Disclaimer: Aliens can't own Twilight.
12
London, Terra to Faeta Quadrant, Piarix Space, 2621
"I have a present for you."
Khai's brows knit together. "I was unaware of a scheduled exchange of merchandise, adun'a."
Astra laughs softly. "No. It's not for an anniversary or anything like that. This is just a 'Because I Wanted To' gift. Here. Open it."
Khai lifts the lid off the box, taking special care and Astra had the sudden knowledge that this was only the second present Khai had ever gotten in his life. That thought was unbearably sad – though she had grown up malnourished and running, Nanini had always managed to give her little things, precious treasures. Astra knew presents, understood them…and Khai did not. She would have to remedy this.
Her husband's eyes stare at the revealed old-fashioned Terran book, which was a colorful yellow and black "paper-back" with the words Idioms and Innuendos for Dummies written in bold white script. Khai frowns, the barest twitch of his lips, as he examines the cover, and, after a long moment, turns nearly beseeching steel-toned eyes to Astra.
"There's another book," she urges, moving to sit beside him on the low couch in their quarters, her legs crossed beneath her body. A surge of eagerness shoots through the bond as she watches him move the thick yellow book aside, revealing a much smaller dark green one called Twenty-First Century Jokes.
"I am unsure as to your meaning with these purchases, adun'a," Khai tells her after a heavy pause. "Are these books designed for educational purposes?"
"Something like that," Astra smiles, leaning her chin on his shoulder as he flips through the book of jokes, pausing on a random page to read the contents quickly. She likes the way he flips pages – carefully, but with purpose, all long fingers and dexterity. "Khai?"
His side of the bond is suspiciously quiet as he turns a blank gaze in her direction. "That is my designated alias," he says tonelessly. "Please do not overuse the title."
Their quarters are dead silent for a moment – and then Astra bursts into unrestrained laughter as Khai's lips twitch in a slight smile, the bond flooding with mirth and hilarity. He enjoys the graceful curve of his wife's neck as her head tosses back, free laughter bubbling from her throat, so pure that the sound is far superior to her li'lute. He had grown concerned for her mental well-being during the two weeks she was confined to bed rest.
Her laughter was more assurance than he had expected.
Fascinating.
*N*O*V*A*
It had been their first fight – whether or not Astra should be serving the Federation while pregnant. She argued that she was more than capable of performing her duties while their child gestated, and Khai countered that his concern was for her health, not the Federation's aspirations. The fact of the matter was that Astra was instrumental in the negotiations that would be coming up in a few months between the Republic and the Federation and the tasks that she had been assigned were both lengthy and highly detail-oriented. It would take up a lot of her time and energy.
Perhaps Khai was right to worry – though he called it concern – for her health. He was experiencing incredibly unusual protective instincts that called to the primal Giidas he so viciously pushed into a dark corner of his mind. Her pregnancy had put him on edge, so much so that he tended to growl if a male so much as glanced in her direction.
But Astra had never been cowed by anyone and she wasn't about to start now.
She won the first fight, though she did compromise with both Carl and Khai that she would be limited to two weeks of bed rest while the Nova was repaired of minor damages.
Much to Khai's chagrin, bed rest gave Astra the time to make a substantial dent in the work she had to do for the Federation, which mainly included creating language translations between the Noh'med standard dialect – both written and recorded voice modules. It was a lot of work to keep everything organized and to make sure that she didn't miss anything important, though the actual translation was as easy as breathing, given Astra's unnatural talents.
More often than not, Khai would arrive to their flat in London and find her asleep with several Pads spread across the bed.
It was easily the longest two weeks of her life, especially considering that her gypsy childhood included a past of never staying in one place for more than a handful of days.
That, and the fact that Khai, alarmingly, refused to have sex with her until she was no longer under physician orders.
*N*O*V*A*
Despite what happened the previous time Astra was on the Nova, she could feel her body thrumming with excitement as she gathered her Pads into a Replicated black satchel that lay across the gel-bed. She gathered her project meticulously, idly listening to Khai as he went through their apartment, routinely checking cabinets and packing items that he knew they would require when they were on-ship.
Her translation project for the Federation was halfway done, which she had reported to the Admiralty earlier in the day while she was on-campus for another check-up with Carl. Thankfully, Khai's growling demeanor had subsided enough so that his behavior was almost publically acceptable – he still hovered obsessively.
It didn't bother Astra in the slightest.
Neither did pregnancy.
Astra was fascinated by the change in her body, subtle as those changes might be. At night, when she took a long moment to stare at her nude body in the mirror, she marveled at the rounding of her hips and the growing fullness of her breasts. Khai, for all his stoic nature, would add that her skin had taken a rosy glow – though he would do this silently, though the bond, and with a certain amount of restraint that told Astra he was struggling with his self-imposed limitations regarding her body.
I'm not on bed rest anymore, adun.
Indeed, Khai replies, heat and lust searing through the bond for a brief moment, less than the span of a second – but it was enough.
Unfortunately, they did not have time to entertain coital thoughts, as the Nova was boarding and Astra was nearly obsessed with getting to the ship. Khai manages to push down his arousal, which worked to tramp out Astra's as well; had he not, her own struggles with emotional control, specifically lust, would have made them terribly late.
Unlike other times, Khai and Astra did not board a hover-bus to the Admiralty. Perhaps due to her pregnancy, Khai was reluctant to let Astra ride a vehicle with slightly higher statistical edge of danger; instead, he had a hover-car dropped off at his apartment, and he drove them through London and to the Admiralty. Astra decided, very faintly and as bond-silently as possible, that Khai's driving left something to be desired.
Despite the worry that Jaimes had revealed about Astra's health and transporting, Carl had cleared her to use the transport pads for another handful of weeks – and she trusted Carl with her life. Khai, for his part, was especially tense as they stepped onto the transporter pad, weighed down with two bags of necessary items while Astra held onto her saber and li'lute, cloak wrapped tightly around her frame, protecting her from the sudden heat of Cairo as they materialized at the Nova's base. Her husband relaxed only marginally once they arrived, stepping closer and inhaling deeply, analyzing her scent for any changed.
Astra stifles a laugh at his serious nod and steps off the transporter pad, quietly thanking the engineers. Khai's protective streak was often more amusing than alarming.
The transporter pad is situated not one hundred meters from where the Nova is perched on the tri-pod launching base, and Astra stares up at the gleaming ship with something akin to awe. She was sure that she wouldn't ever grow accustomed to seeing the ship, to knowing that she would be in the ship, and to know that she in the ship would be going to space, through space. It was almost too much.
Astra smiles up at Khai, brushing her fingers against his as they climb the steep bridge that leads onto the lowest deck – storage – of the ship, enjoying the lilac tint to his ears as he blushes.
Khai slowly raises a brow. You would do well to quell these desires, adun'a. You are-
Teasing you. I intend to follow through, she replies breezily, walking beside him easily, her joy permeating the bond. "It's good to be back on-ship."
"Indeed."
Unlike the last time Astra had been on-ship, this boarding was for the near future; not many missions conducted by the Federation were less than a year, and most were up to three years consecutively. This particular commission was for two years in which much exploration and scientific research was to be done in a quadrant of dying stars. Khai was excited, though he did not reveal this to anyone but Astra.
Their quarters were separated into three rooms – bedroom, bathroom, living and dining – decorated blandly in white and square furniture. The very first thing Khai did was set a pass-code on their door scanner, which could only be overridden by the Captain or the CMO, Carl. While he was occupied with that, Astra took a critical look around their quarters.
The dining and living was equipped with a low, long square couch and a single chair, with a holo-screen that could be used for off-duty entertainment or communications, and a table that seated three, one side bolted into the wall that housed a food-specific Replicator. Between the living area and the dining area was a narrow desk with a com-unit built into the wall, which Astra immediately imagined Khai sitting at late into the night, or before his shift on the bridge. There was a sliding white-silver door on the opposite wall that led into the bedroom, which was surprisingly large – large enough that Astra would be able to put a crib in the room, at least. The bathroom was connected between the two closets, with a large sonic shower and generous cabinet space.
Astra goes back to examine the size of the closets as Khai walks into the bedroom, carrying their bags, his side of the bond content. He sets their bags onto the gel-bed and then walks to the wall opposite their bed, where a large area of blank floor space was. He touches a panel on that wall that Astra hadn't even noticed, and instantly, a one-way holo-wall emerges from the floor, connecting with the ceiling, and shielding Khai inside.
This will be the child's room, he tells her. It is programmed to let the child out during emergencies, but we can pass through the wall at any time.
Khai demonstrated this by walking through the wall. "The room can be programmed to be soundproof, as well as allowing the walls to be two-way, or completely opaque."
Astra smiles, feeling her heart lurch as she realizes that Khai put thought into making this for their child – she can sense through the bond that he created this technology himself, which tugs at something deep in her heart. Khai would be a wonderful father.
A familiar wave of lust crests over her side of the bond and Khai appears positively pained as he steps back into the room, collapsing that holo-wall, and looking at her with solemn eyes. "We cannot, adun'a," he tells her. "Our presence is required for a briefing in the Captain's Room before lift-off, and then we are to share the Alpha shift on the bridge."
Astra bites her lip, attempting to stifle her slightly inappropriate lust.
Khai was right. They had duties – priorities.
Soon, she responds with a lift of her chin.
*N*O*V*A*
The Captain's Room was a bit misleading. For one, the Captain did not, in fact, live in this room, which was actually a meeting room with a desk at one end and a few chairs placed in front of the desk. The room was made special by the large window behind the desk that revealed the Cairo desert from a dizzying height – in space, this window would likely reveal galaxies and unknown worlds.
Captain Charles Godric greets them jovially, with a firm clasp on the shoulder for Khai, and a ruffle of hair for Astra, careful as always to avoid touching the hands of his Giidas crewmates. "How are you?" he asks Astra. "The baby?"
Astra doesn't flinch at the question – as Captain, Charles had every right to know she was with child. She feels warmth bloom in her chest as she realizes that Captain Godric was the first person to ask about the baby. She smiles without restraint. "The baby is well, Sir. And I am ready for duty."
Charles shakes his head. "You know that you don't have to address me formally unless we're on the bridge," he reminds her with a grin. "I can't wait to be an Uncle."
Khai, bless his soul, does not express his confusion over the Captain's words aloud; through the bond, though, the confusion is palpable. Why does he call himself Uncle, t'hy'la?
It's a Terran habit. Because the Captain is close to you, the father, he becomes an honorary uncle, even though he doesn't share blood.
Fascinating.
True to form, Khai does not reveal this fascination in his facial expressions. He ignores the pleasantries and asks about the first assignment for the Nova.
Charles flips on his Pad with a sigh. "It's always business with you," he jibes, though there is no real annoyance behind the words. "Alright. Given the functions of this ship in particular, the Admiralty has struck an agreement with Piarie dignitaries who have been trained to detect upcoming supernovas."
Astra hides her surprise at this. The function of the Nova had largely been rumored at the Academy, mostly thought to be a war-ship even though the Federation was strongly against war. She hadn't ever thought that the ship would be used to contain supernovas – the explosions created by dying stars – but the name of the ship suddenly made sense.
"Our first destination is the retrieval of the Piarie dignitaries," Khai says blandly, with one single nod, which might have indicated that he approved of this logical action.
Charles turns off his Pad, sitting back in his chair. "Yes. I've come to understand that the Piaries that will be on board are from very influential families."
Astra wondered at that. The Piaries had an incredibly complicated caste system among their people, with one royal family deferring to another in a chain. The dignitaries from the influential families could be actual royalty – like Mari'Ahlice, who had evidently denounced her title, though she still wore the circlet that showed her class in the system. She didn't say anything, though, and didn't send these thoughts through the bond. It was all speculation from an understanding of the language, not the customs, as Piaries were almost as secretive as Giidas.
Captain Charles looks to Astra. "You will need to make yourself available to the dignitaries; should their needs coincide with your shift, an Ensign can easily step into your place until the next shift."
Astra nods – it wasn't uncommon, in the Federation, for Communication's officers to act as diplomats on-ship and Astra had already taken the appropriate classes for situations like this. She had almost been expecting a situation like this, since the Nova had yet to employ a long-term diplomat. "Understood."
Charles looks like he's about to say something else, but his com-unit rings and he sighs. "The duties of a Captain already begin. Dismissed."
Khai immediately stands, saluting the Captain with military precision. Astra follows his movements after a second of hesitation, warring between deferring to Khai's urgings and Charles' insistence that they be casual. To compromise, she pairs her salute with a quirky smile.
The bridge is half-filled with bustling bodies by the time Khai and Astra are able to edge their way inside. The normal bridge crew – the Alpha crew, which Astra would be spending the majority of her time with – is composed of familiar faces, none more so than Mari'Ahlice and Emet, both of whom are busy at their stations, Ahlice tinkering with a map and Emet checking the engine systems through a communication's link to the lower decks. Rosy, who had been assigned as a liaison between the bridge and the Engineering deck while Lieutenant Angela oversaw the warp preparations, talks loudly over the link, shouting instructions over the clanging of her deck, to which Emet repeats mockingly until Rosy demands to talk to someone else.
Ja'asper arrives on the bridge right after Astra, allowing himself a single glance to Ahlice before saluting Khai. Over Astra's two weeks of bed rest, Ja'asper was assigned to be one of the lead officers of the Nova and would be under Khai's orders during his commission – Astra thought that the assignment was fitting given his strategic training and Khai's overwhelming logic. The Nova would be safe from war, at the very least.
Astra sends a short wave of affection over the bond before approaching her own station, quietly greeting the Ensign who would work as her assistant during the Alpha shift, a mocha-skinned girl named Cleo, who instantly demonstrated her knowledge by replying to Astra in ancient Greek. Together, Cleo and Astra work quickly to customize the settings of the Communication's console – Cleo taking note of the short-cuts so that the Beta and Delta shifts would know them, too. Astra made plans to stay on the Beta shift for a few moments in order to make sure that the program was fully understood; making sure the shifts ran smoothly, without errors, was important to her. Even now, Astra felt she had something to prove.
By the time Captain Godric is on the bridge, the crew have settled into a semi-comfortable level of rushed efficiency and all unnecessary crew members have left the area for other parts of the ship. "Systems check," the Captain says, sitting in the center chair console, already pulling up a holo-screen of information as he flips on the ship AI system. "This is your Captain speaking. Lift-off in three minutes."
The brief span of time after that is a flurry of activity, mostly compromised of the Engineering Deck clanging in the background, interrupted only by Lieutenant Angela's calm voice and the loud whir of the engines. A thrill of excitement – from Khai – flashes through the bond once the ship begins to hum, vibrating subtly beneath their feet.
"All crew strap in," Captain Godric orders. "Engines ready?"
"Ready for lift off," Lieutenant Angela confirms.
"Emet," the Captain nods.
Emet smiles, though for the first time his smile appears to be quite serious. This is more a smile of immense joy and passion – the smile of someone who enjoys what they do, and a smile that is reflected by the majority of the bridge crew.
As the Nova breaks free from Terra's final layer of atmosphere, the Captain leans back in his chair, lounging, flicking on the AI system again. "This is Captain Godric of the U.F.S Nova. Let's make the next two years memorable."
Astra peeks at Khai from the corner of her eye and sends a wave of happiness to him, unrestrained in her emotions.
Khai, much to her surprise, reflects that happiness threefold.
*N*O*V*A*
Astra's first Alpha shift is less exciting than she had initially anticipated. For the most part, Astra spent time uploading the Noh'med language – what she had translated at least – onto the Communication console translation system, and then later calling up the individual communication crewmembers that were under her command from their quarters to go ahead and teach them the shortcuts that she created. Each time one of the Ensigns or Lieutenant Juniors called Astra by her command title, she gave a little start, almost not believing that it was all real.
The end of the Alpha shift was signaled by the flashing of bright blue lights on the corridors of the ship, through all the decks. Traditionally, Alpha shifts were the longest – ten hours – and operated by the most advanced crewmembers, who would also be called to the bridge in case of an emergency during the other shifts. Beta shifts and Delta shifts were seven-hour intervals that were worked by a majority of Lieutenant Juniors and Ensigns, respectively. Of the 500 members of the Nova's crew, nearly half were on the Alpha shift.
Khai shadowed the Communication's console, silent as Astra finished the translation download she was currently working on; his side of the bond was awash with affection. As she stood, he tilted his head to the side, pointed ears peeking from dark bronzed hair, one brow quirked slightly. "Do you wish to partake in the evening meal?"
Astra nods, still internally adjusting to space-time, which was set to the standard Terran-time of twenty-four hours. The fact that there was no consistently rise and fall of daylight would throw her, which Khai anticipated; having grown up traveling in space during his adolescence, Khai was more accustomed to the constant darkness outside of the ship and had a much easier time forgetting sunrise and sunset. He indicated with picture-thoughts that it was important to stick to a strict mealtime regimen if she was to adjust correctly, and Astra was only too eager to follow his wisdom.
They share one of the three turbo-lifts down to the middle deck, which housed a very large mess hall, furnished only by round white tables set with eight chairs and a dozen food-specific Replicators built into the walls. There was a rush of officers, mostly from the Alpha shift, gathered in straggling lines.
Khai led her to the shortest line and operated the machine for both of them, checking the most basic side of her bond for a scan of her metabolic needs, a habit that he had picked up since her pregnancy was confirmed. Khai was obsessed with Astra maintaining a well-balanced diet, with an emphasis on vitamins and minerals that were essential to Giidas and Terrans alike. Astra, for her part, allowed him this, because she was sure he would go out of his logical mind with worry over her health if he was not as involved as possible.
"You require protein," he murmurs, mostly to himself.
"Lentil soup," Astra offers helpfully, watching as Khai's long fingers input her order – along with the Giidas equivalent to chicken, whole-grain bread, and some obscure selection of vegetables that Astra had grown accustomed to eating at least once a day.
Khai carries their trays, and waits for Astra to sit down before setting the food on the table. They eat in relative peace, though Astra does initiate small-talk with Mari'Ahlice and Rosy, who join them half-way through the meal.
"I can't believe Captain Godric is only using warp four," Rosy complains. "The core I designed goes to twelve! We could be in Piarix space in four hours."
Mari'Ahlice delicately wipes a napkin across her mouth. "We will arrive soon enough."
Astra frowns at Ahlice's tone. In all the time that she had known the rose-quartz eyed alien, she had never heard such stiffness or formality – which was incredibly bizarre, since Mari'Ahlice spoke more formally than either Astra or Rosy, unless Astra was speaking Giidal'su. "Ahlice?"
For the first time since they met, Ahlice breaks Astra's gaze, not even responding to Ja'asper's touch to the back of her neck. "I do not wish to return home," she confesses after a long moment.
"Because you renounced your title?" Astra asks softly.
"That is part of it," Ahlice responds, sending a glance to Ja'asper. "My mating to a Me'atal will not be well-received either."
Ja'asper appears unaffected. "We're the brutes of the Federation," he says with a shrug. "It's fine if your parents don't like me."
To dislike someone for his or her culture is illogical, Khai thinks to Astra.
I agree. It doesn't seem like the universe is ready to outgrow racism.
Ahlice smiles faintly at Ja'asper's words. "I know, beloved, and I thank you for the support. Still, I do not look forward to my father's arrival."
This was news to Astra. She knew the dignitaries that they were picking up would likely be familiar to Mari'Ahlice – the Piaries were notorious for knowing all members of their planet – but she hadn't thought Ahlice's own father would be welcomed aboard the Nova.
Now, she understood Ahlice's distress a little better.
For the first time in her life, Astra was suddenly glad that the only parent she had known as Nanini, who didn't have a single judgmental bone in her body.
"If he gives you hell, you dish it right back," Rosy advises. It was so like Rosy to think first of fighting fire with fire.
"Perhaps I will," Ahlice says thoughtfully, her gaze wandering. "Perhaps I will."
*N*O*V*A*
Astra tilts her head back, lips parting in a gasp as her neck is exposed to Khai's demanding lips, his hands hot on her body as he strips her of the uniform she'd designed for herself. Her fingers clutch at his hair when he sucks a bruise into the juncture of her shoulder and neck.
She wasn't quite sure how it began.
Upon arriving to their quarters, Khai's mood was genteel and reserved – normal. But Astra had slipped out of her chunky boots and unbuckled the belt that held her saber with a sigh, complaining lightly that the pregnancy was already changing her body. Something had snapped on Khai's side of the bond, then, because he had instantly crowded her back, pressing her against the wall, caging her body as he attacked the nape of her neck with rapid kisses, his hands firm against her hips and breasts. By the time he'd spun her around to strip her of her clothing, he was shirtless, pants unzipped, and his eyes a vivid, passion-laced purple.
His hands finish pulling the clothes from her body and smooth down her hips, to her knees, which he draws up and around his waist in a single movement, pressing his hips against her own and her back against the wall. Already, Astra can feel her swollen lips and the slickness of her sex.
"Please, please," she gasps. "Now."
"No," he growls against her neck, teeth scraping over her shoulder, hips grinding slowly against her own. "Not yet."
Astra bucks against the friction, digging her nails deep enough into the tattooed skin of his shoulders that she draws faint crescents of dark purple blood. She uses her feet to push Khai's pants off his hips, shuddering when the blunt tip of his sex bumps against her clitoris. He was so close to sliding into her. "Bed," she demands.
Much to her relief, Khai nods, pulling her body closer to his own and stepping out of his pants. It appeared that Khai's earlier adamant refusal had more to do with the fact that he didn't want to have sex against a wall – probably out of respect or worry for the child in her womb. He was being more gentle than he had in the past, at least.
Khai's body looms over hers on their gel-bed as he manipulates her legs, hooking them over her elbows, bracing her ankles against his shoulders as he slides into the wet heat of her body with a low groan. He doesn't thrust – his movement is more like a merciless, circling grind that constantly brushes against a thrilling spot deep inside Astra's body, sending her through two orgasms before Khai reaches his own peak, her fingers tight in the hair at the nape of his neck as his slightly-pointed teeth scrape against her throat.
Neither notice the uprooted objects in the room, freed by Astra's telekinesis in the midst of such pleasure.
*N*O*V*A*
The constellations that are featured in Piarix Space are significantly different from those in the Terran region, and each constellation has a different tale. Khai shares his knowledge through the bond, complete with incredibly detailed images, as they ride the turbo-lift to the bridge. Astra thinks his eagerness is mostly to do with the fact that she was experiencing some particularly upsetting waves of nausea – morning sickness for only the second time during the pregnancy.
So far.
Suffice to say, she was not enthralled with that symptom of her condition, especially since, despite Khai's best efforts, nothing could really distract her from the urge to purge everything in her stomach. Not even a manipulation of her metabolic functions was helping, much to his dismay.
However, Astra wasn't going to let something as simple as nausea deter her from her work. When Captain Godric inquired as to her preparedness to act as a translating diplomat, she assured him that she was more than capable – because she was. Astra had certainly dealt with more pressing medical issues under more stress before.
She did not let the feelings of illness show on her face, an act that was buffered by Khai's own support and sense of duty. She would do her job, do it well, and allow herself to curl up in a small ball of pregnancy sickness after her shift was over.
Astra arrives in the second transporter room – the one used for formal occasions, such as when dignitaries were beamed on board – just seconds before a group of three men materialize on the narrow pad. It is easy to spot Mari'Ahlice's father, as they share the same nose and shape of eye, though the skin of Ahlice's father is a unique color of dusty light burgundy, his eyes bright amber, and his hair a flame of red. To his left, a man half his age with a tinge of green to his skin and eyes the color of jade, adjusts the silvered circlet balanced on his onyx hair; beside him stands a man of the same age with skin the lightest shade of blue, ocean-eyes and midnight hair.
"Pleasant greetings," she says with a curtsy – the very curtsy Mari'Ahlice had taught her not minutes before.
"Peaceful meetings," replies the man with amber eyes. "I am Bilbo, Seer of the Lands. These are my companions, Frodo, Seer of the Oceans, and Samwise, Seer of the Skies."
Astra finds it curious that he does not address himself or his companions as royalty – though she knows they are from what little Mari'Ahlice had shared. Perhaps the reason for their stay on the Nova is more important than their royal titles. She might ask, later.
"I am Astra, Lieutenant of Communications. I will be available to you for translations during your stay on board, as well as during consultations. Would you like a tour of the ship, or would you prefer to settle in your quarters?"
Frodo, the young man with the green skin, exchanges a heavy look with the blue-skinned Samwise. "If I may," he says politely, though not without urgency. "We believe it would be prudent to begin a consultation sooner rather than later."
Astra nods, understanding the subtext of the lyrical language. "Of course. If you would please follow me," she says, leading the three men out of the formal transporter room and directly into the turbolift, casually observing the bright colors of their clothing, picking out the special broaches and circlets that indicate their positions on the Piarix government system. Frodo and Samwise were perhaps princes, while Bilbo was likely to be king.
It was interesting to observe, at the very least.
Khai. Could you and Charles meet me in the Captain's Room? And bring Mari'Ahlice.
We will be there by the time you arrive.
Astra nods to herself, smiling politely at the three Piarie men who follow her out of the turbolift. True to his word, Khai, the Captain, and the Navigation Officer – Ahlice – are already in the Captain's Room by the time Astra leads the Seers into the room. The officers of the Nova collectively wait until the three colorful men are seated before panning out across the room, the Captain taking the seat at his desk, with Khai over his left shoulder, while Astra stands several feet from Khai, and Ahlice takes place on the Captain's other side, already pulling up a green-tinged holo-map on her Pad.
Curiously, neither Mari'Ahlice or Bilbo greet each other. Perhaps Ahlice abstaining from her rightful place on the throne was a larger point of contention than Astra had realized.
Charles, predictably, asserts his place as Captain, making it clear that despite the Piaries being of royal blood, their political placements had little to no sway on his ship. "I suppose since you've decided to forego the tour that the issue is serious."
Bilbo nods sagely, his voice deep and wise as he speaks, while Astra translates with little hesitation, her words sure. "Yes. We have Seen great calamity."
"Soon?"
It is Frodo who answers, blazing jade eyes drawn to Ahlice for seconds at a time – as if he appreciates her, but knows better than to associate with someone who dismissed her title. "The stars die quicker than predicted in the Este-Major Quadrant."
"It would be prudent if we should arrive at the star before the lowest point of the day," Samwise injects almost warily.
The Captain frowns. "I thought we were to have a week to arrive."
Bilbo simply shakes his head once.
"Officer Brahhndahn," Charles says to Ahlice, tone serious, his face more grim than Astra had ever seen – he suddenly looked his age. "Finalize the direst location and set a route. Astra, get to the bridge and get Emet set on a course to the Este-Major Quadrant at warp twelve – be on standby for the specified location. And Khai, prepare for supernova minimization."
*N*O*V*A*
Astra's stomach was clenched in fear, though nobody would ever guess the utter turmoil settling in her stomach. She called on every ounce of meditation tutelage Khai had ever given her to calm her nerves as much as possible – she wasn't making much headway, though she supposed that was to be expected.
After all, her husband was about to freefall through space towards a dying star in order to get close enough to deploy a palm-sized capsule that contained enough red-matter to create a bubble large enough to contain and stabilize the supernova that was building in the near-distance.
The worst part was that Khai had to time it perfectly so that the large bubble of red-matter that would eject from the capsule would envelop the supernova right as it expanded. Too soon, and the bubble wouldn't be big enough, and not soon enough- well, she tried not to think about it.
Her hand was rubbing over her lower abdomen, an action which Khai's keen eyes did not miss.
He checks to make sure that they are alone in the dressing room beside the ejection chamber before he reaches over, gently placing his hand over hers. "I will return safely, adun'a."
Astra tries not to think about how his words sound more like a promise than a fact.
With bated breath Astra remains on the safe side of the ejection chamber, watching as Khai summons the tattoos on his skin, the thick black lines expanding and locking together over his body, his face, his form covered in airtight armor a shade of gunmetal, helmet over his bronzed hair. Secure in his hand is the square capsule, a slim sonic-jet strapped onto his back.
The ejection chamber is a metal room, a perfect square, with an exit out the side of the ship; the wall rises away and Khai jumps into the void of space without any hesitation. It's a practiced movement. There's trust in the abandon he shows.
Astra just wishes that she could trust space with his safety, too. Because as much as she loved the stars, as much as she admired the complexity of the abyss, she had a healthy fear and awareness of the danger space presented. Until that very moment, Astra hadn't realized that her greatest fear was losing her husband – her family – to the cold clutches of space.
The Nova is stationed fairly far from the supernova – far enough that the heat of the dying star does not affect the metal alloy of the ship – but close enough that the star paints an array of yellow-orange colors across the pristine white surface. Eventually, Khai's form is lost to the distance, and the bond between Astra and Khai is stretched to the limits. Several Ensigns in the monitoring room keep track of Khai's progress with a complicated system of long-range radars and sensors.
"He's stopped now," one of them says.
Astra peers at the radar. "Can I talk to him?"
The Ensign steps over with a nod, not eager to defy a superior officer. Astra's finger presses down on the button that connects the communication link from Khai's suit to the ship, listening to the faint static.
"Khai?"
"Position is stabilized," he answers.
Astra is not comforted, though she ignores the feeling. They have jobs, responsibilities. "The Seers have said that the star will die in exactly two minutes and," she pauses, glancing at the Pad clutched in her hand, the one that held the exact timeline of star EMQT-8854. "Two minutes and fourteen seconds."
"I understand," Khai replies.
Astra doesn't doubt that his own internal biological clock had been synchronized before he even thought of jumping out of the starship. "Come home safe," she tells him in a simple version of the Giidalan dialect.
Khai does not reply, though he does not need to. The short swell of warmth is more than enough for Astra.
She steps away from the radars, listening to the Ensigns as they monitor her husband, her eyes darting between the countdown on her Pad and the growing fluctuations of the supernova in the distance.
Right as the timer hits zero, the long-range sensors detect the deployment of the red-matter capsule – exactly on time.
This far away, Astra is able to see the giant reddish bubble suddenly pop up, closing itself right as the star explodes in a burst of red-yellow-turned-purplish-blue-white, sheer solar energy battling against the containment of the red-matter.
"Radar readings indicate that Commander Khai is navigating back to the ship."
Astra fights a smile – she would bet that Khai hadn't even spared a glance to the wonder of a supernova. He probably tossed the capsule and turned right back around, already firing off his jetpack, practical and exact.
She doesn't allow herself to really breathe until Khai flies back into the ship through the open hatch, the door sealing behind him, helmet already pulling off, tattoos shrinking back, revealing the paleness of his skin.
She finds relief in the slate of his eyes.
And with that, an awareness blooms fully in their bond – a third mind.
The mind of their child, happy and content.
A/N: What? This ended up being 20 pages and 2 days late *shrugs* Win for the LOTR cameo – I might have been watching it when I outlined this chapter.
Shout out to the first 10 reviews of the last chapter –
CdrIvanova – I think Khai won't be as protective as some think – or in the ways they predict lol
vampyregirl86 – Right? GO BOOBS.
RainDanceTammy – Nah, I don't stress too much, not when all my readers are ridiculously fabulous!
Siobhan Whitlock – What I would give to see that dance!
Snippets Of Whimsy – You've already got the baby's middle name lol
Pumpkinmykitty – Jaimes is an ally, I promise!
Wheels2 – Glad you think so!
YesMyRealNameIsBella – What did I tell you about predicting plots, woman!?
Scooby-Doo-fanatic – LOVE YOUR PENNAME!
Cctwilight – And I give you MOAR!
Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter – Anna of Greece – Why, thank you so much sixth wife! lol
As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.
~cupcakeriot
P.S. – Facebook and I are having a planning session – like, almost constantly – for the characterizations that we'll be seeing in EDEN, the spin-off story that will immediately follow the end of NOVA. Stop by and lend a hand for what you want to see in the sort-of-sequel that is centered around the offspring of Khai and Astra!
Seriously. Do it. Rae Cupcakeriot Kings is my Facebook!