Author's note: Please feel free to post this story to any free site, as long as the following conditions are met. It shall not be posted to any site charging a fee for reading it, either direct or indirect (avs), the story remains fully intact, and the original author shall be credited in entirety.

This story contains harsh language and scenes of a frank sexual nature and is not suitable for younger readers. Also if you are offended by Transgendered, Gay, and Lesbian themes, please be gone...this is not the story for you (unless your morbid curiosity gets the better of you (*grin*), but consider yourself warned).

This story is dedicated to my beloved friend and soul mate who passed away in November of 2002. Dana, I will always miss you terribly.
I would like to thank those that helped me with the proofing and structure of the story.
I would love to hear any and all constructive feedback. Please feel free to post or Email me with your comments.

--Lisa Grey Lcaitlingrey@aol.com

  

The Serendipity of Freedom

by Lisa Grey

  

Part 5: A New Life

Chapter 16

 

It was all settled. We had all decided that it would be better if we ran the blockade. There were several benefits to that action that we just couldn't ignore, the main one being that it would be consistent with a ship trying to escape back to the Restricted Zone. If they assumed we had come from the Restricted Zone then they would have little reason to believe that we had somehow gotten by the drone. The trouble was that five minutes was a great deal of time to shoot at us. We were gambling that they wouldn't hit anything critical.

"Okay, Valerie," Miri said, "we're out of the cruiser's detection range and we have about 1500 AU's of max burn time before we have to shut down the drives and go cold."

"Very well, Miz Flowers," I responded, the stress of what we were about to do making me lapse back into formal military speech. "You've been piloting for a long time. Go take a break, Sweetie, and I'll start the run."

"Roger that, my Captain," she said, vacating the command chair, rubbing her eyes. "I'm gonna grab a bite to eat and some caffeine." She kissed me lightly and left the bridge.

I sat down and began laying in the course for our blockade run. When I was finished, I made the announcement over the Duality's P/A that I was beginning the max burn run toward the blockade line. As the ship's powerful engines came up to full thrust, there was a slight but perceptible vibration of the deck plates under foot and the barest hint of acceleration before the artificial gravity generators compensated for it. We didn't have a long run to accelerate to the detection range of the sensor buoys but we would be moving reasonably fast when the time came to cut the drives and go cold.

I cut the drives as we entered the detection radius and we began our drift. Unfortunately, I saw, as the buoys began appearing on the scope, that there was a buoy standing directly in our path. I decided rather than risk detection with a small burn to try to correct, I would wait and make another max burn for the line at the last possible moment.

We had already avoided detection for three minutes longer than we had projected when the dreadnought and the cruiser suddenly turned our way, the dreadnought launching fighters. I sounded General Quarters and skewed the ship to the new course. The deck plates once again vibrated as the drive went to max power and the Duality surged ahead. We were still about 10 minutes from the line when six fighters overtook us. I brought the point defense turrets on line as the fighters launched their missiles. Thanks to some very good tracking and targeting software that our resident computer guru had further improved, coupled with the state of the art twin lasers in each of the two point defense turrets, the missiles didn't even get close.

I then had to take evasive action when the fighters began using their own lasers. The fighters were tougher targets than the missiles, but we mostly evaded their fire as our own return fire began to take its toll. One fighter just about had us dead to rights, having doggedly slipped in behind us and lined up for a crippling drive shot. Unfortunately for him, in the position he was in, both defensive turrets could target him. The smaller craft exploded as the lasers opened up on him. Shortly afterwards, another blew as he was making a strafing run from ahead of us. One more fell prey to our defenses as we crossed the line and the fighters turned back.

The cruiser wasn't in range yet, but it was coming in fast. Our evasive maneuvering had cost us some time and they were back up to 5 minutes of weapons time before we were safely out of range. The dreadnought, though, was a different story. Her IFF identified her as the Poseidon and I knew she was equipped with huge extended range PBC's. She wouldn't arrive in range until two minutes after we had left the cruiser's range, but she could subject us to another 2 minutes of fire before we moved out of her range as well.

I adjusted course directly away from the cruiser so she could only bring her forward batteries to bear and to minimize her closure rate, and thus our time in her effective weapons radius. While I waited for her to close and open fire, I programmed the computer to make random positional adjustments to make us a harder target.

The computer began sideslipping and rotating the ship to confound the cruiser's targeting as she came into range and opened up on us. She was still at extreme range and her bolts that struck us didn't have the power to penetrate even our lightly armored hull without repeated hits to the same spot. Fortunately, she failed to make any crippling hits on our vulnerable drives. We passed out of her range as she slowed to stay out of the Restricted Zone. One more round of incoming fire and we would be home free.

When the dreadnought opened up on us, her fire was more effective because of the sheer size of her cannon. She still had trouble hitting us, but right as we passed out of range, she scored a bad hit. The bolt had hit on thin armor, already weakened by a previous hit and it had penetrated, damaging our reactor cooling system. We vented quite a bit of coolant before the ship's auto repair system repaired the rupture. Though we were safely in the Restricted Zone, we wouldn't be able to use the main cannon until our coolant was refilled, and that couldn't happen until we reached a port. Also, because our available power was restricted, it would take our hyperspace capacitors longer to recharge between jumps.

"Okay, Valerie, we made it," said Brian an hour later as we all sat around the dinning room table that doubled as our conference room. "What now?"

"We don't know that much about what has been going on in the Restricted Zone," I said. "We have no charts indicating which worlds might be colonized, but we do have charts of the jump exit points. Also, the freighter I let though mentioned something about a planet called Diversity. My plan is to start jumping toward the center of the Zone and hopefully run across someone with more accurate nav data that can direct us toward Diversity. Maybe we can find the freighter Captain and she might give us some ideas for our next move."

Everyone nodded. "Okay," Miri said, "Now that we have the semblance of a workable plan, it's time for some down time for our Captain. She is looking a bit disheveled."

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" I retorted.

"Yup," Miri said, smiling. "I need some sleep too. Now come on, Princess, get that cute little butt to bed."

"Aww, Mom," I whined like a small child, "Can't I stay up and play just a little while longer?"

After the guys quit laughing, Miri looked at me and said, "Nope. You're coming to bed now under your own steam or with me carrying you." She made a move toward me and I danced around the table out of her reach.

"Okay, Okay," I surrendered. "I'm going! Sheesh!"

Miri rolled her eyes and commented as we left the dinning room, "This, from the clingy little cuddle bunny that wouldn't let me get up the other day."

 

Chapter 17

 

Sleeping cuddled with Miri was just so pleasant. It had become my greatest pleasure and I had gotten to the point that unless I was touching her with some part of my body, I didn't sleep well. That's why I awoke when she got up and headed to the shower. I lay there for a few moments until I heard the door shut, then I got up myself, padded quietly out to the galley and got us some tea.

Today was going to be an interesting day. Theoretically, we were safe and wouldn't have to be vigilant and on edge all the time. In practice, we could probably relax somewhat, but there was still a danger from pirates and we were still unsure of our reception from the locals. In other words, unlike Terran controlled space, while not every ship we saw was going to be hostile, they wouldn't necessarily be our friends either.

After I finished my shower, I joined Miri on the bridge where she had already gone to relieve the guys. She was busy going over some prospective course plans when I arrived. I joined her.

"Well, what do you think, boss?" she asked me when we had finished looking them over.

"I don't know," I said. "Something is bugging me. I mean, we could probably hit every jump exit in the Zone in a year's time and not necessarily find anything. There is a better way, I know it."

"So, I'm all ears," she said. "What do you suggest?"

I thought about it, looking through the charts. "Ah ha!" I crowed. At her arched eyebrow I explained, "Do you remember that when someone is banished here, the TSN always sends him or her across in a life boat at the same place?"

"Yeah, they send them from this point here," Miri said pointing the spot out on the chart. "So?"

"Well there must be a reason for that," I continued. "Look here. This jump exit here is the closest one to the blockade there is and it also happens to be the exact point that the lifeboats are sent across."

"Ah, so you think it's watched?" she said, catching on.

"Well, it makes sense," I agreed. "The residents of the Restricted Zone must watch the spot to collect the lifeboats. It's the only way the people in them wouldn't be set to drift and die in space. Even the TSN is not that coldhearted."

"So you think we should start from there?" Miri confirmed.

"I think that's our best bet," I nodded. "Beats casting about hoping to run into someone."

"I agree. It's going to take us a week to get there, though," Miri said. "It's almost on the other side of the blockade from us."

"Then I guess we had better get started then, huh?" I grinned at her. "Besides, we may get lucky and find someone helpful before then.

Three days later, we did run across someone, but I wouldn't call it lucky. We just came out of a hyperspace jump and we immediately began to take fire. The weapons hitting us were small and ineffective against our armored hull, but with enough hits they could have done us damage, especially in the area that had already been penetrated by the dreadnought.

Apparently, they thought we were an unarmed pleasure boat, a small freighter or something, because they left themselves wide open for return fire. They were just about to learn of their mistake when we were hailed.

"On the main viewer, please, Mr. Andrews," I said as the shabby little vessel matched course and speed with us, suicidaly close even given our limited remaining firepower. It mounted a single laser cannon in a crude and obviously home built turret near its forward end. The vessel was about half the Duality's original displacement. Crude plates of what I supposed was armor, were welded to the ship's surface in a seemingly random patchwork that left the ship quite vulnerable.

"This is Brenden Salazar, Captain of the privateer ship Picaroon," said the image of a flamboyant giant of a man. It was his mode of dress that was flamboyant, displaying all sorts of garish colors. He actually looked like the classic image of a pirate. "You are ordered to heave to and prepare to be boarded."

"I see," I said, stifling a giggle at the outlandish idiot. "I am Valerie Nicole Callaway, Captain of the vessel, Duality. What happens if we refuse to allow you to board."

"Why then, you stupid cow, I will shoot your ship from under you and collect the scrap for salvage," Brenden Salazar boasted.

"Is that so?" I asked, grinning in amusement for a moment before my face turned hard and cold. "Run away, little man, before you annoy me. You have no idea who and what you are dealing with here. If you fire on us again you will be in over your head. This is the only warning you will get."

"Why you..." the pirate sputtered as his face flushed with rage. "I'm going to kill you and rape your men for that, you fucking cow." The screen went blank.

"He's about to fire on us again," Dan said as he detected the power surge from the laser.

I brought the point defense turrets online. We couldn't use the main cannon because of our low reactor coolant, but it would have been like using a wrecking ball to swat flies anyway. I carefully targeted the nose of the pirate vessel, just aft of the makeshift laser turret. Our military grade lasers cleanly sliced the nose and turret off of the Picaroon.

"Please, please, we surrender," Salazar's face reappeared saying. "Please, spare us!"

"Get out of my sight, you vile prick," I said with disgust, then added. "Quickly, before I change my mind."

"Yes ma'am! Thank you, ma'am!" Salazar gushed, but there was a glint in his eye that I didn't trust.

Salazar pointed his wounded ship away from us and sped off.

"I guess that's the last we'll see of him," Dan grinned, as the Picaroon disappeared from our scope.

"Don't bet on it," I cautioned. "I didn't like the look in his eyes. He's up to something. Keep an eye on the scanner."

Sure enough, about a half an hour later we got another contact coming in at a high rate of speed. It was considerably larger than the first pirate vessel. Long-range scans read it as a small freighter about the size of a destroyer. On long-range visual, as it closed to 2500 AU's, I could make out two large dual laser turrets on it. They looked big enough to do some damage if the ship got close enough.

At 2000 AU's, it launched a full salvo of 12 missiles at us. As before, with the higher-grade military missiles, the point defense turrets picked them off easily.

"Okay," I said, "I gave them a chance to live. Now it's my turn."

I cut the drive and flipped the ship end for end. When a tone indicated I had target lock on the converted freighter, I launched a single nuke, then flipped the ship again and hit the drives to get us as far from the blast as I could.

Our missile was of the stealth variety. It wasn't very fast; attaining its top speed in the first couple of seconds of flight before it switched to cold gas maneuvering thrusters. After the primary thruster shut down the missile was practically undetectable, even to us. At the last instant, the missile's main drive would come back on and thrust the missile toward the target in an attempt to penetrate the target and detonate inside. That's how it worked to take out capitol ships, but smaller vessels, like our two attackers, would be blown to pieces with just a nearby detonation. I had set the missile to detonate on proximity.

We watched as our attackers strained to keep up with us. Dan started counting down, "5...4...3...2...1." When he reached "1" our view screen turned bright white, got a bit of static and went black as the shielding slammed down to protect the sensors from the EMP. When we regained the sensors, Salazar and his cohorts had been vaporized.

"THAT, I believe, is the last we'll see of Mister Salazar," I said with satisfaction.

 

Chapter 18

 

The rest of our weeklong trip passed without incident. We were all on the bridge, even though it was well into Brian's watch, when our hyperspace capacitors reached full charge. The time had come for us to make the jump I hoped would lead us to contact with the people we hoped to call our own.

"Hyperspace generators on line," Dan called. "Capacitors at maximum charge. Board is green for jump."

"Transitioning to hyperspace on my mark," I announced. "3...2...1...Mark!"

I felt the double jolt and we were back in normal space. At first I though we were alone, but then I noticed a sensor buoy about 2500 AU's away from us; it wasn't one of the TSN blockade buoys, either. I headed the ship over to it.

As we neared the buoy, a larger contact appeared on our long-range sensors. It appeared to be the size of a cruiser and it was headed toward us. I halted the ship about five hundred AU's beyond the sensor probe and waited.

It wasn't long before we were hailed.

"This is the ZNV cruiser Fortitude hailing unknown vessel. Please identify yourself and your intentions," the comm crackled.

"Fortitude, this is the independent corvette Duality, Captain Valerie Nicole Callaway commanding," Miri said. "Our intentions are peaceful and we are here to make contact with the government of the Restricted Zone." We had decided during our idle time that the Duality didn't really qualify as a yacht anymore considering the firepower she packed. She was more of a corvette.

"Very well, Duality, hold your position until we rendezvous with you and we will escort you to the ZNS Station, Openarms."

"Roger, Wilco, Fortitude, holding position," Miri said.

Before long, we were following the sleek modern cruiser that wasn't in our hull identification database. A half-hour from our hyperspace jump, we were being instructed to dock with an equally modern and new-looking station.

"Duality, Openarms docking control here," the comm said again. "Please proceed to docking bay 12. The station commander, Admiral Shehane will meet you there. Docking control out."

"Roger, Openarms, Wilco. Request an hour to get ourselves presentable before meeting with the Admiral" Miri told them as I headed for the indicated docking bay.

"Roger, Duality, Admiral Shehane will meet you in one hour."

As I got within range, the Duality's docking computer and the station's shook hands. The computers guided us in and the Duality settled gently to the station's deck. We locked and powered down the ship's flight control systems, then we each went to shower and put on a fresh uniform.

I chose my pink accented uniform and Miri picked the emerald green one that matched her eyes. Once our hair and makeup were done, we joined the guys in the common room. They looked great, with Brian in a red accented uniform and Dan in a white accent. I went over and poured myself a stiff drink.

"You okay?" Miri said with her hand on my shoulder. She sensed my tension, I guess.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm just a bit nervous. This is the first time I have ever been around anyone but you three since I changed."

"You'll do great," Brian said.

"He's right," Miri said. "Don't sweat it, Kitten, you're perfect."

I smiled wanly at her then squared my shoulders. "Well, it's time to go meet our hosts," I announced and headed for the exit.

When I reached the bottom of the ladder, I saw a short red-haired woman dressed in a snowy white uniform with some elaborate insignia, standing a short distance away, flanked by two huge women, one, of the dark-skinned race, and the other, a very pale Nordic blonde. They were also very heavily and very obviously armed with huge electromagnetic slug throwers and heavy body armor.

I walked over to them, my crew lining up in sharp inspection formation behind me. I saluted the red-haired woman smartly and said, "I'm Valerie Nicole Callaway, Captain of the corvette Duality. This is my crew." I presented each of my crew and finally requested crisply, "Permission to come aboard, Ma'am!"

"At ease," the woman said and then grinned in amusement. "Ya'll look like you've done this before."

"You could say that," I said grinning back at her.

"I'm Admiral Jessica Shehane, the CO of this station. Welcome aboard the Openarms, Captain Callaway. I would like you to join me in my office to discuss why you're here, but first it's a requirement that you see our med techs to make sure you're healthy."

"And to get a DNA sample from us to see who we are," I added.

"Yeah, that too," the Admiral said her grin getting even wider.

"Point the way, Ma'am," I smiled back.

"Looks like you had a rough ride," the Admiral said conversationally, gesturing at the Duality.

I turned and looked at my ship getting a good look at the exterior for the first time since we began our run from the TSN. I froze and gasped. I wanted to cry for her, as I surveyed the damage to her normally sleek smooth midnight-blue hull. The armor plates were blistered and furrowed where particle beams and lasers had grazed her surface. There was a gaping hole towards her lower aft quarter where her reactor coolant system had been hit. The coolant had frozen and crystallized around the hole as it had vented out. It was now melting and dripping to the deck, as if the ship were bleeding. Most of the paint had been burned away by near misses. No wonder that moron had thought he could take us. We looked more ragged than he did.

The Admiral put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry, Love. We have facilities that can get her fixed up and looking like new. Let's go see those med techs, then you can tell me all about it, 'Kay?" she said to me gently, in what 20th century Earth would have been true Southern Belle charm.

I took a deep shuddering breath, collecting myself, and allowed her to lead me and my crew to the med station where she left us for her office. The med techs scanned us, prodded us and gave us some vitamin shots to replenish some of what we lacked due to our having lived on the recycler for so long. Pronounced healthy, we were escorted to the Admiral's office.

"Ah, come on in and have a seat," the Admiral said standing as we were shown in. "I do have a few questions I wanted to ask you, a few inconsistencies to clear up," she continued after we were all seated. "Firstly, your DNA scan says you are all who you say you are and that you are all officers or technicians in the TSN, except you, Captain Callaway. Also, your ship, while it does match the hull records of the ship called Duality, is listed as a luxury yacht, not a corvette, and it's registered to a Brock Callaway, not Valerie Callaway. Our records, provided by our allies outside the Zone, don't show any female relations to Brock Callaway of your apparent age, so I must admit to being a bit dubious here."

"Did you, by any chance, compare my DNA to Brock's?" I asked.

"Um...no, I don't think we did," the Admiral admitted. "I believe when we scan someone's DNA, sex is a disqualifier in the search for the closest match. Why? What would we have found?"

"I'm betting you would have found that except for the sex coding, her DNA is an exact match for Brock's," Miri grinned.

The Admiral called the med station and had them do a comparison of the two DNA prints. She waited on the line as the techs did their thing. She thanked them and hung up.

"Miz Flowers," the Admiral said, "they found exactly what you said they would. I don't want to make any assumptions here, so I will ask, what does that mean?"

"It means," I smiled, "that I was Brock Callaway, Admiral."

"Call me Jess, please, Captain Callaway," the Admiral said as she looked at me appraisingly. "It's amazing, really. I'm guessing you took a body tailoring pill? I've never seen one so totally effective. You're devastatingly gorgeous, if you don't mind me saying so. Is this what you wanted? Or is it just an attempt to avoid the TSN?"

"Valerie, please," I said. "This is what I have wanted all my life. It cost me a year's salary for that pill. It was the best to be had. I certainly hope it was totally effective."

"You should have seen her before," Brian said. "That's the real amazing part. She doesn't look much different. The differences are very subtle except for a couple of areas. That she is this beautiful makes it all the more remarkable."

"Indeed," Jess agreed. "So, what about your ship, Valerie? Why do you say it's a corvette when its registry says it's a luxury yacht?"

"That's where the other four years of salary went to," I laughed. "That and some creative liberation of some Naval grade hardware and software. She is heavily modified. Her armor plating is thicker. Her point defenses are more effective and heavier. She has the very latest in stealth technology, is hyperspace capable and doesn't require a Jump Accelerator."

"All of which does not a corvette make," Jess pointed out.

"True," I agreed, "but the dreadnought main battery PBC and the six missile launchers do put her firmly in the corvette class."

"Wow," Jess said as I beamed with pride. "A dreadnought main battery cannon? How the heck did you fit that in there and how are you getting the power to run it?"

"Basically, I had the lower deck of the ship gutted; the cannon sits straight down the centerline," I explained. "The cannon is now basically a structural member of the ship. I also upgraded the reactor to the latest micronized technology. Even then, when the cannon is fired, it sucks power from every system but life support."

"Impressive," Jess said. "You obviously have a great deal of your life invested in that ship. I can now better understand your reaction to seeing her all shot up. Speaking of which, I am dying to hear the story of how you came to be here. It's obvious why you are here, Valerie, but what of you companions? Why have they joined you in exile?"

I recounted the events leading up to our arrival in her office, leaving out the part about our free pass with the drone, saying only that it hadn't been updated to see our IFF as hostile. As for my companions, I told her that their reasons were their own. The guys told her that they would follow me to hell if that were where I was going, but that they also fit in here, being gay and lovers as well.

"Hmm, now that causes me a bit of confusion," Jess said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Well, I don't know if I should say anything, but you say the gentlemen are an exclusive couple?" Jess asked. "And the four of you have been in space for 2 weeks?"

We all nodded.

"I don't know how to say this without causing any problems, but they can't be a monogamous couple," Jess said cryptically.

"Huh?" we all said, looking at each other. "Why not?" I asked.

"Because the med techs said Miz Flowers here is two weeks pregnant," Jess said and four sets of jaws hit the floor.

 

Chapter 19

 

"Pregnant, you say?" I asked, looking pointedly at Miri.

"Yes," Jess confirmed, "Our Med Techs verified it. Miz Flowers, the rabbit done died."

Miri made a small, strangled moan and looked at me plaintively.

"How is that possible?" I asked. "We were all on TSN regulation contraceptives. They are supposed to be 100% effective for women even if they were less so for men."

Miri's eyes grew even wider, then she put her face in her hands and groaned.

"Miri?" I asked, gently.

"I was due for the BC shot three days before I went on liberty for a month," Miri said from behind her hands. "I never got it."

"And while you were on liberty, you met someone and had sex with him before hearing about me and breaking me out," I theorized.

Miri's head came up sharply and her emerald eyes flashed with hurt and anger. "Fuck you, Valerie," she said quietly, then got up and walked out of the room as her eyes misted over. I just sat there looking confused.

"What was that all about?" I asked nobody in particular.

"Valerie, with all due respect to you as my commanding officer and my best friend," Brian answered, "You can be such a total moron sometimes. Don't you realize? That girl is absolutely committed to one person. Hell, I've been on liberty with her and saw her turn down guys that were so totally hot they made me wish I were a woman. She hasn't had sex with any guy, Valerie. Any guy that is, except one."

All at once comprehension struck me as to just whom Brian was talking about.

"So, what is she so upset about?" I asked.

"Valerie," Brian said, rolling his eyes and explaining slowly as if to a child, "how would you feel if she accused you of sleeping with someone else?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You know I wouldn't sleep..." I began, and then understood. "I see," I said weakly, feeling like a total jerk.

"Ah, so you and she are a couple then?" asked Jess, who had been quietly watching this little drama unfold. "That still doesn't explain how she got preggers."

"Admiral, you know how I came to be here," the Admiral nodded and I went on. "Well, right before I took the pill, we had sex as male and female one last time. So actually, the baby is mine. I'm the father."

The Admiral burst out laughing, then seeing nobody else was laughing, visibly got a grip on herself. "Sorry," she said, "but surely, you must see the irony. I think we are done here. I'm satisfied your intent isn't nefarious. Girl, go talk to your love. Yolanda took her to the station's bar. Erika will show you there. When you get things worked out, come talk to me and we'll figure out what to do from here."

"Oh, and boys," Jess said, freezing all three of us as we got up to leave, "You are free to go have a drink at the bar, but give the GIRLS their space to talk about this, k?" I blushed at her emphasis on "girls" because she had caught my little slip and reminded me subtly that I didn't have to respond to people addressing 'boys' anymore.

We left the office and the large blonde woman we had seen earlier led us to the bar, sans the body armor and the artillery piece. When we reached the bar, I saw the other member of our welcoming party, presumably Yolanda, sitting with her arm comfortingly around Miri's shoulders. The big black woman caught sight of me and whispered something into Miri's ear before getting up and heading my way.

"Captain Callaway," Yolanda said as she stepped up to me, "I know it's none of my business, but please, go easy on her. She feels like she's really screwed things up for you, but she's also a little pissed that you think she would sleep with anyone else."

"Understood...ah..." I said, looking at the woman for her rank. I didn't recognize the insignia on her collar.

"Sergeant Yolanda Collins, Ma'am," she supplied.

"Understood, Sergeant. And thanks for the heads up," I smiled gratefully to her.

"No problem, Ma'am," she said smiling back. "If they are agreeable, Erika and I are going to buy your gentlemen friends here a drink, so if you need anything we'll be nearby. Don't hesitate to ask."

"Free booze?" Dan said, grinning. "I'm always agreeable to free booze!" Brian and I groaned simultaneously, then I smiled.

"I understand you may live to regret that offer, Sergeant," I said cryptically as I walked off to join Miri.

"Hey beautiful," I said, stepping up behind her, "can I by you a drink?"

When she didn't say anything, I perched on the stool next to her and glanced at the nearly empty glass she was staring at intently. She was doing a pretty good job of ignoring me and making me feel even worse when the bartender approached and asked if I would like anything.

"I'll have what she's having, and another for her too please," I told him. Then to her I asked, "A Bloody Mary with a arsenic twist is it?"

"Two PW specials coming right up," the barkeep said and moved off, mumbling something about, "two of 'em, sheesh."

Miri still hadn't looked up from her glass or said anything by the time the bartender returned with glasses of a thick red fluid, presumably PW specials, whatever those were. I offered my credit chit, but the bartender said it had already been taken care of; so I thanked him and sat in silence until he moved away. I was getting really uncomfortable and I toyed nervously with my drink before finally taking a large swallow of it.

I gagged on the thick fluid that had some sort of strange bitter taste. It was everything I could do not to spray what was evidently some sort of vegetable mixture all over the bar. It tasted awful. "What the hell is this," I sputtered.

Miri looked up at me for the first time and grinned wryly at me. "You didn't think I was gonna be drinking booze while carrying our child did you?"

"Hey, Miri, look, I'm sorry..." I started.

"For what? It was my dumb-ass fault," she said, interrupting.

"I'm sorry for thinking that you had slept with anyone else," I corrected. "It was insensitive of me and I feel just terrible about it."

"Don't worry about it," she said. "I guess I overreacted. Must be the damn hormones."

"Miri, about that," I said, "I love you..."

"But we can't raise a child on the ship," she said, putting the words in my mouth. "It's okay. You can just drop me off at the nearest mudball, and start looking for a replacement. I won't hold you back."

I was getting irritated with her stupid self-pity, and I finally couldn't stand anymore of it. I jumped up from my stool and spun her around to face me. I looked her dead in the eye and told her if she interrupted me one more time I was going to pop her in the mouth.

"Listen, I have had about enough of your fucking pathetic moaning," I shouted, shaking with adrenaline. "I love you, you idiot, and this is my child too. I'm glad we're having it, and I WILL be there with you. Sure, we may not have been ready for this responsibility, but guess what? It happens. WE will deal with it together. You got that, Commander?"

Miri, wide eyed with surprise, was shocked out of her self-recrimination. She stared at me for a few moments before she grabbed me, hugged me tight and sobbed into my shoulder.

"I've ruined everything," she sobbed.

"No you haven't," I said gently, stroking her hair. "We just have to take a path we hadn't expected. It doesn't mean it's bad or good, just one we hadn't planned on. As long as we're together, how could it be bad?"

She looked up at me with hope in her eyes and kissed me thoroughly. When she broke the kiss, I smiled at her.

"Now, if that's all settled," I said somewhat breathlessly, "not being the one pregnant myself, I think I will have something a little more pleasant than a PW Special. What the hell was that anyway?"

"It's a vitamin drink for pregnant women, goofball" she said grinning. "Thus the name 'PW Special'. PW, as in Pregnant Woman."

I laughed hysterically at that until she mentioned something about making it necessary for me to become more familiar with the odious brew. As the color drained from my face, she laughed and said, "What? You didn't think I was going to be the only one of us to have to go through childbirth, did you?"

-=^=-

 

Follow our heroine and her crew as they adapt to the family life in the civilian sector in the next part, A Quiet Life. --LCG

  

  

  

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