'Why are you so anxious? This is a good thing, isn't it?' Alexis said. 'This is what you want. This is what's going to save your species.'
'Then why are you so anxious?' Drake said with a sardonic smile.
Alexis frowned. 'Am I? I thought that was you.'
Drake scratched his neck. 'It's natural to feel anxious when we don't know what to expect.'
'How soon will they take me to Zibon 8? Do we really have to go?'
At least there was Aisha, Alexis reminded herself. At least she wouldn't be alone. And soon the others would be pregnant and quickly follow. When she'd found out Aisha was pregnant, she'd never been so relieved in all her life. She hadn't realised how desperately afraid and alone she'd felt. They really needed to speak with each other. They needed to be fast friends. But, for the moment, she was there, going through the same things—and that was enough.
'We'll find out soon enough.' Drake was looking down at his I-Spy sombrely. He'd received the call that he must meet with the contingent ASAP.
'I'm coming with you.'
Drake opened his mouth to protest.
'I'm just as much a part of this process as you are. More so! We are equal partners—and I will be there.'
'They want you in the infirmary. The gestational specialists are requesting you now. They're getting everything ready.'
'Too bad.' She folded her arms. 'I'm not a fucking animal. Besides, I want you with me. When they poke and prod me, I want you with me.'
Alexis felt an unusual sensation through their bond. Something large and strong seemed to rise up between them. Drake towered over her as he took her face and kissed her hard on the mouth.
'I won't let them do anything to you you don't want, understand me? And you're right. I want to be with you too.'
He was feeling protective, that was what the unusual feeling was. Very protective, in a way that made her fearful to be his enemy.
He took her hand. 'Like I said, you're right. You should know everything—as equal partners.'
His hand was firm around hers as they made their way in a direction she'd never been before. The ship itself looked much the same no matter where one went. The same curved windows. The same metal flooring. The same quiet and curious Zibons passing them by.
The room they entered was simple. Carpeted. Large table in the middle. There was a huge viewing window looking out into space. There was nothing unique about it, except for the group of Zibons milling around the table. They all turned as they entered. Immediately, Alexis's eyes fell upon the two women. Her mouth fell open.
'She's supposed to be in the infirmary,' Captain Ream spoke gruffly.
'You want me to come, then Alexis comes with me too,' Drake said.
Alexis's eyes hadn't left the two women, both of whom were staring right back at her. Alexis lifted her chin. This felt like familiar territory, like she was back home in her rough neighbourhood, expressing her dominance. They might be big and tall but they had nothing over her. She was the special one. She was the one who had been forcibly removed from home and who had since proved to be more than any of these people—these aliens—could imagine.
Ultimately, she was the one who had the power here.
Drake squeezed her hand. Alexis continued to stare until the two women looked away.
'So be it.' A Zibon with black hair waved his hand in dismissal.
A grey-haired Zibon was watching her closely. 'If the gestational specialists can't have her in the infirmary, then they might as well be here.' He nodded towards another Zibon who pulled out his I-Spy.
There were six new Zibons. She recognised Captain Ream and Quinton and that was all. The group sat down at the table. Taking Alexis's hand, Drake pulled her down beside him. It was only moments when another small group of aliens entered the room. In the midst of them all was Aisha.
Alexis almost stood in excitement. Their eyes caught and they smiled at each other.
'Why is she here?' one of them spoke, gesturing at Alexis. 'We were waiting to begin.'
'Perhaps after,' a female Zibon said, folding her hands upon the table. 'Since they refuse to cooperate, you might as well listen in on what they have to say.'
'It's not that I refused,' Alexis snapped. 'It's that I won't be pushed.'
The Zibon woman's yellow eyes flicked to her, then away again. The Zibon sitting next to Quinton rose to give Aisha his seat.
And so the meeting began. For the most part, Alexis tried to follow but much of what they spoke about was too technical for her understanding, about genetics and cellular mapping and interspecific evolution. It made her feel a bit like a science project. Frequently, the aliens would glance her way, their eyes darting over her mark much more than she liked. They did the same with Aisha who was shrinking further and further in her seat, her face burning red.
Finally, they got to the part where it interested her.
'We shall monitor their foetal growth until they reach mid-term before attempting further bondings. We must know that these pregnancies are viable before attempting formal communication with these prehistoric aliens.'
Alexis's eyebrows shot up. 'Prehistoric?'
They all looked at her.
'I'm sorry, did that offend you?' Balvor with the grey hair spoke. 'It is merely the truth. We have been in existence for millions of years. You—only hundreds of thousands.'
Alexis had to will herself not to grind her teeth. 'Millions, you say?' She looked around the room in contempt. 'And this is the best you've done?'
A hush fell. Alexis curved her mouth, feeling Drake's proud laughter rippling quietly through their bond. He was barely holding on, looking down into his lap as he tried to force the smile from his face.
Balvor was glaring. The women were stiff. Aisha was staring at her with an impressed smile.
Balvor cleared her throat. 'As I was saying, we cannot risk open dialogue just yet.'
'I disagree,' Davan spoke. 'Why not take the risk? What else have we go to lose? Besides, what if these aliens don't want to agree?'
'They will,' Balvor said. 'Their planet is deteriorating. We have what they need to fix it. They'll have no choice.'
'And if these babies don't work out, what do we have to lose? At the very least we can study them.'
Alexis baulked, suddenly imagining thousands of tubes, each with a dead foetus suspended in fluid. Or did they mean the mothers? Did they mean to study Alexis and the others? Acquire their eggs. Examine their uteruses.
Alexis went to speak but another Zibon beat her to it. 'Six months,' he said. He had massive shoulders and big hands which were folded upon the table. His eyes were glittering. 'Six months isn't that far away, can you believe it? If she were to deliver at that point, the baby will survive ...'
'... unless it's defective ...'
'... and if it's female ...'
They all looked at each other. One of the women peered sharply at Drake. 'Do you know the sex yet?'
Drake was quiet.
Alexis snapped her head around. 'Drake? You already know? But it's only been a week!'
'We did a chromosomal analysis the last time we monitored you,' he told her.
Chromosomal analysis? 'And you weren't going to tell me.'
'You said you didn't want to know.'
Alexis bit down on her lip.
'Well?' spoke the black-haired Zibon, Davan.
'It's female.'
The big-shouldered Zibon shot up from the table. Raking his hand through his hair, he stood before the window. The rest of the room fell into stunned silence before rousing again in an explosion of excitement.
*
Alexis didn't seem well. She was pale and her eyes were shining. Though she was putting up a strong front, it was too much for her. Too much attention. Too much pestering about the most private of things. She stood to leave and Drake stood along with her.
He gently took her wrist.
'I'm okay. I just need to be alone,' she said.
'I'll come with you.'
'No,' she said fiercely. 'Let me know what they say. I'll see you back in our room.'
She frowned as she caught the leering eyes of the Zibons crowding the table.
'Could you stop looking at her!' Drake snapped. 'A little respect would be nice.'
Heads turned his way, then to each other again as they whispered excitedly.
Alexis left the room.
'Alexis!' Aisha hurried after her.
Davan was gripping at his head. 'I cannot believe this. And you, Quinton, what is yours?'
'A boy,' he said coolly.
'Still good! Two pregnancies and one a female!'
'They should not be left alone,' Frizz spoke as he stood at the window, his giant hands folded in front of him. Frizz was Zibon 8's most foremost gestational specialist, Drake had come to learn after a quick rundown from Captain Ream. Both surprising and unsurprising. Drake should have expected that the best of the best would arrive to preside over such a scientific and historical event.
'They need to be closely monitored,' Frizz continued. 'They must come back to Zibon 8 where we have the right equipment on hand. If anything should go awry, it'll be too dangerous to transport them back via the neutronic wave.'
'I'm not sure if she's ready for that just yet—going back to Zibon 8,' Drake said. 'Her friends are here. She's comfortable.'
'The same with Aisha,' Quinton added.
'It's really not up to you,' came Merry's quiet voice. Another gestational specialist, Merry was an infertile female who'd spent her life researching, procuring, caring and rearing the next generation. 'She needs to be in a safe place where she and her baby can be supported and protected.'
'It's safe enough here, until she's close to delivery,' Drake said firmly.
Merry raised her eyebrows. 'Weren't you recently attacked by the Wrilings? She could have died! They could have died! And all might have been lost.'
'It will be her decision.'
'Then convince her. For the health of herself and the baby. You know how dangerous it can be. And to have a Rictorian-Zibon hybrid!—who knows what might happen?'
'We cannot risk it,' Davan said. 'Whether or not they agree to it, they must leave.'
'Perhaps all of them,' Balvor added thoughtfully. 'If these women are as fertile as we think, then they must all be transferred back to Zibon 8 promptly.'
Quinton and Drake looked at each other. The group of Zibons started discussing it with each other.
'What do you think?' Drake asked quietly.
'I think it's a good idea. If all of them go she won't be alone.' Quinton's forehead furrowed. 'I'm worried, Drake, as much as you must be. What if the unfortunate happens? I can't ... I can't lose her. Or my son. My son.'
The word sounded so unfamiliar. It seemed to ring in Drake's ears. 'My daughter.' He'd never actually said it out loud before. It made the blood rush to his ears. A warm feeling circulated in his chest.
'Let's do it,' Drake said loudly. The group quietened. 'If you allow all of them to go, I can convince her. You're right. What's the point of staying on this ship? We have a new mission now—saving our species. But I want your promise that you won't conduct any tests or examinations without her consent. Or mine.'
'You have our promise,' spoke Merry.
'And I want it filed. Signed and notified.'
'Absolutely.' She gave a frustrated smile. 'It's not as though you can trust us or anything.'
'It's not so much trust,' Quinton said. 'You know as well as we do that there is much at stake. You might do anything ...'
'We will not!' Frizz snapped. 'We've always treated mothers respectfully. They are the heart of our species.'
'They are Rictorian ...'
'... the mothers of Zibon babies. And resistant to Wriling attack! Strong, impenetrable, fertile ...' Frizz's eyes were shining.
Merry and the other Zibon woman were looking annoyed.
' ... intelligent, independent, important,' Drake finished for him.
'Well, that's it then.' Davan leaned back into his seat, looking smug. 'We will take them all to Zibon 8 and set them up in the women's quarters.'
'I want to assess them first,' Frizz said. 'Make sure it's safe for the two mothers and do a brief workup of the others. Strong they might be, but we can't take things for granted ...' He rapped his fingers against the table.
'Is that enough for us then?' Drake stood. Quinton stood along with him.
Balvor gave a sharp nod. 'Unless anybody else has anything to say?' He turned to the group but no one spoke.
'Captain Ream?' Quinton said.
The captain looked up from the table. He'd been very quiet. 'You're free to go.'
'If you could bring the initial group of women to the infirmary ASAP,' Frizz said. 'Inform the other operatives. I'll work them up first, followed by the second group of thirteen.' He looked through the window towards the growing blue ball of Rictor 5. 'There is so much to do.'