of the wooded path. The ache in her lower back had grown worse over the last few hours until she was now in almost constant pain. Her companions attributed her silence to the pending loss of her beloved Hercules, when in fact, she would revel in this triumph.

Arriving in another clearing in the depths of the forest, Xandra scanned the area with her sharp gaze. The faint sounds of abundant wildlife all around them insured that this would be a good place for her friend to begin his life as a free creature. In this same spot several months ago, they had released Demeter, the female red tail Xandra hoped would eventually mate with Hercules. These two had been her finest rehabilitation efforts to date. They had been monitoring Demeter's movements through an electronic implant over the last few months and knew that she still frequented this area as part of her hunting grounds.

She paused to catch her breath as Brie looked on, concern evident in her emerald eyes. Gathering her remaining strength, Xandra straightened and deftly removed the hood and jesses from the sleek raptor. Speaking softly to the hawk as she worked, Xandra bade a fond farewell to her friend. Handing the falconry equipment to Art, who neatly tucked everything into a pouch at his waist, she mentally prepared for the final release.

Raising her arm high above her head, Xandra keened sharply to Hercules and lifted her fist in a sharp movement as the hawk spread his magnificent wings and rose effortlessly into the air. As they watched, Hercules flapped his elegant wings a few times, then riding the thermal air currents, began to soar high above them. Xandra's eyes clouded with emotion as she watched this remarkable creature glide effortlessly beyond her range of sight.

Farewell my friend she thought as the stared into the empty sky, I will miss you.

Sliding the glove from her hand, she move to tuck it in its place at her waist, then stopped, remembering that, presently, she had no waist. Handing the glove to Art with a wry grin, she said, "Here, you carry this. I don't seem to have a place to put it at the moment."

As they turned to leave the clearing, Xandra's expression was an odd mixture of joy, sadness and the utter exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm her. Leaning heavily on her soulmate as they walked, her pace was even slower than before. The pain in her back had migrated and was now tightening the muscles in her belly with each new spasm. Still she was able to control her expression so that Brie believed that she was simply tired from the strenuous hike.

Only a short distance from the settlement, Xandra's control slipped when a particularly brutal pain struck and she gasped loudly. A warm wetness flowed down her legs, soaking both her tunic and the ground below her. Brie, now aware that Xandra's labor had begun, supported her lover as the pain subsided.

"Umm…Xandra? I think your water just broke. Can you make it to the infirmary or should I get someone to help us carry you?"

Laughing harshly in her discomfort, Xandra responded. "I'd better be able to make it. I don't think anyone can lift me as big as I've gotten."

Brie was getting worried. Now nearly midnight, Xandra had been laboring since sometime that morning. She was completely exhausted, had no reserves left to draw upon and still the child did not come. Her water had broken over twelve hours ago and with each passing hour, it was certain that the delivery would be a rough one.

The doctor sat quietly by Xandra's side, holding her limp hand, waiting for the next wave of agony to engulf her soulmate. The contractions were only seconds apart now, leaving Xandra little time to rest in between and yet she was still not fully dilated. Something was very wrong.

Unable to determine the source of the problem through traditional methods, Brie was preparing to assist her partner empathically. Regardless of Xandra's expressed reluctance to accept Brie's help in this form, it had become necessary. At this point, Brie was not sure that she could save Xandra, let alone the baby. She had few choices left. The practice of delivering a child by Caesarian section had been abandoned in the early 21st century, except in extreme cases, since medical researchers discovered that any surgical procedure encouraged the growth of malignant cancer cells. However, at this point, Brie was considering even that as an alternative to losing Xandra completely.

Sara and Arianna had been with her almost constantly since she and Xandra had first stumbled into the infirmary. Most of the other women who had gone into labor that morning had been delivered hours ago, only Xandra remained. The medical teams were exhausted and there had been some muttering among them about making sure that so many women weren't inseminated so close together again. There simply weren't enough beds in the infirmary and enough hands on the medical teams to handle the onslaught.

Xandra's eyes fluttered as the next contraction took hold and tore through her without mercy. Jaw clenched against the pain, she grasped Brie's hand so hard the doctor thought her partner would snap the delicate bones in her fingers. Panting hard, Xandra tried to resist the urge to push, knowing she would rip herself apart unless the birth canal was dilated adequately. The seconds passed slowly as Brie watched her soulmate's face contorted in pain.

Unable to watch helplessly any longer, Brie held on until the contraction eased. She wiped Xandra's face gently with a cool cloth and kissed her tenderly. "Hang on Love, I'm gonna help you." She spoke soothingly to the exhausted woman. "Just let me get set up for Ari to monitor me."

"No, " Xandra murmured horsely. " I don't want you to risk it. It's too dangerous."

"It'll be fine, at least now we have another empath to do the monitoring and that makes it much safer. Now let me go get ready before you have another contraction, okay?"

"I guess I don't really have a choice do I?" Xandra muttered in disgust. "You're gonna do it even if I say no, aren't you."

"Yeah, I am…and you're not in any position to argue with me either," she responded angrily. "I'm not gonna let your stubbornness keep me from saving your life." Fear of losing Xandra fueled her determination as she tugged her hand free from her partner's grasp and turned to Arianna, allowing the young woman to attach the electronic sensors to her pressure points.

Ari's hands fairly shook with nervousness as she made the final adjustments to the monitoring equipment. Brie laid a soothing hand on her arm and smiled gently as she attempted to calm the younger doctor. Arianna raised frightened eyes to meet Brie's gaze and stammered, "I haven't done this in a long time, and only in medical school…never for real."

"Don't worry," the older woman replied reassuringly. "You'll do fine. Just keep your eyes on the monitor and feel my body's reactions. If my heart rate drops too low, you know what to do. Otherwise, you're just along for the ride."

"I know," Arianna answered, tears glittering in her fear-darkened eyes. "But I'm so scared of losing her when I've just found her again. And you, I could lose you too." The young woman's shoulders began to shake as she tried unsuccessfully to control her tears.

Brie looked questioningly at the other empath. "Come on Ari, get hold of yourself, I need you. I could do this without you, I've done it before, but I'd feel safer with an empath watching the monitor."

Arianna sniffed dramatically and squared her shoulders. "I can do this. I would do anything to help her - and you. You're my family." Lowering her voice to nearly a whisper, she continued. "I love you."

A tortured scream tore from Xandra's throat as another brutal contraction seized her in its relentless grip. Sara rushed to the laboring woman's side as she spoke frantically to the two doctors. "Would you two save the sensitive chat 'til later? I think she's hemorrhaging again and she can't afford to lose any more blood."

"Alright, I'm ready." Brie announced, looking at Arianna for confirmation.

Ari's face lost all evidence of emotion as her cool features settled into a professional mask. "I'm ready too. Go ahead Doctor."

Breathing deeply, Brie laid gentle hands against Xandra's distended belly. She could feel the erratic twitching of muscles beneath her touch. Closing her eyes, her mind gently probed her patient's before plunging through Xandra's natural mental barrier and stretching her psyche to reach deeply inside.

The first thing she felt was the steady heartbeat of the infant within. Thank all the Gods there are he's okay. Spending a few precious moments soothing the child with loving thoughts, Brie met her son for the first time. The colors in his mind were bright and clear, his soul a beautiful shade of forest green. He welcomed her touch with delight and urged her to stay and play with him. She was honestly tempted but needed to pull away from him in order to help his mother. Their tentative bond allowed her to explain it all with a feeling of urgency and the tiny mind released hers instantly.

She felt regret as the exquisite feeling of pure love was abruptly withdrawn from her. I have to save them both…this is a very special child. He will teach us to love and forgive. Urgently, she probed Xandra's uterus and cervix for the source of the problem. Again and again, she examined every muscle and nerve ending until she located the problem. The nerves that signaled the cervix to dilate in response to the uterine contractions were severely damage and firing only intermittently. Without these signals, Xandra's cervix would remain stubbornly closed against the powerful contractions racking her weakened body.

This I can fix! the young doctor thought with relief. I just need to… The thought faded as her mind spun abruptly out of control and she fell through time into a dreamscape much like the one she's shared with Xandra once before.

Confused, Brie looked around her to see the familiar form of her lover, dressed in leathers and armor. She was seated on a boulder, her eyes fastened on the boy seated on the ground at her feet. The woman raised her eyes to Brie as the doctor approached. Smiling, the dark woman spoke aloud. "Solon, she's come."

The boy turned and smiled at her. "I know Mother, I felt her too. She's very worried about us."

"I know son, but it was the only way we could get her here and she has to know. She has to remember because you are too young and will forget as you grow up. And me? I'll forget because that's just who I am, the eternal skeptic. It's only here, in this place that I recognize who we are."

"Xandra?…Xena?"

"Yes, Gabrielle, its me. We've been waiting for you. What took you so long?" Xena responded with an indulgent smile.

"Solon? Is it really you?" Brie-Gabrielle felt the memories flood her consciousness. With lightening speed she remembered meeting the child for the first time in an ancient centaur village. How brave he was then, risking his young life to battle the warlord threatening the only home he had known. With a stab of pain, she remembered watching as Xena held his lifeless body in her arms as she sobbed her grief. How could she ever have forgotten the anger in Xena's voice as she blamed Gabrielle for his death? And what followed…what followed was the worst nightmare she'd ever experienced. Worse even that the ill-fated pregnancy that produced the demon child who had killed Solon.

In an instant, Brie saw who she had been in that life and how much they had lost by their inability to trust. She also realized that this was the first time since that ill-fated lifetime that all three would be together again as a family. This was their chance to heal the past.

"Why Solon? Why did you need to risk your lives to make me aware?" Brie asked urgently.

"Because one of us has to remember or it will happen all over again." The boy paused, struggling for the right words to explain their karmic obligation. "It wouldn't be just like the past…I mean, Hope won't be here or anything. She's truly gone. Her time passed with Dahok's power. But something just as bad could happen unless we remember to stay close and love each other."

Considering his words, Brie slowly nodded with dawning understanding. "Okay, so it's my job to remember. Just how do I do that? The last time we were in this place I couldn't remember a thing when I woke up."

Xena smiled gently and reached for her hand. "Touch me Gabrielle. Touch my mind and remember everything."

Shyly, Brie extended her hand. The instant the two touched, she was engulfed with memories of a lifetime together - many lifetimes. In each one the two women were partners. Sometimes merely as friends and other time as lovers, they were always soulmates. Nothing could keep them apart, even the loss of a beloved child.

In what seemed like minutes, she had collected enough emotion to short circuit the mind of someone untrained in the psychic arts. She understood that she alone could carry these memories into the future. In the dreamscape, they were all equally powerful, but in the real world, she was the only one capable of guarding the future from the past. This was their second chance and she was determined not to lose it.

Pulling away, she swallowed hard, struggling for control, she smiled grimly. "Okay, I think I've got it. Now you'd better get born or you'll kill your mother before we've even begun."

Instantly, Brie was pulled away from the dreamscape, the image of Xena and the boy fading into obscurity. She found herself once more attending the damaged nerves of her partner's cervix. Emulating the electrical signals that she knew would cause her partner to finally dilate, she stayed with it through several contractions until the infant's shoulders cleared the birth canal.

Assured that her partner was out of immediate danger, she withdrew from her mind and fell forward against Xandra's shoulder. Breathing deeply and slowly, she felt the last contraction sweep over her partners body and heard the sharp cries of the infant as he burst forth from his mother's body.

Just before she lost consciousness, Brie whispered, "Welcome home Solon."

Xandra rested comfortably in a recliner-like chair as the tiny infant in her arms locked his fingers around a hand full of hair and tugged on her long dark locks. Wincing as he tried to force his fist into his mouth, she gently loosened his grasp and flipped her hair back over her shoulders, conveniently out of his reach.

He gurgled happily, as Stephanie looked on, mesmerized. "He's laughing Xandra," the stunned pilot exclaimed.

Xandra's rich laughter rumbled through her chest, delighting the infant in her arms. "Nah, its just gas. They don't start laughing for a few months. But he does look real cute, doesn't he."

"Yeah," she sighed. "He's just perfect. I never thought I'd feel so…so attached to him. I guess it really is instinctual, huh?" Stephanie gazed adoringly at the grinning baby as she spoke.

Xandra laughed again, shaking her head as she answered. "Yeah, it must be. A tough old soldier like me turning soft over a little thing like him? It has to be instinct." Pausing for a moment, Xandra lifted her eyes to meet Stephanie's darker gaze. "Thanks, by the way."

"For what?" the muscular blonde asked.

"For agreeing to name him Bret. You could have insisted on a family name or something. It was really important to me that one of his names be part of Brie's."

"Bret Hunter-Lawless. It fits him."

Stephanie smiled as she watched her son rooting against Xandra's breast, a sure sign his ravenous appetite was awakening. Rising from her seat, she reached out to stroke the downy soft hair on his head. "Well, I guess I'd better get back to work. Someone has to keep things going while you lay around up here being waited on hand and foot. Enjoy it while it lasts, Xandra. With Brie pregnant again, you'll be the one working over time and waiting on her before long."

Both women laughed in delight as Brie's rounded figure appeared in the doorway, scowling at their visitor. "You just wait Stephanie Hunter, your time's coming. I hear you're scheduled in the next group." Her gaze softened as she turned to her soulmate. "And you need to feed Bret and then get some rest. You lost a lot of blood and you need to rebuild your strength."

Ushering the blonde woman from the room, Brie returned to settle her growing bulk next to her partner, smiling indulgently as she watched the impatient infant greedily suckling Xandra's breast. Leaning her head on Xandra's shoulder, Brie smiled and closed her eyes. She did remember…everything. And with that knowledge, came the assurance that everything would turn out right - this time.