JUNE

BATALLA HALL

1423 hours

My boot heels click along the gleaming marble floor as I stride down the long hallway towards The Elector's office. The four soldiers standing guard outside the hand carved oak doors salute as I approach. I return the gesture and raise an eyebrow at the young solider on my right Sgt. Lucas. The alignment of his jacket is off because he has a nervous habit of shifting his weight from one leg to the other when he stands watch. I've scolded him before for this so he blushes at my silent admonition. I turn away from him and knock twice just above the carved republic seal, the door opens and two more of my soldiers stand just to the right and left inside. Anden graciously rises from his cherry wood desk as I enter and bow respectfully. "Commander Iparis" he says softly as he nods at me "Thank you for coming" he glances at the soldiers and they leave quietly. "Commander" he starts again after the door closes I tilt my head at him and try not to sigh "June" he corrects, coming out from behind his desk "Will you sit? " He gestures to the dark leather armchairs positioned in front of a large fireplace framed by bookshelves to the far left side of his sprawling office. I nod and sink into a chair he does the same. When after a moment he doesn't say anything I start "Anden, is everything alright?" we see each other nearly every day and meet weekly. While our relationship is considerably more formal now and occasionally awkward I would like to think we are friends. Today, something is on his mind and by the way his hands twitch like he's trying to keep from fidgeting I don't think it's strictly work related.

He sighs and laughs a little under his breathe "I want to talk to you about something personal…I have a favor to ask of you actually " I look at him expectantly, waiting for him to go on "It's Alisha " he says uncomfortably and this time I laugh. Alisha is Anden's girlfriend she's the daughter of a prominent businessman in the Colonies. She and Anden met when she joined her Father at the annual State banquet given in honor of the peace treaty. Shortly thereafter she moved here, to the new capitol, to shadow in our senate as part of an exchange program set up to encourage communication and understanding between our two countries.

They've been together for eight months now and while I've met her I don't know her. "What about Alisha?" I ask allowing a hint of teasing to creep into my voice. Anden smiles at my tone, and continues "I was thinking….I want…What would you think if I asked Alisha to join me on the diplomatic tour in Mexico next month?"

Hm. Wow. I understand why he wants my opinion, as Lead Commander and subsequently head of his security if Alisha were to join him officially she would come under my protection as well. Of course I suspect he is also wondering what I think as his former girlfriend. "Are you planning to propose?" I ask quietly, they haven't been together for a year yet but at Thirty-one people have begun to wonder when Anden will marry, start a family. My stomach clenches in guilt for a second when I think about what it will be like when I have to come clean to Anden….

Tess first. I think and then Day, Anden can wait.

"No." he says "Not just yet, It's something I have considered though and I thought it might be best to give her a chance to experience that sort of thing before I trap her, what if she hates it as much as you did?" I laugh again and lean forward "I don't think that's possible " now it's his turn to laugh and he relaxes a bit into the arm chair, correctly interpreting my playful response as approval "I hope you're right, I know people will make assumptions if she joins me but honestly June, I don't care. I want to know how Alisha will feel in that situation and I want to know if you think I am being stupid" I don't. Not exactly, I know how much he wants this to work but that doesn't mean the logistics don't concern me. "Of course not, I never think that" I tell him, we can talk about logistics another time "Now tell me about this favor?" he shifts in is chair and stares at the fire for a moment as if gathering courage "I want you to get to know her" he says casting me a glance that's almost sheepish "She's, well, she's a little intimidated by you, afraid of you actually and I hoped we, the four of us might have dinner tonight?"

The years I spent schooling my face to remain expressionless are the only thing that save me. The four of us!? I am instantly envisioning a scenario where Day and Anden, the only two men I have ever shared a bed with, who have not met in ten years sit at a table making small talk, which Day still loathes, whilst I try not to vomit in Alisha's lap.

For a moment I wonder if he is serious, but Anden is always serious and I forget sometimes how truly lonely his life can be. I am lucky to have Tess, Pascao and now Day and Eden even some old Drake classmates who are captains and commanders in the military. I have peers and friends. Subordinates surround the Elector most of them still years older than he is, subordinates and people who want something from him. For a long time Anden only had me. "I'll ask Daniel" I say carefully.

I can only imagine how that will go.

DAY

The air-vent in this room is a fancy porous glasslike panel that precisely maintains the chemical composition of air in the room 79%Nitrogen 21%Oxygen perfect for human homeostasis.

I picked up a lot of useless factoids in Antarctica, I bet June is the only other person I know who would know that. And Eden, June and Eden.

When I was a teenager a panel like that would have stumped me. If I had been a prisoner in this sealed room I would have been stuck. Now though, now I'm pretty sure I could bust out of here in less than twenty seconds. Shame I can't test my theory. I hate meetings like this but since I'm the one who called it I am not allowed to engineer an escape.

We are reviewing the Intel I managed to collect over the past two weeks and what it boils down to is a goddy lot of nothing, one hazy picture of a guy that represents hundreds of hours of work.

But it's a hell of a lot more than we had before so the other agents, both here at the embassy and those who are on the call virtually from Antarctica are excited.

Even Jessalyn is impressed although she'd rather die a million gruesome deaths than admit it. Tall and lithe with legs for days, wide set blue eyes and golden blonde hair Jessalyn is undoubtedly beautiful. From a distance we could almost be related, she has the same eastern European beauty my mother had and we've passed as siblings on one or two missions. Usually we played the role of lovers though.

It should not come as a surprise that most Intel agents are nondescript, the type of people you can have a whole conversation with and forget what they looked like as soon as they walk away. Jessalyn and I are the acceptation so we were partners anytime a job called for flair over subtly.

We also dated on and off for a few years, nothing serious, never exclusive. I was surprised by how angry she was when I moved here to be with June, and Eden of course. We hadn't been together in ages before I left but for whatever reason she's furious about June. Her eyes narrow every time her name comes up and I can tell she thinks she could rip June apart if she wanted to. The idea makes me laugh. Jessalyn is deadly and a full head taller but June would destroy her in seconds, no one compares to June, no one even comes close.

Thinking about June just makes just me want to get out of this room and home to her so I decide to see if I can get things moving "Dakota" I say. The others stop comparing the photo on their tablets to the database of known criminals and look at me "I think the important question here is why is this guy working out of Dakota?"

As a recent addition to Antarctican territory Dakota is a frontier for resourceful upstarts looking for the opportunity to level up outside of the main game system. Those who could deal without luxuries and were able to integrate with the thousands of former Republic citizens who stayed have done well. But Dakota is a community still in development and has little to offer someone playing the international spy game.

From what we know the guy we had been following who lead us to his contact in Dakota is deeply entrenched with people in international black-market trade, which means there is a ton of money behind them. Our Intel suggests the organization he works for is trying to broker a deal with a few countries to get their delegates in the UN to look the other way on minor crimes like, ya know, human trafficking... dirty trots.

What we don't know yet is who is considering the offer and what they want besides money. We also don't know exactly what our guy in Dakota's role is in all this. This is the first picture anyone's seen of him and it seems he's new on the scene so he probably has some powerful connections to be playing with the big boys.

I think of the dream I had last night again, that nagging feeling that the man in the photo is somehow connected to June.

The others launch into a discussion about Dakota but I'm distracted by the message that pops up on my tablet. I've missed two calls from June. Signals are jammed in here so as soon as there is a lull in the conversation I excuse myself, a few of my superiors frown and Jessalyn's virtual image rolls her eyes but I haven't been able to stop worrying about June since this morning so I ignore them an step out of the room to return the call.

"Having a good day?" June's voice rings in my ear "Sure thing sweetheart, I just love these meetings" I say "Everything ok?" she almost never calls more than once. She sighs and it's a frustrated sound "The Elector would like us to join him for dinner" well that's unexpected "Your ex-boyfriend wants to have dinner with me?" I respond flatly, I mean lets call it like it is here none of this elector stuff "Day" she pleads "I didn't know what to tell him, he asked us to join them for dinner tonight, I can't just say no" June only forgets to use my name when she's flustered, or when we're…never mind. I think it's cute actually, I don't mind Day especially not from her. June thinks it's evidence that she's stuck in the past, I think it's just a habit. "Wait, who's them?" I ask "Anden and Alisha, his girlfriend" oh, this just gets more cracked by the minute "Hell" I say "like a double date June?" there is a short pause on the line and I can tell she's trying to work out a pleasant spin that doesn't make the whole idea sound incredibly awkward eventually she gives up "Yes, that's pretty much the gist of it" I think of about ten colorful responses but I keep them to myself. Instead respond in my best impersonation of that clipped high society accent "But June darling whatever will I wear?" she laughs "Thank you! I'm sorry if this ruins our dinner plans" I can tell she's relieved I've agreed so easily "Now you'll just never know what romantic adventure I had in store " I tease "Are you headed home? Should I meet you there?" she pauses again and this time it seems laced with anxiety "I'm on my way over to Lake actually, I have to run an errand, I can meet you at your place if that's easier?" Lake? What errand is she running in Lake? Curiosity washes over me "Why don't you call when you're done and we'll figure it out, I've got to get back inside if I'm gonna be set free before I'm ninety" she agrees and we hang up.

As I walk back to the sealed room I decide maybe I should swing by Lake too and see if I can catch up with June.

JUNE

LAKE SECTOR

1605 hours

I make calls a string of calls and arrange all the plans for dinner while I walk through Lake, hammering down the security team as well as the restaurant. I've decide it makes the most sense to go to a small out of the way place in Ruby with excellent food, a discreet staff and most importantly manageable entrances and exits. I send a team in early to sweep the preemies and consider sending Jacob, the Elector's double; to a more high profile restaurant before deciding it's overkill. This is a "double date" as Day called it not a banquet. Besides I haven't had to deal with any serious threats on Anden's life since a disgraced senator hired someone to assassinate him in our apartment. The assassin and the senator seriously underestimated me. Both are dead.

That was right around the time I started sleeping with weapons though. Probably not a kid friendly habit I think.

With that I take a deep breath and place the call.

"Tess?" I say softly when she picks up "June! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Her voice is kind but I don't miss the touch of sarcasm "Got a minute?" I respond, she sighs "Of course June, I'll be done with my last patient soon where do you want to meet?" I look around the ally that joins this series of tiny compact buildings. New buildings, clean, Lake has changed a lot since I first met Day and Tess here "I'm at the ally door" I say, there is a pause before she responds, "I'll be ten minutes" and hangs up.

Seven minutes later the door swings opens and Tess waves me inside. I follow her through the hallway to one of the cramped exam rooms, probably only 40sq ft. but well maintained. Tess grabs a gown from one of the drawers and tosses it at me. "Get changed and I'll be right back, I'm gonna send Amy home" I do and less three minutes later Tess comes in crosses her arms and looks me up and down, then without a word she comes over and gets to work; she takes my blood pressure, listens to my chest, feels my abdomen and takes a small vial of blood spinning it down and putting a sample into a machine on the wall. Eight minutes and fifteen seconds after she began she pulls a screen up on her small desk turns to me and says softly "You're pregnant"

I knew that. I did.

Tess's head is tilted, eyebrows furrowed in concern trying to understand what's going on in my head, why I didn't come to her weeks ago. I look at her warm eyes for a moment and then I burst into tears. It is an ugly uncontrolled hiccupping kind of sobbing and I can't understand why exactly I'm doing it I also can't seem to stop. Eventually Tess pulls over the blue swivel chair and places one of her small pale hands on each of my knees. She looks at me and waits for me to hold her gaze then she calmly says "June, If I weren't afraid you would tear my arms off I would slap you right now" I can't help but laugh, "I would slap me too" I say "What is going on, why didn't you tell me?" she asks.

So I tell her. I tell her all the fears I have about having children and losing them or leaving them. I tell her about Day and how afraid I am of hurting him again. I tell her how desperately I love him and how out of control that makes me feel. That I can't help thinking I will loose him again.

Tess listens while I say more than I think I've ever said in one sitting and when I am finally quiet she tells me "It's ok that you're afraid June, trust me it's normal. But this kind of fear isn't you and I don't think you know what to do with it. You've got to let go of the cracked idea that Day is just going to disappear someday. For one thing you were the one who walked away ten years ago and for another he knows what you did, he's forgiven you Eden's forgiven you, hell June I forgave you! Now it's your turn to forgive yourself. I don't think you're afraid of the baby, I think you are afraid of happiness. It's like you think you don't deserve it." I stare at her. I don't know if she's right but it's worth thinking about, after a moment she looks me in the eye and asks, "Do you want this?" I nod and she nods back at me "Daniel will be happy" she says and gives me a small smile. 'Thanks Tess "I manage.

The machine on the wall beeps softly and Tess frowns at the screen for a moment taking in the results that just popped up "Looks like you're a little anemic. Your blood pressure is higher than I'd like as well, it's too early to worry about pre-eclampsia but I'm not thrilled about some of these numbers. Have you had many episodes of emesis over the past few weeks or just the other night at the restaurant?" Tess is in Doctor mode now and somehow that calms me "I've been sick once or twice a day for a few weeks" I reply. Tess groans "For the most frighteningly brilliant person I know you are being an idiot about this. No wonder you're anemic. I'll give you something for the nausea and we'll start you on vitamins." She looks sternly at me for a minute but then a smile breaks across her face and she claps her hands together in a way that reminds me how young she is "Do you want to see it?" She asks, "The clinic just got a new 3D Ultrasound, we can figure out when you're due!" My heart feels like it might jump out of my chest when she says this but I nod anyway. Tess tells me to lie down on the table and then disappears returning with the machine "I haven't used this yet, the quality is supposed to be amazing" A moment later when the image appears on the screen I see she's right. It is amazing. For a long time we are both silent while we watch. Even now the fetus looks like a small person and it moves when Tess moves the machine. I realize I am crying again silent tears are streaming down my face. I don't know this child, I didn't think I ever wanted this but I am suddenly consumed by the realization that I love him or her. "I'd say you are about 10 weeks" Tess says "You weren't going to be able to keep it from Day for much longer anyway" then she laughs and I see that her eyes are glossy too "This kid is going to be so much trouble". I grab Tess's free hand clasp it in my own "you were right Tess, I should have told you sooner, Thank you".

I want to say more but more but there just isn't anything else to say.