Disclaimer: I don't own Space Cases or any of these characters.
Summary: What if the egg from "It's My Birthday Too" really did contain a baby Andromedan? What would the crew of the Christa do with her?
After Radu helped hatch the baby Andromedan, the crew of the Christa didn't know quite what to do. What happened after a baby Andromedan was hatched?
"Well, just like a baby human, we need to check her over," Radu told his adopted family. "Make sure she's healthy."
"It's a baby girl?" Rosie cooed. She leaned over to see the little one; Radu hadn't given her up since she was born. The infant looked like a normal baby, except for the Andromedan ears and a full head of wavy light brown hair. Her hair was down to her little shoulders already. "Typical. It'll lengthen and thicken as she grows older," Radu explained. "And her strength and hearing won't fully develop for a couple of years yet." The little one began to cry.
"What's wrong with her?" the Commander panicked.
"Nothing! She's a baby," Catalina laughed. "She can cry." She went over to a nearby first aid cupboard and pulled out a blanket.
"Where did she come from? Why was there an Andromedan egg back on Signus-12?" Miss Davenport asked, confused, as Catalina handed Radu the blanket and he wrapped it around the newborn infant.
"Maybe there was a ship of Andromedans that explored the planet just like we did, and her egg rolled out of their cargo hold or got left behind by accident," Rosie pointed out.
"We could alert passing ships that we have her aboard," Harlan suggested. "Maybe one of them can claim her."
"And if none of them do?" Catalina challenged. "What do we do with her? Take her back to the Starcademy with us?" She looked at the Commander for guidance, but he appeared to be lost in thought.
"Well, one thing's for sure," Radu declared, rocking the baby in her arms to keep her from crying. "This little Andromedan is going to have a birthday and a family. She's going to grow up with a group of people she belongs to, an-and not just in some hatchery where she's just a number."
"She deserves that," Commander Goddard said quietly. He stood up, his shoulders back. "All right, people, I'm making a commanding decision. We'll alert passing ships, just as Mr. Band suggested. And if no one claims her, she's coming back to the Starcademy with us. We can't just abandon a child."
Rosie and Catalina squealed with delight, but Harlan didn't appear to be too pleased. "Oh, great," he groaned sarcastically. "Another pesky Andromedan."
But everyone knew he was kidding. Radu just hugged the baby closer to his chest and smiled.
"I asked Bova what we should name her, you know, because it's his birthday," Radu told Rosie down in the medical bay later. Rosie was examining the newborn baby girl, who was wearing one blanket as a cloth diaper and another blanket as extra cover. "I wanted him to have the honor. That's why I have him the egg in the first place. And he says we should name her Signa, because we found her on Signus-12."
"That doesn't sound bad," Rosie remarked as she scanned Signa's body with some sort of wand. The end of the wand beeped three times, and Rosie put the wand down. "Well, according to this, she's completely healthy. Temperature's fine, internal organs are fine, and her blood pressure and pulse are fine."
"Did you have a good look inside her ears? Too much wax buildup leads to infection."
Rosie turned the medical wand inside of one of Signa's ears, and pressed a button. "Yep, plenty of wax. Thanks, Radu." She pressed another button to clean out the wax, and Signa sent out a cry.
"It's okay, Signa. She's just cleaning your ears." Radu grasped her little hand.
Signa cried again as Rosie cleaned her other ear.
"You know, you might as well get used to it," Radu advised her. "Those ears are going to be causing you a lifetime of discomfort. But don't worry, I'll teach you how to use them."
"You shouldn't get too attached to her, Radu. We may find a ship that lost her within the hour."
"But what if we don't? We're going to need decent clothes for her, a bed, food-"
"What do baby Andromedans eat? What do they do?''
"Not much. Just eat, sleep, and soil their diapers. They don't eat much, just mashed fruit and a lot of milk."
"Mmmmm," came Signa, stretching her little arms.
"It's okay, little Signa. Big brother Radu is right here," Radu cooed, picking her up from the examining table. Signa let out a squeal.
Rosie didn't know whether to feel jealous that Radu was hogging the baby, or afraid, considering he would most likely have a breakdown once the Christa was forced to give her away.
Catalina had put together a bed for Signa, consisting of a beanbag from the lounge covered in blankets. She claimed that the baby was going to sleep in her and Rosie's room, but Miss Davenport had to intervene, telling them that the infant had to sleep with a responsible adult.
"Well, thank goodness, because she sure isn't sleeping in our room," Harlan said crossly that evening at dinner. "I will not share my space with another Andromed-"
"Shut up," Radu snapped at him. "She's less than a day old. She's harmless."
"Gentlemen," scolded the Commander. "The point is that we have to make sure she's taken care of overnight, and I agree that Miss Davenport is the best person to do that."
"I finished her bottles," Radu announced. "I put together a couple of baby bottles using some old rubber scraps and plastic drinking cups from here in the galley."
"And I mended some extra blankets into clothes for her," Rosie added. "We can still keep using the cloth diapers."
Little Signa, who was resting in her beanbag bed over in the corner, began to cry. "I think she's hungry," said Radu immediately, jumping up from his chair. "I'll feed her!"
"Radu-" the Commander began.
But there was no stopping him. Radu grabbed one of the new bottles, which was ready and waiting, and took Signa out into the hall to feed her.
Signa responded well to the makeshift bottle. The milk was exactly what she needed; she calmed down almost immediately, closing her eyes and taking in the rich nourishment. Radu held her in his arms; she was more than a baby Andromedan to him. She was a little sister, a younger being whom he could love. He wanted to give her the childhood he'd never had. He'd grown up in a hatchery with attendants giving him food and other basic needs, but not their love. He didn't want that to happen to Signa.
"Radu, we really must have a talk about Signa," Miss Davenport said, interrupting his private time with the infant as she walked out of the galley. "She's a child that doesn't belong to us. The Commander and I feel you are becoming a bit too attached."
"Miss Davenport, I just want to show her that someone loves her. Most Andromedan babies never receive that." Signa was pushing the bottle away; Radu took it away and set it down on the floor.
"I understand, Radu, but what will happen when we're forced to give her up to her own people?"
"Maybe I'll be able to persuade them to love her too," Radu said softly, gazing down at Signa's face.
"Mmmmmm," Signa replied.