Disclaimer: 'The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers' is copyrighted by Hearst Entertainment, Inc.
This is a work of fanfiction and I make no profit of it.
Ding-dong.
Someone was ringing her door. It was past 11 pm. Only Doc or Goose would visit that late, and she could sense that it was none of the two.
Ding-dong.
"Who is it?" Niko asked her AI and put the archeological report that she had been reading aside.
Ding-dong. Whoever it was, they were persistent.
"It is Ranger cadet Nalini," the AI announced.
Nalini? Niko remembered her from some of the self-defense classes she had given. The slender dark-haired woman was a quick learner and talented martial artist. Still, Niko hoped that the cadet had a good reason to stop by at this hour.
"Open the door, Teno." Niko's AI was actually named Tenochtitlan, but even she had given up on pronouncing that.
As soon as Nalini stepped in, Niko could feel that she was very upset.
"Ranger Niko, could I talk with you?"
"Of course. Please sit down."
Niko indicated the sofa, and Nalini took a seat, holding herself rigidly upright, looking anywhere but at Niko, and did not say a word.
"So what brings you here at this hour?" Niko tried to break the uncomfortable silence.
Nalini started sniffing.
Niko was surprised by the onslaught of emotions. Behind her calm exterior Nalini was desperate.
"What is it? You can tell me," Niko prodded gently.
Nalini still said nothing, but her tears were falling freely now.
Niko was at a loss what to do. She wanted to soothe the whirlwind of anguish and desolation she could sense in the other but did not know what had caused it.
"Have they dismissed you from the program?" she asked sympathetically.
"O my God, do you think they would do that? I can't go back to my family," Nalini sobbed.
"Well, first tell me what it is that you have done," Niko prodded again, trying to get to the heart of matters without pushing too much.
"I'm pregnant and I don't know what to do," Nalini stammered between sobs.
Niko was slightly taken aback. She had been expecting something worse like a political conspiracy or cover up for a lethal accident. She tried not to let that show.
Nalini was still crying. Niko shoved the tissue box on the table her way and waited.
When Nalini had somewhat composed herself, Niko asked calmly: "Are you going to have the baby?"
Nalini seemed shocked at the question and put a protective hand on her belly. "It would be against my faith not to."
Niko felt relieved to hear that.
Nalini was still sniffing. Niko got the feeling that the cadet needed a friend more than a superior and put her hand on Nalini's encouragingly.
"It's not the end of the world."
"But how can I have a baby and stay on the ranger program?" Nalini asked, her eyes wide and pleading.
Niko had to admit she did not know, she had never been in such a situation. But then there had to be people who had done it before.
"I am sure there is a way. I will inquire for you," Niko promised.
Nalini looked hopeful.
"Now why don't I make us some herbal tea and then you try to get some sleep?"
Niko got up early the next morning and started at once making some inquiries for Nalini.
She felt sorry for the young woman and her distress and was thankful there was something she could do to help her.
Some research later, Niko felt confident that the situation was under control. It seemed the cadet could take an absence of up to a year and then resume her training, and there was a crèche at Beta that accepted children starting of age three months. Things looked promising. To be sure, Niko decided to talk to some of the people involved personally. She did not have to be in the office until 9 am, so there was plenty of time.
Some talks later Niko felt quite positive that Nalini would be able to manage.
She got to the office just in time. Doc was already there and busy teaching his tweakers new tricks, or 'improving the security of the universe' as he called it.
"Hi, Niko, is something wrong? You're usually here much earlier," Doc greeted her.
Niko did not feel like elaborating where she had been. There were other matters to attend to.
"I had some errands to run. Now shall we go through that report about smuggler activity near Venus?"
Goose stopped by at the cafeteria to get a mug of coffee and a pastry for his morning break. It seemed as though the looks people were giving him today were even odder than usual. He wondered whether to listen in on the gossip or whether he would just hear a lot of things he had a) heard before and b) did not want to hear again.
When he heard Niko's name being mentioned, however, he decided to follow the conversation. And almost spilled his coffee.
No, that could not be true. Or could it?
"Doc, have you noticed anything unusual about Niko lately?" Goose asked apprehensively when he spotted Doc at the water dispenser.
Doc looked up from mixing cold and hot water at exactly the right temperature, which he had perfected to a science of its own.
"Not really. That is, she came in later than usual this morning, but I don't think that's a crime."
Goose tensed at that answer. No, it had to be a coincidence. She had probably just been chatting with Audra or whoever else of her friends was currently working in a different time zone.
"You look somewhat pale, my Gooseman. Don't tell me you've been listening to the rumors?"
"Which rumors?" Goose pressed immediately.
Doc shrugged.
"I don't really keep track, but the latest I heard had Niko as a spy for the Crown Empire, you were secretly planning a rock career together with Nimrod the Cat, and I was actually a Supertrooper in disguise. Oh, and Zachary is Walsh's illegitimate son."
Goose relaxed. "I guess we really shouldn't listen to those rumors then," he said with a wry smile. "I mean, come on, when would Walsh have left his work long enough to have a son?"
After that conversation with Goose, Doc felt just the tiniest bit unsettled. He knew most rumors were just silly gossip, but some could be dangerous, especially if they contained a grain of truth.
He decided to get an update on the latest buzz of the office, just to be sure.
Most of the 'unconfirmed news' he heard were not worth the time that it took him to listen to them, but there was one about Niko that got his attention. Usually he would have dismissed it out of hand, but with Goose' earlier inquiry in mind he was not quite so sure. Maybe Goose knew something he did not?
When Zachary heard the two women behind him on the shuttle talking about maternity leave and crèche opening hours, he breathed a big sigh of relief that his own kids were well past that age. Even when the two gossipers started making assumptions about Ranger Niko, he ignored it. Countless years of not listening to ill-informed rumors about him and Eliza having a third child (or which illegal sources of income he used to support his first two kids) had honed his skills in dismissing silly tittle-tattle.
It was only when he received a confidential email from Niko where she asked him about the cost of child minders and emergency babysitters that he started feeling a little bit concerned. Now what would be a tactful way to bring up the question with her why exactly she needed such information?
Niko spent her lunch break with Doc and Goose while Zachary was eating with someone from his old unit. She dug hungrily into her pea stew. Planning an under-cover mission and working out the details of a disguise was hard work too.
Luckily, the quality of the canteen food had greatly improved since Kiwi scientists had helped Earth develop plants that were both nutritious and tasty. She especially liked the fresh herbs. She decided to get a second helping.
Goose volunteered to get it for her, which was very practical since almost any queue seemed to magically part for him.
"So is it true that Captain Yang of the 'Julia' is getting married?" she asked when everyone was back at the table. She had heard that rumor while standing in line for her food and was curious if anyone knew more.
Was it just her imagination or were her colleagues giving her strange looks? She dismissed it. Maybe men were not interested in that kind of information.
Doc kept throwing glances at her as she was peeling the orange she wanted to eat for dessert.
"Is everything all right, Doc?" she asked, a little bit concerned what all this was about.
"Sure, Niko." He gave her his best impression of an innocent smile.
"But do you think you should be cutting off the peel quite that closely? I mean, there is a lot of vitamin K in the white matter, and you might need that with your – I mean you have a stressful job and should eat enough vitamins…" he trailed off.
"Thank you for your concern, Doc. Anything else?"
This was definitely strange.
"I don't think I'm going to eat my fruit salad," Goose spoke up. "Would you want it, Niko?" and he pushed the bowl of raisins, apples and pears towards her.
It was beyond strange.
And very suspicious.
Niko crossed her arms and looked sternly at her two comrades.
"Spit it, guys. What do you have to confess?"
Doc and Goose looked at each other in alarm.
"I don't have anything to confess," Doc stuttered. "Do you, Goose?"
"Definitely not," the Supertrooper growled.
Niko decided there were things she just did not need or want to know.
Zachary's alarm grew when he watched Doc and Goose around Niko. They were holding doors open for her, would not let her carry anything, and Goose was trying to dissuade her from drinking coffee.
He wondered what would be a polite and discreet way to ask the two whether they knew anything – or just wanted to plead guilty straight ahead. And what should he do if they did? It would have been a major break of team conduct guidelines.
No, he would not accept losing his team so easily. If Niko was already asking about child minders that was a good sign. He decided to dig up his old contacts to help her. There was no reason a young mother needed to be away from her job longer than six weeks –six months at most, if she really insisted.
Niko had just finished studying the intelligence about the smugglers near Venus and was surfing the net to give herself a break. She searched for some websites about mothers to be and clicked on the section about baby toys since she wanted to give Nalini a small gift for her child.
That was when Zachary came over. She quickly minimized the window with the baby toys, but he decidedly ignored it anyway.
"Niko, about what you asked me this morning, I compiled a list for you."
He handed her a piece of paper. She wondered why he was whispering.
"These are the babysitters Eliza and I used. They're still in business and very stress-tolerant. I also asked around about day-and-night care and families who take in children for several days. We didn't need them since Eliza was there, but I heard from reliable sources that they are very good. I've attached their references."
He took a break as if not really sure whether he should continue.
Finally he said, "I know that this is not my business but the easiest way really would be to marry the father and take care of the kid together."
He swallowed nervously and looked past her.
Niko did not know what to make of it.
"Thanks, Zach, I'll pass that along."
When Zozo heard the good news, he called Waldo straight ahead.
It was wonderful to see that their friends were multiplying.
Together the two ambassadors thought about suitable gifts.
When Niko entered her office the next morning, the surprising sight of a basket full of fresh fruit on her desk greeted her.
"Seems like your secret admirer sent you a gift," Goose commented, irritated.
"I'm not aware of any secret admirers, Shane," she replied evenly.
She read the card. "Besides, this is from Zozo."
The card read 'May your life be even fuller with joy from now on.'
Strange.
There was a smaller gift-wrapped parcel standing next to the basket. She read the card. 'May you gain and impart much wisdom'. It was signed by Waldo. She unwrapped the parcel and found – a tiny abacus and a rattle with the design of Earth's solar system?
A horrible suspicion started to fill her. She whirled around.
"You can't be all thinking that … "
All of a sudden the office became so quiet that one could have heard a paper clip drop.
Everyone looked at Niko expectantly.
"Please, there is no reason to assume that I am…" she tried again, then caught herself. The first law of the rumor mill was that if you denied something, you actually confirmed it.
This called for a more refined strategy. She assumed the formal posture that she usually reserved for telling off Tarkonian dignitaries.
"There is no reason whatsoever to assume that I am suffering from vitamin deficiency."
Everyone stared at her, nonplussed.
"And now get back to work."
If she waited some time, this rumor would just die away naturally.
A week later the rumor showed no sign of decrepitude, but her nerves did. Niko was tired and sick of her colleagues' over-protectiveness. They would not even allow her to stand for any prolonged period of time. Niko was desperately hoping for a chance to clarify things.
The opportunity arose when Commander Walsh called the team of S5 Rangers into his office to discuss a most severe matter.
As they assembled around his desk, the Commander gave them his most uncompromising stare.
"Now, Rangers, some disturbing rumors have come to my attention. And I want to hear the truth, nothing but the truth, and no omissions."
"Sir," Niko spoke up, "these rumors are completely unfounded. I am not pregnant."
Walsh looked surprised.
Goose, Doc and Zachary looked incredibly relieved.
Walsh looked uncomfortable at that and gave the impression as though he wondered whether he should worry about just how relieved the three male rangers seemed.
"I'm glad to hear that, Ranger Niko, but …" The Commander looked sternly at everyone.
"I'm actually referring to the rumors that you four helped Tarkonian rebels steal technological equipment from the General."