Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Matter or it's characters.
I suffered from morning sickness almost as soon as I woke. It may possibly be what woke me up in the first place. I stayed in my quarters until it was safe to leave the bathroom, I'd made a pallet on the floor beside the toilet to decrease the chances of throwing up somewhere other than in the toilet.
It took two hours to fully pass, everyone will have probably finished breakfast.
I, surprisingly, am suddenly very hungry. It didn't make sense, because I literally threw up the contents of my stomach and even the idea of food disgusted me.
Pregnancy, I'm learning, is weird.
I slipped out to the mess for a snack and accidentally overheard the others talking about how bad the supply situation is. Two brought up selling the ship, if we had to. I didn't want to sell the ship and as far as I knew I didn't have anywhere to go even if I did. I returned to my room, ate my snack and then threw up again.
The private audio feed to my room crackled to life while I am in the process of brushing my teeth for the second time, gaining my attention.
"Five, you requested that I inform you when your gestation period reached nine weeks." The Android's voice was without inflection.
My morning sickness woes and pregnancy weirdness forgotten, a wide smile split my face. I have been looking forward to this day since she told me I'm pregnant the day we woke from stasis. I will finally have answers, at least to one of the important questions I have harbored for a week.
"I'll meet you in the infirmary in ten minutes." I said brightly, excitement lacing my voice.
"Would you like me to inform the others to meet you as well?" She asked, before I could cancel communication.
"Sure, thanks." I answered, cutting off the private audio connection.
I quickly showered and dressed, a slight bounce in my step as I walked the halls.
Everyone is in the infirmary when I arrive. Three is, surprise, as close to the door as possible while still remaining in the room. Two, One and Six are loosely clustered closer to the cot stationed in the center of the infirmary. The Android stood at the head of the cot with her hands clasped behind her back. Four was leaning against the wall around the halfway point, one hand resting on his sword.
I settled on the berth, feeling a little self conscious under all the stares.
"Before we begin, I feel I must inform you that there are both invasive and noninvasive procedures. The invasive procedure has risks." The Android spoke, standing beside the berth I sat on. "The risks include cramping, leaking of amniotic fluid, and vaginal bleeding. More serious risks include small chances of harming the babies and miscarriage. Are you certain you wish to proceed with the test?"
I swallowed, fear gripping my insides. That sounded. . . horrible and absolutely terrifying.
"Maybe we should wait." One suggested, shifting from foot to foot anxiously. He looked a little green. "A lot of those things sound uncomfortable and the last two are . . . quite frankly, terrifying. There has to be another way we can find out which of us is the father. Something with less chance of bodily damage to you or the babies."
"I doubt our memories are going to suddenly restore themselves and I don't know how much longer I want to be kept in the dark about this. I have more questions since waking than I do answers and this is one of the big ones, for me." I murmured, rubbing my still flat stomach. "I don't know if there are others ways to find out the paternity, this is it as far as I can see. I'm not thrilled with the risks, I'd rather avoid them if possible, but I think we should do the test."
"Need I remind you, it is possible to access the DNA using noninvasive means." The Android offered, before the conversation could escalate into an argument.
I blinked, startled. I choose noninvasive over scary, even remotely possible, side effects! Why would any woman choose invasive, if there were noninvasive options? Options that, from the sound of it, are more dangerous to mother and baby? I got lost in the tunnel of thoughts for a few seconds, but I would never willingly choose an invasive procedure if there was a better way.
"How would that work?" I asked, my voice raising an octave against my will.
"I simply take a blood sample from Five and all paternal suspects, so I can compare the samples and determine paternity." She answered in the same emotionless voice.
"I vote for that option." One raised his hand, looking a little less green around the gills.
"i second that! Let's do it." I was beyond relieved. Now, for the next order of business. "Who wants to go first?"
"I will." One volunteered, rolling up his sleeve. "I don't think it's me, but it never hurts to be sure."
"How fast can we see the results?" I asked, curious and a little anxious. I've been ready to have the question of the twins paternity answered all week. I don't know how much more waiting I can handle.
"The results should be ready between two and five days from today." Android answered, she'd already sterilized the site for the needle and was beginning to draw blood from inside his elbow. "I will ensure the entire crew is informed of the outcome immediately."
"Thank you." It would be nice to not be responsible for trying to keep track or remembering to call everyone when I was in the midst of processing the news myself.
The Android took blood samples from me, Four, Six and Three next. I had to concentrate on something else, I didn't like the needle or the feeling of my blood being drawn. Six winced, but didn't otherwise move. Four was stoic, he didn't flinch or so much as twitch a finger. Three didn't make it easy, though, he resisted enough that One threatened to knock him out and tie him to a chair if he had to. Two intervened, after a flurry of insults had been launched from both sides at least once, so it wasn't necessary. The blood samples were neatly labeled and taken to a side station for analysis, where she instantly began working.
"Okay, then." I murmured awkwardly when she didn't show signs of slowing down or informing us of the steps in the process. "We'll just leave you to it, then."
We all went our separate ways, with muttered excuses or without words at all.
I tinkered around my bedroom, to distract myself from the urge to bug the Android. She said two days, minimum, so two hours was ridiculously under the time frame given. I needed to leave her in peace. I needed projects to keep my brain and hands busy.
It was as I was connecting circuits and rerouting power to a gadget I've been updating that an idea popped into my head.
An insane, genius idea. An idea, that if executed properly, meant an end to more than one current issue.
I stopped what I was doing and headed to Two's quarters. Her door was open and she was sitting on her bed staring at a tablet when I approached.
"Hey, are you busy?" I wouldn't bother her if she had more important things to do. What was one more day?
"I'm just going over some fuel consumption numbers. . . but, uh, it can wait." She must have read something in my face. She set the tablet down and gave me her full attention. "Come in."
I sat on her bed facing her.
"Do you really think there's treasure in the vault?" I asked, wanting her honest opinion.
"Well, until we can find a way to get in, there's no way to know for sure."
"What if there was a way?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I've spent time checking out the equipment in the infirmary, you know how I like to fiddle. Anyway, with the Androids help, I might be able to adapt some of the medical equipment to work as a kind of mind probe."
"And whose mind would we be probing?" Two's face was set in attentive concern.
"Mine."
She turned her head to the side, her expression disbelief and concern. Maybe a hint of protectiveness.
"I have all your memories in my head, I know it." I watched her head lower and shake, her lips sucked in for a moment. "They're all jumbled up and they don't make any sense, so if I could just find a way-"
"No, listen, this sounds way too dangerous. We'll find another way to get into the vault."
I sighed, picking my nails out of habit.
"It's not just about the money." I confessed, keeping eye contact. "You said you wanted to change, become better than you were. How can you take a different path if you don't know how you got there in the first place? If you don't remember, you could make the same mistakes all over again and not be able to stop it. I don't want to see that happen, to any of you. If you can't remember, how can you tell your friends from your enemies apart? Not all of your enemies will shoot you on sight."
She blinked, studying my face as she mulled over my words.
When the Android was available, I requested her help and we adapted the device to the specifications needed to pull off what I was attempting. After we finished, Two called the others to explain what I was doing and they gathered around, Three Six and One were the last to arrive.
Six and One walked straight to the Android, who was standing at the far wall in front of the medical supply cabinets.
"How is this gonna work?" Six inquired, already concerned.
"She'll experience the hidden memories like a dream." Android answered briskly, moving to another cabinet across from her and removing the device. She carried the device, still in its case to the berth where I sat. "Like she's a passenger inside someone else's body. All she has to do is observe and remember as much as possible."
"Will it hurt her or the babies?" One interrupted, he and Six had followed the Android as she moved. They now stood behind her and to the left. Two changed places as well, so she now stood behind me, but between me and the Android.
"It shouldn't, but I feel it necessary to point out that the equipment is not designed to be used this way."
"I know, I know." I sighed, resigned to the same speech she gave me when I told her what I wanted to do.
"We'll be monitoring your vital signs. If anything goes wrong, we'll pull you out." Two reassured me as she swings around to my right, so I can see her.
"I'm ready."
I lay back, the Android standing at my head attaching the adapted nodes to my temples. One was on my immediate right, his concern could have radiated off of him in waves, it was so potent. Three was leaning behind One with his arms crossed, bored. Two is a foot to One's right, by my knees and Four is level with my feet. Six is on my left side, across from Two. All eyes are on me, varying expressions on their faces as the nodes were activated.
The Android stepped away and I took two deep breaths before closing my eyes.