"Hey, Leut. Rise and shine. We've got a meeting to attend," Commander Montran's voice called.

The dream was interesting and really odd, so Vanster did not mind the wake up call. Turning slightly in her bed, her eyes blinked open. Sitting up quickly she looked around her, the sight confirming that she was not in familiar territory.

"Commander!" she jumped up looking for where the commander was. She was alone in the room. A door, leading to the garden was left ajar. Pulling it open she found the commander speaking with Arax.

"Hey, leut. Have a nice rest?" the commander asked.

"Yeah, Commander. Ahh, Commander did I hear right when you said earlier that you were pregnant?"

"We're both pregnant. See what so much fooling around on Arnica can do?"

"Well…I ah…I heard that you couldn't…."

"Anything is possible on Arnica, Leut." Alexandra tilted her head at the uncomfortable soldier. "You're gonna be an auntie…I'm having twins. No telling what JG is having."

"Twins! Helgas moons," she breathed, thinking of the celebration the sisters would throw…and the endless speeches.

"Have you ever been to a clan birthing party, Leut," Alexandra asked.

"No. Never had the…opportunity," she admitted, rashly choosing her words.

"Well…gathering the clan takes about a month…so naturally those that have taken the time to attend a clan bash will stay awhile. Nothing like a sister's reverie but…you'll want to experience at least one clan gathering in your life time."

"Where do you put all those people?" Vanster asked curiously.

"Everywhere we can fit them."

"How far away do they come from?"

Alexandra smiled. "There are clan members on both Catching Butterflies and Emperor's Last Chance." She leaned closer to Vanster, who gave her sideways look. "We're everywhere," Lady Alexandra told her.

"Whaaat!" Vanster sat up suddenly. She was still in bed.

Arax was sitting near the door quietly speaking to Commander Montran. Both were dressed in similar clothing. It was not what she would willingly chose to wear and wondered if it was required.

"Good evening, Leut. Like a true soldier, you've waken in time for dinner," Commander Montran informed her.

"Dinner? What about the meeting?" she asked anxiously. Dream images quickly faded, but not the information.

"After dinner. Things are still a bit unsettled on the other side of the gorb."

"What…What's happening?"

"Meister brought three squads in to rescue us. Emperors is keeping a low profile while Buterflies is stirring up the Talog Collage about getting the major back and releasing the two SEC ships and all those that should be on board."

"That all? Well, what are we going to do about the Major? Commander, we can't leave her there for long," Vanster implored.

"My sentiments too, Megan. But we can't just dash about. We need location and a plan to get her and whoever else in there out."

"Oh, right," Vanster looked at Arax and then back at her commander, wondering what she was picking up on.

"Arax believes the laboratory they have JG at is the same disappearing sidhe have been taken to. The various Tuathas are discussing this."

"What's keeping us from finding out?"

"General Tatolormufamesambula," Arax told her solemnly. "He has every major city and sacred space wired. He merely pushes a button and…" her hands motioned outward. "They are gone. We never know which place he will pick or what sets him off until after wards."

"I suppose you have looked for what…"

"It's a building he has erected. No one goes in and no one goes out. To approach it sets off a warning, to tamper with it sets off an explosion. That explosion either takes the whole city out or just those within a certain area. We never know."

"Hm." In Vanster's mind she worked this problem. "So…we wait for what? If he's got every planet in a bind… What's he use to detonate these things?"

Arax shook her head. "We've been trying for ten generations to find out what it is. Over the years it's changed. We have learned though, is that he has two separate research facilities. One for furthering his perfect soldier to another that looks to weaken the species."

"Heh," Vanster huffed disgustedly. "Been there, done that, in our neck of the galaxy. Metrasoldiers and genetically manipulated seeds for food. On one planet the manufactures of a few big corporations, big players in the stocks and bonds industry, decided either they needed more action on wall street or the population was growing too robust on another or maybe just for their own egos, tweaked production this way and that. They also manipulated the weather with ultra sound waves. We put a stop to that." She said bluntly.

"Well, he is having a difficult time on Marigold…that is why we think he has been kidnapping sidhe. His scientists need test subjects and we certainly would not willingly go."

A gong sounded.

The three women rose and walked through the garden to the other side where others were walking to. Dinner was not a noisy affair which had Vanster nervous. After her stay on Arnica where speech was also on a thought level, she was suspicious that was where everyone else was, and she heard nothing. She took comfort in the foods that were passed around. By the end of dinner she was ready to take a walk to exercise off her meal.

"Don't go far, Leut. The meeting is in a half," Commander Montran warned her. Commander Montran walked the other way with a small brownie leading.

"Hm," Vanster grunted at the spectacle she thought it made. She turned abruptly and ran into Arax. "Hey, you keep turning up," she accused. "Where were you in there?"

"I wasn't invited. I ate in the garden…with the brownies" she teased.

"They don't talk much at dinner, do they?"

"No. It is for eating. Sometimes music is played to help digestion; however, this evening it's a very somber time and no one is in the mood for music."

They moved to a tree with a bench underneath it. It had a view of a fountain with a bird of some kind shooting water out of its mouth.

"I was thinking about these bomb buildings this general has…how far down do they go?" Vanster asked.

"They don't have to go down very far…they sit on ley lines of the planet. About two fas. That is two lengths of your ship," Arax clarified.

"Everything is based on energy, wave lengths…"

Arax nodded she understood.

"Has anyone tried to find the wave length of his transmission?"

"It happens too fast, and each site has a revolving rhythm. He is the only one that knows where his detonator is and what it looks like." Arax was silent for a few moments, thinking about what other information would help this soldier. "He visits his two laboratories on an uneven schedule. We always know when he is about to embark because his soldiers are out in force on military maneuvers. They are being mobilized now. Which is why not many are showing up to fight your ships."

"That's interesting. Three things strike me here. One is that he has not blown up anything yet…right?"

"None that we've heard," Arax assured her.

"Two is that he leaves Meister alone…"

"Oh, he has sent ships and people," she laughed.

"Well, that is really a twist…" she muttered as she thought.

"So, he's not predictable. What I feel sure of is that JG is alive. He needs information from her. That means she has to be alive!"

Arax did not have the heart to tell her he did not need the person to be alive only the brain.

Vanster jumped up and paced. She needed to get a ship and find this laboratory. She had a lot of experience in slipping behind enemy lines without detection.

"Come, then. The meeting is about to start."

"You're invited?"

"No. But I'm with you."

"You're going to have to explain this to me…and that other stuff in the Pleasure House we spoke of."

"Ah. Yes. We will," Arax grinned.

****
The meeting had not gone in the direction to Commander Montran's liking. In her pregnant condition it was decided she was not to be part of the group selected to invade the two places General Tatolormufamesambula had his laboratories on. Catching Butterflies found the two sites and was dispatching scout ships to learn more of the terrain. The teams picked were a mix from Catching Butterflies and various planets that had been training their own private militia for a moment like this.

Vanster was elated because she was to be on one of the teams. She was oblivious of Commander Montran's anguish and disappointment. Not wanting to waste any more time, she quickly joined Arax at the garden gate. She was speaking with Queen Oonagh, the guardian of the de Danaan portal.

"She will need a lot of help, young sidhe," Queen Oonagh cautioned her in their tongue.

"I know…but I don't wish to change her…only challenge," the cocky grin returned.

"Hm."

"Queen Oonagh, good evening. It's time," she informed them impatiently.

"Let's go then," Arax told her. "We will join your friends in Fraram's meadow."

"Good. I need some action! This waiting is worse than I remember it."

The two were walking down a slope when Arax decided to break the silence that Vanster seemed to want.

"She told me you're going to be a tough nut to crack," Arax offered.

"Oh yeah? What does she mean by that?" Vanster demanded, relived that Arax mentioned what bothered her.

"That you are very set in your ways," Arax laughed.

"So…why should either of you worry about that," she asked worriedly.

"I don't. How about you?"

"Of course not!" As they climbed up a slight slope she could see the tip of a shuttle. "I'm not set in my ways…I have to adapt…that's what makes a good soldier," she pointed out.

Arax did not say anything as the group that was waiting for them spotted them as they passed over the threshold.


Chapter 14

"There…that's it! Send the team the okay when they're ready," Captain Onry told his first, Lady Malu. He was upset he could not join the troops that were assisting the locals in closing down the general's laboratories that were breaking the laws of the Talog Collage. Four representatives of the Collage that were hurriedly collected to make this official were sitting with Captain Onry waiting out the raids. They were all sitting around the table in the E-room. His purser was moving around quietly making sure everyone was taken care of. They located what building the missing major was in.

Captain Onry gave in to his need to pace. Lady Malu was on the bridge and he knew she would let him know when contact was made.

[Captain, they have met with the first wave of resistance,] Lady Malu announced. [We have stepped in and neutralized some of their weapons. Captain Malchi reports this has given the local law enforcement an even footing.]

"What about Vanster and the elfin…Arax. Are they in?"

[Nothing yet, sir. They will let us know when they find the major…we're getting visuals from them now!]

Immediately without him asking a screen before them came up showing Arax's view of the containers that were lining a wall with lines running out of it and into a long computer, logging what it was reading from whatever was sent as a stimulus. Vanster's view was on the other half of the screen. She was reading the names above the brains in containers. The representatives were making cries of anguish as if they knew the names.

The two women moved hurriedly into the next room just as lights started to flash. One of the representatives spoke up.

"That is an alarm that warns everyone to evacuate because the place is going to be flooded with a poisonous gas. In this case…I will guess it is not gas but something to destroy this evidence," Representative Bulowan explained in a deep calm voice, belying the turmoil that was going on within him. He insisted on representing the Talog Collage rather than Buaxas since he and the others felt he may compromise the Collage with his first contact with the strangers.

"Did you hear that first?"

[Passing it on.]

Vanster and Arax started to run, passing beds now that still had actual bodies that were attached to lines. Vanster spotted a chamber in the center of the room and its occupant floating.

[How do we get her outta here without hurting her?"] Vanster yelled.

"There is a green red black yellow sequence that will disengage it," Representative Bulowan informed them.

However the empath in the room caught Onry's eye.

"There is a color sequence to disengage on the panel near you," Captain Onry told her but hesitated as he waited for the empath to tell him the correct sequence.

However, Vanster and the elfin were already studying the panel and began to push the buttons in a sequence they knew. Slowly, too slowly the body rose to the surface of the tank. Vanster and the elfin were leaning over it, pulling the body that was in a suit out. Malchi and a group of soldiers were beside them pushing AEG suits on both of the women. As the two dressed with assistance, Major Zohra was laid out on a gurney, her vitals hurriedly checked, and then they hurried out in the opposite direction than what they had entered in.

"What about the others!?" one of the representatives objected.

"They can't rescue them! Can't you see the place is going to go up!" Representative Bulowan told them excitedly.

The others looked shaken and upset.

"We'll dismantle this organization. We'll move our own…"

"We will discuss this at another time, Maorua," Representative Bulowan admonished firmly. Maorua looked his way nervously and nodded.

The images became shaky and then they lost the image completely. Everyone around the table sat back and waited. The tension in the room raised as time passed.

[Operation Rescue Falcon is completed, Captain.] Lady Malu announced.

"Let's take our guests back then. Return to…"

"Erocorn, if you don't mind," Representative Bulowan asked. "I have families I need to notify. If we could also have a visual copy of your operation."

"We can certainly supply you with a copy, Representative Bulowan," Captain Onry told him politely. "I'll leave you here until we reach your planet. Anyone else? If you should need anything…there is a buzzer."

"Ah, Captain, I was wondering if maybe you have an underling that could take us on a tour of your ship. We've never seen anything like this," Representative Bulowan asked.

"Maybe another time. Right now we're still under alert status and I don't have any extra personnel to show you around. It shouldn't be too long."

"But Captain…perhaps your servant here." Representative Bulowan pushed.

"My pursuer has duties he must attend to…and we don't have servants in our part of the galaxy. That's why we have bots," he nodded and bowed to each one and left.

Two Spartans stood outside of the door.

Captain Onry waited until the door closed and then locked it. "They will try to get you in there and overpower you. You will only respond to them over the monitor is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" two voice echoed.

"Carry on," he told them. He did not trust just the two Spartans and had arranged others to keep an eye on their guests.

"Sir, they knew about the laboratory. Did you see the look on two of the representatives faces?"

"Yeah. Maybe some family members were there. I'm sure that representative wants to get the others to his place so he can do some damage control."

"So…what do we do once we help break up their reign of terror?"

"The elfin, Arax, said we should speak with Queen Freenah and King Jonetha on Marigold. They would know who is free from the taint of complicity."

He rubbed his eyes to take away what he had seen. He felt compassion for the locals who were part of the operation, taking names and recording in detail what they found. There would be no explosion or poisoning as the representative believed. The empaths had found spies that gave them what information they needed to shut down any sabotage that would prevent their safe rescue.

He strode onto the bridge. Lady Malu sat in her own chair looking relaxed.

"How is she?" he asked in an undertone.

"Not good. She may lose the child she is carrying," Lady Malu informed him softly.

"Geeze." He was not surprised by the report that either woman was pregnant. Self fertilization or same gender fertilization was something that occurred in many species as his biology teacher had pointed out and as he was proof of.

"How long until we get to Marigold?"

"Twenty minutes. We'll station keep until we get an invitation."

Captain turned to Commander Beka. "Lock down the E-room." He turned back to Lady Malu. "I got a bad feeling in my claw that something is not scratching right." He curled his fingers and stretched them, letting the long sharp claws unsheathe, and then retracted them.

Chapter 15

Major Jina Gari…she hesitated. Major Jina Gari Zohra, reporting for duty. And then she burst out in tears, falling into the arms of her adopted mother as she sensed the profound loss of her child, though it was three days old. It was a boy…another loss because it meant the brotherhood would raise him, though she would be free to visit him. Her heart hurt and her body felt as if she had been beaten with sticks. Her mother rocked her, singing songs to comfort her. Many times she jerked into wakefulness, crying again because she could still feel the spirit that came to experience this short moment of pain.

Zohra remembered floating in the weird world where she had no sensory input which put her in touch with the beginning of life within her. She did not question how it could have gotten there…she was in too much awe at it's wisdom. Then the sound waves started. They prevented the spirit to escape and it hurt both of them. The sounds were like hateful thoughts changing the cells of the fetus and creating changes in her own body. Frightening things she encountered and her touch with goodness was gone…just by a sound…the sound of hate. Her need to protect her fetus had her creating sounds that neutralized what was bombarding them. Each time she stopped the hurt a different tone was picked. She was given less and less time to combat the hate in its many guises and finally she had surrendered to love by remembering Queen M'Lu's countenance. As she moved to this she became horrified as her memories started to be erased…the one's she was accessing to gain strength. Before she was rescued she followed her child's example by sending out love towards those that were doing this to her and her unborn…

****
Zohra's anguished cry brought Alexandra up and to her side. She had been in Asanas, enveloping her lover in love. Zohra's eyes opened to look deeply into the green eyes of Alexandra. The red rimmed eyes of her lover had her reaching up to touch her tenderly.

"I'm home?" she asked hoarsely.

Alexandra leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Wherever we are is home…yes. You are home," she told her. Alexandra gave her a sip of water. "How are you, love?"

"I…was it real?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"You were with child and lost it from what they were doing to both of you. Mother Aglauros came across the portal to stay with you."

Alexandra felt the tears slide down her cheeks.

"Why…why didn't you?" Zohra asked feeling guilty at the loss of their baby, though she understood from the soul of this entity, that it had not intended on seeing its term to the end.

"Because I…I'm an empath…who is pregnant and it would effect our other two," she explained softly.

"More!" Zohra voice went up, almost sounding like a keening.

"Yes. We are still going to be mommies and Mother Aglauros has informed me that if she could, she would drag us both over the portal and back home safe…"

"If she could?"

"I told her we need to work this out without your family and mine hovering about and driving us both crazy." She stroked the shaved head of her lover. Whoever had taken her prisoner had cut her long dark hair. "I made a decision without you. The good thing is that it's not irreversible. Vanster wants to stick with the Rouster for the trip back and we certainly can't let her fly back alone." Alexandra waited for Zohra to make a decision, knowing it was too soon for her to think about things like this. But she also knew that Zohra needed challenges outside of herself to give her a break from the ones inside her. She watched the colors around her body, feeling some of the healing that had already taken place.

"Where are we?"

"de Danaan."

"The portal?" She took a deep sobbing breath, trying to beak the tightness that held her chest in a painful grip. "They were stealing my good memories," she whispered. A few tears tracked down the side of her face.

Alexandra leaned down and kissed her sensuously. "We'll make more…but I'm not so sure they're gone. You'll see as you feel better. Now, sleep. We're leaving at the end of this week and I need you strong."

Zohra's eyes closed at the mention of sleep.

Sharon Teal stepped out of the shadows and studied the sleeping woman's drawn face. Her finger tips touched her forehead and lightly drew lines and signs that would help her with her weariness and sadness.

Alexandra was tired from the emotion of being away from her suffering bondmate. She had to be shielded from Zohra as she struggled with her anguish of losing the beginning of life within her. Alexandra knew exactly when the life had been brought into being, the day of Zohra's capture. Their two remaining babies' consciousness had not fully entered into her womb yet, but their little spirits were hovering around and she knew they shared the grief of their little brother that was only with them for a short time.

Sharon turned to her and drew lines around her. Alexandra was not aware of being helped to the bed where she laid next to her lover and bondmate. Satisfied Sharon turned and left them. Guardian Oonagh was waiting for her.

"So, what do you think?"

"They and their two children will do just fine. They would be miserable if they returned through the portal and I don't advise such travel for one so early in the gestation phase."

"I see the same," she nodded.

"Her mother certainly took a lot of talking to let her daughter grow from this in the best way possible," Sharon said wryly.

"That's what mothers do. Help carry the burdens should their children's become too heavy, thus forgetting their own."

Sharon nodded.

Guardian Oonagh walked Sharon Teal back to the portal. "Your work on these people with these chip implants…do you think it will help those in the prison ship?"

Sharon pursed her lips in thought. "Some things are difficult to predict…but it was necessary to remove the chips now. Too many people know of their existence. It would not be fair for those two ships that have still a long ways to travel to worry about everyone they meet intending on stealing them and reprogram the soldiers as their own."

"Go in peace and harmony," Guardian Oonagh wished her.

"My heart to yours," Sharon returned.

Sharon stepped over the threshold and watched as the energy around her harmonized with her and then she moved forward, back to Mer where her work was piling up.

*****
"Megan, I am going with you. Just accept it. If you don't want to continue this relationship, just say so. But I am going. It has been decided," Arax told Megan as the warrior relaxed from the last of her climax.

"You don't fight fair," Megan whispered as she pulled herself over Arax and started a trail of kisses down her body.

Arax shuddered and giggled as Megan purposely tickled her in places she was sensitive. "Nope. Tickling me to death will not change my decision," she giggled again and finally reached over and found Megan's spot.

Megan whooped and shot out of the bed. "Helga's bloody moon, Fae! Don't do that!"

Arax rolled over on the bed laughing.

"I'm supposed to be a big tough soldier," Megan whined.

Arax laughed harder. She shook her head. "I don't think so," she told Megan, wiping her eyes.

"Get over here and I'll show you," Megan challenged. She stood naked in the middle of the floor, bending her knees slightly and flexing her hands, making the cords on her wrists and shoulders stand out.

"Hm." Arax spread her legs and pointed at her throbbing center. "That's what all that posing does to me. Care to show me what kind of stuff you have for that, big bad tough warrior?" Arax puckered her lips and thrust her hips up a little higher, sending a whiff of her arousal Megan's way.

"Like I said…you don't fight fair." And then she pounced onto the pallet grabbing Arax around the waist and turning her over.

Chapter 16

Alexandra was furious at the Koan's insinuation that she was not capable of captaining Rouster in her pregnant condition and since Major Zohra was still in deep mourning also was not fit to command. They wanted Rouster to dock inside Catching Buterflies' cargo bay for the rest of the trip home…their home.

"You have no right to order me or anyone on Rouster to do your bidding. And I would like to add, if you did not come this way…we would be the ones returning the SEC ships to you!"

Lady Malu raised her hand to DeDe the koan's speaker to stop her badgering of Lady Alexandra Montran. "She is within her rights to tell you to mind your own business and she is justified in not trusting your intentions. Even I know you want to monitor the two for your own curiosity." She held up her hand again at the outburst. "You have this whole new universe to explore on our way back home. You will leave Lady Alexandra and Major Zohra to their own business unless asked."

The four left in a huff. Alexandra tiredly sagged in her seat.

"You two are an oddity to them. They obviously have not been around much of the universe." She chuckled. "If Captain Onry was not feeling so sick, he would have not even allowed this meeting to take place. I am sorry I did not catch it sooner."

"Are we that strange?"

"No. But most of this crew, aside from the empaths, have been to many different planets and are familiar with the multitude of variations of species reproduction. As a sailor you have to be aware of those things." She smiled and took a deep breath to change the subject.

"The major is fine," Alexandra told her in anticipation of the next question. "The depression is not immobilizing her. She's just not going to allow an empath she does not know to dig into her mind." Alexandra was quiet as she thought about how she was going to add this bit of information that she knew would end up in Zohra's military records but it had to be in there. "Her intuitive level she reached on Arnica was lessening as we moved out of the planets influence but what the recruiters scientists put her through in their experiments elevated her back into that high level of telepathic connection." Alexandra gave a bitter laugh. "At a terrible price, she now has the ability to protect herself from our twins, who are going to be a handful. Otherwise, they would be wrapping her around their unformed fists before she could find some kind of defense."

Lady Malu's hand raised in surprise. "You are saying they are telepathic?"

"Yes."

"And you? I sense that you still have something dark hanging around you."

Alexandra's eyes teared for a moment and then she shook her head. "I…I once thought I could not bear children, and really had never thought about it until that choice was taken from me. I understand…not just as an empath what she is going through." She wiped a tear way and then smiled briefly. "We will have no problem too big we cannot handle with our young ones. The Montran's have a forum of four, also called the koan, that are sent to each parent that are about to have Fideh children. They call them magical souls, but it's really an old term. The support is to create a safe buffer for the children to grow and to protect the family from their out bursts."

Alexandra looked thoughtful. "I wonder if General Alagros is aware of her grandchildren's proclivity and how she will take the Montran's taking over their protection?"

"The General is a sensitive herself. I'm sure she knows. Would you like me to send any messages to anyone?"

Alexandra shook her head. "The clan knows. They feel these things. I'm just wondering how lucky Gina is going to feel when the aunties began to instruct her on proper attitude around her little helions and how to protect herself as well as them. Helgas moon but that woman is going to be shy about bedding with me again." She laughed along with Lady Malu.

"I sense deep within her, that she cares for what you carry."

"Yes. I know. She also can feel the awakening of their telepathic connection. It frightens her yet at the same time thrills her. I hear her nightmares…and know of the telepathic connection she had with her fetus so she is not totally unprepared."

"The healers have also voiced concern about the depth of her grieving."

Alexandra shook her head. "That is who she is. She takes everything that she loves deep. She would not have been able to survive her work with Naboth's Vine in covert work if she could not recover from hurt that deep."

"So what do you think of the young sidhe you are taking with you?"

Alexandra smiled. "Well, she will certainly be helpful when I'm not able to take my shift. Her boasts that she can sail any private ship and defend herself are truthful. I think Vanster is too pleased that she found someone that she can beat up most of the time and teach navigation to. Gina has not been a good student."

Lady Malu nodded. "When the SEC ship has been repaired, we'll be leaving port. They give it four more days. Are you leaving before us?"

"Yes. I think we need time away from polite inquires into our health. Vanster is tired of being our secretary and refuses to leave the ship."

"Give us your time of departure and destination. Did you get our proposed course?"

"Yes. Thank you again Lady Malu for your help and influence."

"Lady Alexandra, it was my pleasure. I just hope the next bit of excitement isn't so heart breaking."

"Me too," she whispered as she took her leave. She walked by the bridge and glanced out at the view of the Rouster and beyond that, the SEC ship being repaired.

Chapter 17

The four women sat on the bridge waiting for the dock master to give them the okay to disembark.

Vanster did not need telepathy or any special abilities to know that Zohra was not well. The idea that Zohra, a warrior of her caliber would want to have her own child was inconceivable to Vanster, so it did not even cross her mind that Zohra's depression was anything more than the body's natural reaction to the loss of a fetus. Vanster had seen it in many women under war conditions and self inflicted when a woman was raped. She had developed a mental barrier to prevent her self from being affected by this sadness not realizing what it was doing to her own ability to empathize and have a relationship with depth. This type of feeling was a handicap to being a good soldier, was her reasoning. It did not make Vanster cruel or mean, just not able to understand some types of feelings.

Vanster's eyes flickered back to the readings on the screen as the ship's computer continued its countdown. Restlessly she moved her feet to find another comfortable position.

"Lt. Vanster?" Arax voice broke through her boredom.

"Yes, boatswain?"

Arax gave her a smile at her new designation. "I am reading an uneven flow in this cooling system," she told her confidently. It had taken her three days of practicing on this new ship for her to be able to appreciate the differences in the three different types of ships she had crewed and this one from another galaxy.

All three women looked at the cooling systems.

"Aft. Someone forget to close something?" Alexandra asked as she rechecked the compartments that were accessed for storing fresh food as well as this side of the galaxies version of space food.

"I'll get it," Vanster jumped up eager to do something physical.

"Can I come…to see what is…"

"Go. We've got thirty stan minutes yet," Alexandra allowed.

"Thanks, captain."

When the two left Alexandra stretched her hand to take Zohra's. Quietly they sat communicating without speech.

The light signaling an incoming message had Alexandra casually reaching over with her free hand to acknowledge receipt.

"All hands, prepare for flight," Alexandra notified the two women.

The two were back before the official notification came in.

"Rouster is ready and waiting for your command, Dockmaster Routermast," Alexandra signaled, when the two nodded they were ready.

[Then prepare for heave ho. Five, four, three, two, one, moorings dropped.]

"Captain, systems all go," Arax reported.

"Captain, moorings have been dropped," Vanster collaborated.

"Easy out and come about to…0 7. Engage to 3gs when out of standard station distance, Leut," Alexandra instructed. "Then we blast out of here at 6," she added in relief.

"Easing out….steady at a slow erg…" Vanster glanced at the message that flashed on her board. "Catching Butterflies sent 'happy sailing', Captain."

"I see. Give her the ole 'leaving ya in my wash' kinda message."

Vanster's hands moved to key in a new heading. "Coming up to our mark, Captain," she reported.

"Engage when ready."

"Ready….jump engaged."

The sudden acceleration was felt for a brief moment and then everything settled to normal travel. "In fifteen stan minutes, fire it up to 6gs, Leut."

"As you say, Captaing," Vanster replied, happy to get out of here.

"Captain handing over bridge to OOD," Captain Montran reported to the ship's log.

"OOD taking command of the ship," Lt. Vanster verified the change of command made.

Alexandra took the silent JG's hand and they exited to go to their own quarters. It was late and both of them were exhausted.

****
Alexandra woke when a hand gently stroked her stomach. She smiled in the dark and glanced at the woman lying beside her. In the dim lighting she could see the shinny head of her lover turned toward her.

"Can you feel them?" she whispered to JG.

"Yeah," she answered. Her hand caressed Alexandra's stomach feeling something that was not quite a kick against the rounded stomach.

"I have dreams of them," Alexandra informed her.

She heard a heavy sigh and then, "Me too. I think we're going to be in trouble with these two."

"Naw. The Montran clan sends out babysitters to assist in the upbringing of clairvoyant off-spring. Helps the parents get rest."

"Hm."

Alexandra smiled at the face next to her. JG's hands were more than soothing.

"Hey, you," she leaned over and kissed her slowly, feeling the kiss returned with tenderness. Alexandra took it to a deeper passion.

After lovemaking, Alexandra laid in JG's arms, feeling their connection heightened by their little ones.

"I'm sorry about your loss."

"Will I sound horrible if I say I'm glad…in a way."

"No. I'm sure you have a reason." Alexandra could feel the hot breath behind her neck.

"He wasn't meant to come to full term," she admitted quietly.

"Did he tell you that?"

"Yeah. He was there to help me survive my time in the tank and to tell me not to let what I learned on Arnica fade away."

"Ooh. We've never talked about our beliefs on afterlife and things like that."

"No. I…I knew this soul from…" JG could not continue, her arms tightening around Alexandra.

"From?" Alexandra prodded, feeling that JG needed to acknowledge who this was to someone other than herself.

"My biological mother," she whispered.

"But you still feel guilty…"

"I think I should be feeling bad about it's passing yet…"

"You don't want both of us pregnant at the same time?" Alexandra felt air expelled on the back of her neck. "Well, we have plenty of time to work on another little one for you, if you want," she teased, and then just as the thought occurred to JG, "Helga's moon. How on earth are we going to know who is going to get pregnant? And how do we prevent it so we don't turn each other into brood mares? Gawds, but I'm not willing to give up sex with you. Have you thought of that?"

"Yeah."

"So, what did you come up with?" Alexandra drew a hand wrapped around her up to kiss it.

"In my next communiqué with mother, I'll ask." JG buried her face in the back of Alexandra's neck and groaned. "I can't believe that at my age I'm going to my mother for stuff like this."

Alexandra tuned in her arms and kissed her bald head. "You can ask you spirit mother, hon. If she's this close to you, it means she's been with you for your entire life, watching over you." Alexandra could feel JG's heart rate increase.

"You think?"

"Hmm. My name-sake, Henry CJ Montran, was with me through some really low points in my life. I wasn't always able to hear him, but I knew he was there. In real life I didn't know him. I've always been taught that we pick up guardians and loose some along the way as whatever they are helping us with comes and goes."

They were quiet for a while, both thinking about memorable people in their pasts.

"You know, these kids are a combination of some interesting genes…we may be starting a whole new species," Alexandra thought out loud.

"Please don't tell me that," JG mumbled, more interested in the full breasts that were glowing in the dark. She leaned down and kissed her way to a hard nipple, and became even more interested in sucking juices from the taut nipple.

Ahh. Second wind.

Alexandra groaned and decided the conversation would be left for another time.