Chapter One
Crichton stepped on Talyn's bridge, took one look at Morgan and wished he hadn't even come to the command center. The tension on the gunship had been high, between Morgan's increasing bad mood and the Peacekeeper ships they kept coming across. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and approached her. "How you feeling?"
Morgan looked at him, turning away from the console slowly. She had removed the transponder a few monens earlier to keep Talyn from experiencing her bad days. "John, I am three weeks overdue with no way to induce my labor. I am fat, I look like a weeble, I can't see my feet, I'm constantly hungry, my boobs hurt and I want this frelling kid out now. How the hell do you think I feel?" she yelled as tears started to slide down her face.
Crichton sighed, enfolding her in his arms as best he could. "Hey Morgan, come on. It's not that bad."
"How the hell would you know?" she sniffed, laying her head on his shoulder.
"Hey, we traded places for a little while, remember?" he said, looking down at her.
Morgan wiped her eyes. "Yeah, but that was when I still felt good." She waddled over to the system's console, a brief flash of pain passing over her face. "I need to lay down."
"C'mon. Crais is on his way up here anyway. Let him deal with Talyn. Get some sleep before we meet up with Moya. You know Zhaan and the others are going to bombard us with questions." Crichton wrapped his arm around Morgan's waist, helping her down the corridor. "Especially when they see you." He looked up at Crais as he turned the corner. "Man, you look like dren."
"I wonder why," Crais remarked. He gazed at Morgan, noticing her pale complexion and the dark circles beneath her eyes. "Please tell me you are going to lay down," he commented, the infopad in his hand forgotten.
"Yeah," she whispered. She pushed away from her cousin and kept going, disappearing around the corner.
Crais canted his head, watching through the neural link to make sure she made it back to their quarters. He turned his attention to Crichton. "I am starting to get very concerned about her condition," he said, heading towards Talyn's bridge.
"That makes two of us." Crichton fell into step next to him. "She's been going down hill ever since that run in with the Halosian ship. You know, the doctor's on Earth would've taken the baby by now."
Crais looked at him in alarm. "Surely you are not suggesting…"
"No!" Crichton ran his fingers through his hair. "They would've surgically removed the baby or induced her labor." He stared at Crais in confusion. "What the hezmona did you think I meant?"
Crais looked at the human uneasily. He lifted his chin. "Sometimes if child is…" He paused, his experience with such things extremely limited. "The doctors would kill the child to save the officer."
Crichton stared at him in shock at the Captain's implication. "Man are you way off the mark. Jeez, Crais. I don't have a death wish."
Crais stared at him, Crichton's explanation calmly his frazzled nerves. "Sometimes I wonder." He turned to the clamshell, removing the data chip from the infopad and inserting it into the system console. "Talyn, analyze," he commanded. He scratched the back of his neck as the gunship analyzed the data chip.
Crichton stood next to him. "Scorpy's new hangout?"
Crais nodded. "This information is only a few solar days old." He turned as Aeryn walked onto the bridge.
"Well, we are stocked and ready to break orbit whenever Moya gets here." Aeryn leaned against the weapons console, her arms crossed. "Morgan has managed to eat every last bite of Wamelon cake that we had on this ship."
Crichton smiled. "She always had a sweet tooth."
Crais smiled slightly, his eyes still locked on the clamshell. "She has…developed a taste for Luxan greens."
"I thought she hated those things," Aeryn remarked, moving to the communication console as it began to beep.
"She does." Crais shrugged, looking up. Talyn began to chirp at them excitedly. He had picked up Moya's signal. "Good. Now we can get back to Zorosa 3."
Crichton looked at the ex-Peacekeeper. "Do you think we can convince them?" he asked seriously, his face a mask of concern. They had managed to recruit quite a few ex-Peacekeepers to their cause over the last few monens. They were going to need as much help as they could get.
"Can we afford not to?" Crais simply posed.
Morgan settled herself on the edge of the bed, her breathing labored as she rested her head on her hands. The contractions were becoming more frequent, yet she was afraid to say anything to anyone. As long as she settled down, the contractions went away. The baby was restless, kicking her roughly in the lower back and the kidneys at the same time. Morgan moaned and leaned back on the bed, the pillows propping her up. She let her eyes close, let the sleep overtake her, sleep filled with odd dreams and nightmares…
Morgan was running through a forest, trees towering over her. She ducked, the pulse pistol blast shattering the bark of a tree to her right.
"I will get you, Langtree! You can't run forever!" Scorpius called, his laughter echoing through the woods.
"Aw, c'mon Morgan! It doesn't hurt!" Crichton called. "Honest, Harvey here can make the chair wonderful!"
She pushed her way through the foliage, throwing her arms up as she crashed through a briar thicket, running right into Crais' arms. She looked up at him, and tried to push away as he gripped her upper arms tight.
"I never loved you. And once they are born, Raseen and I will raise them as Peacekeepers!"
"Let me go!" Morgan screamed, trying to break free of Crais' grip. "Let me go!"
"Let me go!"
"Morgan!" Crais gently shook her, trying to wake her from the dream. "Morgan!" he called more insistently.
She lashed out at him, fighting him as she thrashed on the bed. "No! You can't have the baby! No!"
"MORGAN!" Crais slapped her across the face, breaking her out of the dream. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
The horrified look on his face at what he had done startled Morgan. "I needed that," she whispered suddenly. She dropped her face in her hands, the sobs wracking her body as she leaned against Crais. "What is happening to me?" she cried.
Crais rubbed her back. "It was just a dream Morgan." He took her chin in his hand, studying her face. "Zhaan and D'Argo have come aboard. Do you feel up to seeing them?"
Morgan nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Yeah. You'll need all the help you can get convincing them to join."
Crais contemplated her for a moment. Morgan had had very little sleep over the last weeken. "Maybe Zhaan might have a solution to…your condition," he suggested softly, laying his hand on her protruding belly, his dark eyes hopeful.
Morgan stood up, slowly moving across the room. "I hope so. I don't know how much longer I can stand this." She sighed. "I'll be there in a few microts."
Crais stood up and squeezed her shoulder as he walked out of their quarters. He wondered how much longer he would be able to stand it.
"It is certainly something to think about. We heard about what happened to Peacekeeper High Command and about your brother. Imagine…" Zhaan stopped speaking at the look of concern that crossed Crais and Crichton's faces.
"Morgan? What's the matter?" Aeryn asked, moving past Zhaan.
Morgan held onto the bulkhead, her face beaded with sweat, the other hand clutching her stomach. "I…"
Zhaan turned around and froze at the sight of Morgan as Crais moved to his wife's side. "By the Goddess, Crais, she should be in bed." The Delvian priestess headed towards Morgan.
Crais' face darkened in irritation as he gazed at Zhaan. "You try to make her stay in the frelling bed!" he snapped.
Five sets of eyes turned towards him at his words. D'Argo began to quietly chuckle, Zhaan trying very hard to suppress the grin on her beautiful blue face. Crais was not prone to swearing around them and to hear him do it now was a good indication of his frustration. A wide grin split Crichton's face. Aeryn looked at her former superior in surprise. "In all the cycles I have known you, I have never heard you say that word," she commented.
"Morgan has a way of getting under people's skin," Crichton laughed. His cousin's moan made him look at her.
"I…oh hell…um…" She bit her lower lip as another contraction shuddered through her body.
"Talyn, set course to Zorosa 3 immediately!" Crais commanded. "No, Moya will follow."
Crichton had already moved to his cousin's side. "Oh boy, you're in labor aren't you?" he said, wrapping one of her arms around his shoulder, Aeryn supporting the other side.
"It's…. about…. frelling time…DON'T YOU THINK!" she yelled in between contractions.
Zhaan looked at Crais. "She won't make it to Zorosa 3, Crais. The baby is coming now."
"Can you help her?" he asked quietly as he gripped the console.
Zhaan nodded, smiling softly at the worry her former captor was trying so hard to hide. "Of course."
Before they could get very far, Talyn's alarms began to sound. Crais listened to the Leviathan. "Talyn you must starburst immediately!" he demanded.
"What is going on?" Aeryn asked, moving to help Crais as D'Argo took her place on the other side of Morgan.
Crais' hands flew over the panel. "Talyn has picked up a Peacekeeper carrier moving into the system." His eyes met Crichton's.
D'Argo swung Morgan up into his arms, moving quickly through Talyn's corridors to the small medical bay.
"I am not…having…ugh…this child…without you…aah…being there, Crais!" Morgan yelled through clenched teeth, her nails biting into the Luxan's arm.
"You may not have a choice," D'Argo commented, setting her on the medical bed as Zhaan came in.
"He is going…ow…need my…son of a…help," Morgan spat, trying to get away from D'Argo.
"You are in no condition to be on that bridge," Zhaan declared, looking at Crichton. "Go to the bridge and help Crais. Send Aeryn down here." She looked at Morgan, laying a cool hand on her forehead. "And take D'Argo with you." She grabbed the medical bed as the gunship rocked from the first blast of the command carrier.
Crais looked at Crichton as he ran onto the bridge. "Moya has starburst to safety but our path is not clear." Talyn's cannons vibrated the deck as he took aim and shot first one, then another Prowler that had been released from the carrier.
The human gazed at him. Crais' face was a mask of perfect calm. "Uh…Zhaan wants you down there. We can handle this," he said softly to Aeryn.
"Crais should be there. His place is with Morgan right now," she replied.
Crais turned his head towards Aeryn. "Right now, my place is here on this bridge. Your safety as well as my family's is in my hands at the moment. I am sure Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan can help my wife," he growled.
Crichton stared at him curiously. "You don't want to be there, do you?" he posed softly. The look of uneasiness that Crais tossed at him answered the question. "Go on Aeryn. When we get out of here, I'll drag him down there."
"She could have the baby by then," Aeryn answered.
Crichton shook his head. "I doubt it."
Aeryn shrugged and took off as Crichton took her place at the weapons console. She ran into the medical bay as Morgan screamed, cursing worse than the most battle-hardened Peacekeeper. "Zhaan, what do you want me to do?" she asked, moving to stand next to Morgan's head.
The gunship rocked and Morgan clenched the sides of the bed. "Zhaan, something is not right here," she cried struggling to sit up.
"Morgan you must remain calm," Zhaan soothed as the ship rocked again.
Morgan slapped the comm badge she was wearing. "Crais…I…ugh…am trying…to…have…a…baby…here," she sputtered, leaning up on her arms. She tossed her head back as Zhaan and Aeryn pulled her boots and pants off.
"Would you like me to ask them to pause their pursuit for a few arns?" he answered sharply.
"No, drenhead! OW!" Morgan took a deep breath. "I want you to get…aah…your ass down…here!"
"Dear Goddess, the baby has already crowned," Zhaan whispered. She looked up at Morgan. "You need to push."
"I've…been…" She clenched her teeth and felt the pull of starburst as Talyn took off. "Talyn you little…of all the times you…ugh…have to star" The words died on her lips as the contraction rocked through her, causing her to catch her breath.
The door to the medical bay slid open as Crais marched in, stopping dead in his tracks at the site of Morgan, her face red and contorted as she pushed. He swallowed, fear gripping him. Nothing in his training could ever have prepared him for the sight of a woman giving birth and he would've done anything to ease it for her if he could.
Crichton ran into him, only to be sandwiched between the Captain and D'Argo. "Go to her, man," Crichton whispered, pushing Crais towards Morgan.
Crais slowly moved towards her and took her hand, stroking her sweat soaked hair from her forehead as Aeryn moved to stand on the other side of the bed, Crichton behind her, D'Argo at the head of the bed.
Zhaan looked up at Crais, then to Morgan. "One more push, Morgan."
With a deep breath, her hand clasping Crais' in a death grip, Morgan pushed, her face going red with the exertion. The baby's head pushed through, Zhaan's hands helping the child the rest of the way as it let out a robust cry. Morgan looked at the Delvian, waiting, tears sliding down her face.
"It's a girl," Zhaan announced, wiping the mucus from the little girl's nose and mouth. "A very strong, little girl." She looked down momentarily, her eyes widening.
"What's the matter?" Crais asked, his voice shaky with emotion.
Zhaan handed the baby to Aeryn, quickly cutting the cord and kneeling down.
"Zhaan?" Morgan cried in panic as another contraction gripped her.
"Crais, you need to calm her," Zhaan commanded.
Crichton stepped around the bed, his brow furrowed in concern. "Oh boy. You sure know how to do things in a big way, Morgan."
"What?" Morgan knew something was wrong. She began to panic, struggling against Crais' strong hands as she tried to sit up and see what her cousin was talking about. "Zhaan? Dammit answer me please?"
Zhaan gazed up at Morgan. "There is another child. But it is turned the wrong way, Morgan."
"What?" Morgan and Crais cried in unison, her eyes going wide in shock, his face going pale.
He mind went back to the time he had helped his Father deliver a farm animal that was turned the wrong way. And the trouble they had. Crais looked at his wife, noticing her breathing becoming shallow, wanting nothing to happen to her or the second child they had been blessed with. "Zhaan, what do we need to do?" he asked calmly, trying not to worry Morgan.
Zhaan peered up at Morgan. "I need her to calm down so I can try and turn the baby. We are running out of time."
Crais looked at his wife, noticing the fear on her face. He raised her hand to his lips. "You can do this," he whispered.
"No. Crais, I…no," she shook her head, her body stiffening in alarm. She grabbed his arm as pain shot through her. "Crais…" She felt the sting in the back of her neck and the world went black.
Crais gazed down at the twins lying together in the makeshift cradle, his eyes filled with wonder. In his entire career as a Peacekeeper, he had never felt as scared as he did now. They were his children. His and Morgan's. He was now responsible for shaping them, teaching them, loving them. He turned at the sound of footsteps behind him, simply looking at Crichton as he walked into their quarters.
"How are they doing?" the human whispered, stepping up next to Crais.
Crais simply nodded, at a loss for words. "It is…overwhelming," he finally remarked. "If it had not been for Ka D'Argo's quick thinking, I might have lost my wife and my son."
Crichton nodded. He looked over at Morgan, sleeping soundly in the bed. "She wake up yet?"
"No. But the combination of D'Argo's sting and the exhaustion she has been fighting the last few weekens…" Crais didn't finish the comment. "She will be surprised when she sees our son."
Crichton noticed the little girl wiggling, nestling closer to her brother. "They'll be hungry soon."
Crais looked at Crichton curiously. "How do you know so much about children?" he asked.
Crichton shrugged. "I had two sisters that had kids before I left Earth. I used to play with them all the time." The boy started to fuss. "And I used to change diapers, and feed them…" Crichton reached down, gently lifting his little cousin. "Hey, pal. It's okay." He softly bounced the baby, supporting his head in the crook of his arm, the boy quieting. He looked up at Crais. "Want to hold him? I mean, he is your kid." Crais let Crichton place his son in his arms, watching as his former nemesis' face lit up with wonder.
Neither man realized they were being watched. Morgan gazed at them, a single tear slipping down her cheek. She was sore and tired, but elated at the same time, wanting to see the two lives she had brought into the universe. She shifted slightly in the bed, watching as Crichton showed Crais how to hold his child, smiling at the look of absolute fear on her husband's face.
"What are you going to name them?" Crichton asked softly, picking up the little girl as she started to fuss.
Crais' eyes met Crichton's. "His name is Allan, after Morgan's father. We…never decided on a girl's name." Crais looked at his daughter, his lips pursing slightly. "She has the Crichton eyes," he simply observed.
"I wish I had a camera," Morgan said softly. "Because anyone who really knows the two of you would never believe this."
Both of them turned at the sound of her voice, their faces flushing slightly. "How long have you been awake?" Crais asked, carrying Allan over to her.
Morgan took the little boy, looking at him as Crichton sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Long enough to hear the conversation." She peered at her daughter. They were both perfect, with ten little toes, ten little fingers and heads full of dark, downy hair. She looked up at Crais. "What shall we name her, Daddy?" Crichton turned away at the deepening blush on Crais' face, trying not to laugh at him.
Crais sat on the bed next to Morgan. "Suleah. That was my grandmother's name."
Crichton lifted the little girl, supporting her head as he gazed at her eye to eyes. "Welcome to the universe, Suleah." He placed a gentle kiss on her head and handed her to Crais.
A few days later the transport pod carrying Moya and Talyn's combined crews settled softly on the landing strip at Zorosa 3. Crais stared at the welcoming committee as he slowly walked down the pod's stairs, Morgan and the twins behind him, followed by Crichton and the others. A path had been cleared, the members of the resistance lined up along it in perfect military formation, Tauvo and Shantar waiting at the end of the long line.
"Boy, Tauvo goes all out doesn't he?" Morgan commented, shifting the sling Zhaan had helped her fashion to carry the babies.
"It's the Peacekeeper in him," Crais remarked. He turned, gently taking her arm as Morgan set foot on land. Their eyes met and he smiled slightly, gazing down at his children nestled together in the sling.
"Go on," she prodded. "This is your party."
Crais nodded and turned, walking down the path towards his brother, his family and friends behind them. The ex-Peacekeepers nodded and smiled as he passed. He stopped in front of Tauvo, Morgan stepping up beside him.
"Welcome home, brother," Tauvo greeted, his face split in a wide grin as he offered Crais his hand, drawing him into an embrace as he took it. The younger Crais looked at Morgan, one arm still draped around Crais' shoulders. "You couldn't wait could you?" he teased, kissing her cheek.
"They couldn't wait," she answered, pulling back the edge of the sling.
"They?" Tauvo laughed, gazing down on his niece and nephew. "Well, look what we have here," he whispered. He looked at his brother. "I never pictured you a father."
"The feeling is mutual, I assure you," Crais answered, a proud smile on his face.
Crichton and Aeryn stepped up, the human slapping Crais on the back. "Eh, you love them. Your daughter already has you wrapped around her finger." The human looked at Tauvo. "One whimper, Daddy here is right at her side."
"Bialar!"
Crais turned at his father's booming voice as the man pushed through the crowd that had gathered around them. "Father." Crais looked up at him in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"It's very simple, Bialar. It was too dangerous for us to stay. So after you left, we did too." She glanced at her youngest son. "Although Tauvo should have told you we would be here. Our family is now together," Mother answered as she slipped past her husband. She took her older sons face in her hands, her blind eyes filled with tears as she kissed him on the cheek. "Where is my daughter?"
"Right here," Morgan called.
Mother moved to her, stopping when she felt the wiggling bundle. Her eyes lit up as Morgan guided her hands to her grandchildren. "Father, look," she whispered, reaching behind to pull Father to her. Mother reached out to the twins, her fingers gently caressing their faces as tears slid down her eyes. "They're beautiful."
Father looked at Morgan, softening slightly, then down at the twins. A small smile touched his lips as he turned to Crais. "You have been busy, my son."
Crais' face flushed and he bristled slightly at his father's rough tone, unsure whether his father's gruffness was from emotion or annoyance over the fact that his grandchildren were half-human. "Yes. And Morgan needs some rest. The birth…was difficult."
Tauvo looked at his brother and his father, the tension thick between the two men. "Well, then my sister will rest," he commanded. He turned to the crowd around them. "And I am looking forward to getting to know the friends you have brought with you." Tauvo pushed through the crowd, pulling himself up to stand atop a Prowler. "Your attention!" The crowd quieted. "Tonight, we will hold a celebration of my brother's return and…" he smiled down at Morgan. "…the new life that he and his wife have brought into this universe."
A pair of dark eyes gazed through the bars of a holding cell as the crowd cheered Tauvo's proclamation. A pair of dark eyes that narrowed at the first sight of his father with his arm wrapped around an alien woman's shoulders. "Enjoy it Father," Terrick whispered as they passed, stepping away from the window. "For you won't be alive much longer."
Chiana gazed at Rygel sitting to her left. The Hynerian was gorging himself happily at the banquet that was spread before them. "That is disgusting," she said to herself.
"No joke," Morgan commented, carefully easing herself next to Nebari woman. She had managed to get in five arns of undisturbed sleep, Mother fussing over the twins under Father's watchful eye. He had shocked Morgan as she leaving for the banquet, pulling her aside and awkwardly hugging her. She returned her attention to Chiana, smiling at the woman. "You know, John and Aeryn have told me quite a bit about you."
Chiana studied Morgan for a moment. "Good or bad?" she asked, an impish smile on her gray face.
"Both," Morgan laughed. She turned her gaze to Mother, watching as the Sebacean woman happily rocked Suleah while Tauvo held Allan. She looked away, returning her gaze to her plate.
"What's the matter dear?" Zhaan asked as she sat on the other side of Morgan. She had seen the look of sadness that came across Morgan's face.
"Nothing. I…uh…was just thinking how nice it would've been if my parents had seen them."
Chiana put her fork down on her plate. "Why couldn't they? You know how to return to Earth."
Crichton chose that moment to step up, hearing Chiana's question. "Because they're not alive anymore, Pip." He smiled down at his cousin. "That's why Morgan came after me." Crichton looked over at Aeryn, taking Allan from Tauvo as Crais showed her how to hold the baby, the way Crichton had shown him. "Aw man," he whispered.
Morgan grabbed Crichton's wrist. "Nope, no bonding tattoo yet," she teased, trying to lighten the mood. "When are you going to ask her to marry you?" she finally asked, sipping at the glass of water before her.
"I don't know. You know my track record," he shrugged.
Chiana chuckled. "Yeah, not very good at times," she quipped, causing Zhaan and Morgan to laugh.
But the mood became darker as a commotion started outside the huge hall. Morgan quickly crossed the room, taking Allan from Aeryn as Crais stepped up beside them, pulse pistols drawn as the doors crashed open and the room went quiet.
"Looks like I was left off the guest list," Terrick snarled, a pulse pistol in his hand, aimed right for Crais. Two guards stepped in behind him and the young man turned, firing once at their feet before returning his attention to Crais, Morgan and Tauvo. "Tell them to back off, uncle, or I will shoot…" His eyes settled on Morgan. "…her and the sniveling half- breed brat she holds." He couldn't help but overhear the conversations between his guards and Terrick knew about Morgan.
Crais looked at his brother. "What is going on?" he hissed through clenched teeth, his face darkening.
"A little problem I have not had time to fill you in on," Tauvo answered calmly, his own pulse pistol drawn.
"Oh yes, a little problem," Terrick sneered, nodding.
"Who are you?" Crais asked, slipping into his Peacekeeper training, his voice hard and cold as he stared at the young man before him. A cold shiver went down his spine when he realized he was staring at a younger version of himself.
"Who am I?" Terrick asked incredulously. "You mean you don't know?" He slowly moved towards Crais, the pulse pistol in his hand unwavering. "Think back about fifteen cycles, Captain." Terrick spat the last word. "You and your commanding officer, one Captain Sulan, had a bit of a unauthorized tryst."
Crais' face paled at Sulan's name. "I have no recollection of ever…recreating with Sulan."
"Well, let me jog your memory. You were a lowly lieutenant working your way through the ranks. She offered you a position on her carrier and a promotion to her second-in-command." Terrick swallowed, rubbing his cheek with his empty hand. His eyes flashed in fury. "And then you left. Promoted again. Leaving my mother pregnant with me. She gave me your name in the hopes that one day I could serve with you." The teen snorted in disgust. "Although I do not serve with traitors."
Crais stepped away from Tauvo and Morgan, his jaw tight as he approached Terrick. "You are mistaken," he simply commented, fighting the bile that was slowly rising up in his throat. The room was deathly silent, everyone watching the powder keg confrontation before them.
"No. I am not mistaken. I am Officer Terrick Crais, Cronis Regiment." His eyes narrowed as whispers of shock began and quickly spread through the room. "I am your son."
Crichton stepped on Talyn's bridge, took one look at Morgan and wished he hadn't even come to the command center. The tension on the gunship had been high, between Morgan's increasing bad mood and the Peacekeeper ships they kept coming across. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and approached her. "How you feeling?"
Morgan looked at him, turning away from the console slowly. She had removed the transponder a few monens earlier to keep Talyn from experiencing her bad days. "John, I am three weeks overdue with no way to induce my labor. I am fat, I look like a weeble, I can't see my feet, I'm constantly hungry, my boobs hurt and I want this frelling kid out now. How the hell do you think I feel?" she yelled as tears started to slide down her face.
Crichton sighed, enfolding her in his arms as best he could. "Hey Morgan, come on. It's not that bad."
"How the hell would you know?" she sniffed, laying her head on his shoulder.
"Hey, we traded places for a little while, remember?" he said, looking down at her.
Morgan wiped her eyes. "Yeah, but that was when I still felt good." She waddled over to the system's console, a brief flash of pain passing over her face. "I need to lay down."
"C'mon. Crais is on his way up here anyway. Let him deal with Talyn. Get some sleep before we meet up with Moya. You know Zhaan and the others are going to bombard us with questions." Crichton wrapped his arm around Morgan's waist, helping her down the corridor. "Especially when they see you." He looked up at Crais as he turned the corner. "Man, you look like dren."
"I wonder why," Crais remarked. He gazed at Morgan, noticing her pale complexion and the dark circles beneath her eyes. "Please tell me you are going to lay down," he commented, the infopad in his hand forgotten.
"Yeah," she whispered. She pushed away from her cousin and kept going, disappearing around the corner.
Crais canted his head, watching through the neural link to make sure she made it back to their quarters. He turned his attention to Crichton. "I am starting to get very concerned about her condition," he said, heading towards Talyn's bridge.
"That makes two of us." Crichton fell into step next to him. "She's been going down hill ever since that run in with the Halosian ship. You know, the doctor's on Earth would've taken the baby by now."
Crais looked at him in alarm. "Surely you are not suggesting…"
"No!" Crichton ran his fingers through his hair. "They would've surgically removed the baby or induced her labor." He stared at Crais in confusion. "What the hezmona did you think I meant?"
Crais looked at the human uneasily. He lifted his chin. "Sometimes if child is…" He paused, his experience with such things extremely limited. "The doctors would kill the child to save the officer."
Crichton stared at him in shock at the Captain's implication. "Man are you way off the mark. Jeez, Crais. I don't have a death wish."
Crais stared at him, Crichton's explanation calmly his frazzled nerves. "Sometimes I wonder." He turned to the clamshell, removing the data chip from the infopad and inserting it into the system console. "Talyn, analyze," he commanded. He scratched the back of his neck as the gunship analyzed the data chip.
Crichton stood next to him. "Scorpy's new hangout?"
Crais nodded. "This information is only a few solar days old." He turned as Aeryn walked onto the bridge.
"Well, we are stocked and ready to break orbit whenever Moya gets here." Aeryn leaned against the weapons console, her arms crossed. "Morgan has managed to eat every last bite of Wamelon cake that we had on this ship."
Crichton smiled. "She always had a sweet tooth."
Crais smiled slightly, his eyes still locked on the clamshell. "She has…developed a taste for Luxan greens."
"I thought she hated those things," Aeryn remarked, moving to the communication console as it began to beep.
"She does." Crais shrugged, looking up. Talyn began to chirp at them excitedly. He had picked up Moya's signal. "Good. Now we can get back to Zorosa 3."
Crichton looked at the ex-Peacekeeper. "Do you think we can convince them?" he asked seriously, his face a mask of concern. They had managed to recruit quite a few ex-Peacekeepers to their cause over the last few monens. They were going to need as much help as they could get.
"Can we afford not to?" Crais simply posed.
Morgan settled herself on the edge of the bed, her breathing labored as she rested her head on her hands. The contractions were becoming more frequent, yet she was afraid to say anything to anyone. As long as she settled down, the contractions went away. The baby was restless, kicking her roughly in the lower back and the kidneys at the same time. Morgan moaned and leaned back on the bed, the pillows propping her up. She let her eyes close, let the sleep overtake her, sleep filled with odd dreams and nightmares…
Morgan was running through a forest, trees towering over her. She ducked, the pulse pistol blast shattering the bark of a tree to her right.
"I will get you, Langtree! You can't run forever!" Scorpius called, his laughter echoing through the woods.
"Aw, c'mon Morgan! It doesn't hurt!" Crichton called. "Honest, Harvey here can make the chair wonderful!"
She pushed her way through the foliage, throwing her arms up as she crashed through a briar thicket, running right into Crais' arms. She looked up at him, and tried to push away as he gripped her upper arms tight.
"I never loved you. And once they are born, Raseen and I will raise them as Peacekeepers!"
"Let me go!" Morgan screamed, trying to break free of Crais' grip. "Let me go!"
"Let me go!"
"Morgan!" Crais gently shook her, trying to wake her from the dream. "Morgan!" he called more insistently.
She lashed out at him, fighting him as she thrashed on the bed. "No! You can't have the baby! No!"
"MORGAN!" Crais slapped her across the face, breaking her out of the dream. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
The horrified look on his face at what he had done startled Morgan. "I needed that," she whispered suddenly. She dropped her face in her hands, the sobs wracking her body as she leaned against Crais. "What is happening to me?" she cried.
Crais rubbed her back. "It was just a dream Morgan." He took her chin in his hand, studying her face. "Zhaan and D'Argo have come aboard. Do you feel up to seeing them?"
Morgan nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Yeah. You'll need all the help you can get convincing them to join."
Crais contemplated her for a moment. Morgan had had very little sleep over the last weeken. "Maybe Zhaan might have a solution to…your condition," he suggested softly, laying his hand on her protruding belly, his dark eyes hopeful.
Morgan stood up, slowly moving across the room. "I hope so. I don't know how much longer I can stand this." She sighed. "I'll be there in a few microts."
Crais stood up and squeezed her shoulder as he walked out of their quarters. He wondered how much longer he would be able to stand it.
"It is certainly something to think about. We heard about what happened to Peacekeeper High Command and about your brother. Imagine…" Zhaan stopped speaking at the look of concern that crossed Crais and Crichton's faces.
"Morgan? What's the matter?" Aeryn asked, moving past Zhaan.
Morgan held onto the bulkhead, her face beaded with sweat, the other hand clutching her stomach. "I…"
Zhaan turned around and froze at the sight of Morgan as Crais moved to his wife's side. "By the Goddess, Crais, she should be in bed." The Delvian priestess headed towards Morgan.
Crais' face darkened in irritation as he gazed at Zhaan. "You try to make her stay in the frelling bed!" he snapped.
Five sets of eyes turned towards him at his words. D'Argo began to quietly chuckle, Zhaan trying very hard to suppress the grin on her beautiful blue face. Crais was not prone to swearing around them and to hear him do it now was a good indication of his frustration. A wide grin split Crichton's face. Aeryn looked at her former superior in surprise. "In all the cycles I have known you, I have never heard you say that word," she commented.
"Morgan has a way of getting under people's skin," Crichton laughed. His cousin's moan made him look at her.
"I…oh hell…um…" She bit her lower lip as another contraction shuddered through her body.
"Talyn, set course to Zorosa 3 immediately!" Crais commanded. "No, Moya will follow."
Crichton had already moved to his cousin's side. "Oh boy, you're in labor aren't you?" he said, wrapping one of her arms around his shoulder, Aeryn supporting the other side.
"It's…. about…. frelling time…DON'T YOU THINK!" she yelled in between contractions.
Zhaan looked at Crais. "She won't make it to Zorosa 3, Crais. The baby is coming now."
"Can you help her?" he asked quietly as he gripped the console.
Zhaan nodded, smiling softly at the worry her former captor was trying so hard to hide. "Of course."
Before they could get very far, Talyn's alarms began to sound. Crais listened to the Leviathan. "Talyn you must starburst immediately!" he demanded.
"What is going on?" Aeryn asked, moving to help Crais as D'Argo took her place on the other side of Morgan.
Crais' hands flew over the panel. "Talyn has picked up a Peacekeeper carrier moving into the system." His eyes met Crichton's.
D'Argo swung Morgan up into his arms, moving quickly through Talyn's corridors to the small medical bay.
"I am not…having…ugh…this child…without you…aah…being there, Crais!" Morgan yelled through clenched teeth, her nails biting into the Luxan's arm.
"You may not have a choice," D'Argo commented, setting her on the medical bed as Zhaan came in.
"He is going…ow…need my…son of a…help," Morgan spat, trying to get away from D'Argo.
"You are in no condition to be on that bridge," Zhaan declared, looking at Crichton. "Go to the bridge and help Crais. Send Aeryn down here." She looked at Morgan, laying a cool hand on her forehead. "And take D'Argo with you." She grabbed the medical bed as the gunship rocked from the first blast of the command carrier.
Crais looked at Crichton as he ran onto the bridge. "Moya has starburst to safety but our path is not clear." Talyn's cannons vibrated the deck as he took aim and shot first one, then another Prowler that had been released from the carrier.
The human gazed at him. Crais' face was a mask of perfect calm. "Uh…Zhaan wants you down there. We can handle this," he said softly to Aeryn.
"Crais should be there. His place is with Morgan right now," she replied.
Crais turned his head towards Aeryn. "Right now, my place is here on this bridge. Your safety as well as my family's is in my hands at the moment. I am sure Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan can help my wife," he growled.
Crichton stared at him curiously. "You don't want to be there, do you?" he posed softly. The look of uneasiness that Crais tossed at him answered the question. "Go on Aeryn. When we get out of here, I'll drag him down there."
"She could have the baby by then," Aeryn answered.
Crichton shook his head. "I doubt it."
Aeryn shrugged and took off as Crichton took her place at the weapons console. She ran into the medical bay as Morgan screamed, cursing worse than the most battle-hardened Peacekeeper. "Zhaan, what do you want me to do?" she asked, moving to stand next to Morgan's head.
The gunship rocked and Morgan clenched the sides of the bed. "Zhaan, something is not right here," she cried struggling to sit up.
"Morgan you must remain calm," Zhaan soothed as the ship rocked again.
Morgan slapped the comm badge she was wearing. "Crais…I…ugh…am trying…to…have…a…baby…here," she sputtered, leaning up on her arms. She tossed her head back as Zhaan and Aeryn pulled her boots and pants off.
"Would you like me to ask them to pause their pursuit for a few arns?" he answered sharply.
"No, drenhead! OW!" Morgan took a deep breath. "I want you to get…aah…your ass down…here!"
"Dear Goddess, the baby has already crowned," Zhaan whispered. She looked up at Morgan. "You need to push."
"I've…been…" She clenched her teeth and felt the pull of starburst as Talyn took off. "Talyn you little…of all the times you…ugh…have to star" The words died on her lips as the contraction rocked through her, causing her to catch her breath.
The door to the medical bay slid open as Crais marched in, stopping dead in his tracks at the site of Morgan, her face red and contorted as she pushed. He swallowed, fear gripping him. Nothing in his training could ever have prepared him for the sight of a woman giving birth and he would've done anything to ease it for her if he could.
Crichton ran into him, only to be sandwiched between the Captain and D'Argo. "Go to her, man," Crichton whispered, pushing Crais towards Morgan.
Crais slowly moved towards her and took her hand, stroking her sweat soaked hair from her forehead as Aeryn moved to stand on the other side of the bed, Crichton behind her, D'Argo at the head of the bed.
Zhaan looked up at Crais, then to Morgan. "One more push, Morgan."
With a deep breath, her hand clasping Crais' in a death grip, Morgan pushed, her face going red with the exertion. The baby's head pushed through, Zhaan's hands helping the child the rest of the way as it let out a robust cry. Morgan looked at the Delvian, waiting, tears sliding down her face.
"It's a girl," Zhaan announced, wiping the mucus from the little girl's nose and mouth. "A very strong, little girl." She looked down momentarily, her eyes widening.
"What's the matter?" Crais asked, his voice shaky with emotion.
Zhaan handed the baby to Aeryn, quickly cutting the cord and kneeling down.
"Zhaan?" Morgan cried in panic as another contraction gripped her.
"Crais, you need to calm her," Zhaan commanded.
Crichton stepped around the bed, his brow furrowed in concern. "Oh boy. You sure know how to do things in a big way, Morgan."
"What?" Morgan knew something was wrong. She began to panic, struggling against Crais' strong hands as she tried to sit up and see what her cousin was talking about. "Zhaan? Dammit answer me please?"
Zhaan gazed up at Morgan. "There is another child. But it is turned the wrong way, Morgan."
"What?" Morgan and Crais cried in unison, her eyes going wide in shock, his face going pale.
He mind went back to the time he had helped his Father deliver a farm animal that was turned the wrong way. And the trouble they had. Crais looked at his wife, noticing her breathing becoming shallow, wanting nothing to happen to her or the second child they had been blessed with. "Zhaan, what do we need to do?" he asked calmly, trying not to worry Morgan.
Zhaan peered up at Morgan. "I need her to calm down so I can try and turn the baby. We are running out of time."
Crais looked at his wife, noticing the fear on her face. He raised her hand to his lips. "You can do this," he whispered.
"No. Crais, I…no," she shook her head, her body stiffening in alarm. She grabbed his arm as pain shot through her. "Crais…" She felt the sting in the back of her neck and the world went black.
Crais gazed down at the twins lying together in the makeshift cradle, his eyes filled with wonder. In his entire career as a Peacekeeper, he had never felt as scared as he did now. They were his children. His and Morgan's. He was now responsible for shaping them, teaching them, loving them. He turned at the sound of footsteps behind him, simply looking at Crichton as he walked into their quarters.
"How are they doing?" the human whispered, stepping up next to Crais.
Crais simply nodded, at a loss for words. "It is…overwhelming," he finally remarked. "If it had not been for Ka D'Argo's quick thinking, I might have lost my wife and my son."
Crichton nodded. He looked over at Morgan, sleeping soundly in the bed. "She wake up yet?"
"No. But the combination of D'Argo's sting and the exhaustion she has been fighting the last few weekens…" Crais didn't finish the comment. "She will be surprised when she sees our son."
Crichton noticed the little girl wiggling, nestling closer to her brother. "They'll be hungry soon."
Crais looked at Crichton curiously. "How do you know so much about children?" he asked.
Crichton shrugged. "I had two sisters that had kids before I left Earth. I used to play with them all the time." The boy started to fuss. "And I used to change diapers, and feed them…" Crichton reached down, gently lifting his little cousin. "Hey, pal. It's okay." He softly bounced the baby, supporting his head in the crook of his arm, the boy quieting. He looked up at Crais. "Want to hold him? I mean, he is your kid." Crais let Crichton place his son in his arms, watching as his former nemesis' face lit up with wonder.
Neither man realized they were being watched. Morgan gazed at them, a single tear slipping down her cheek. She was sore and tired, but elated at the same time, wanting to see the two lives she had brought into the universe. She shifted slightly in the bed, watching as Crichton showed Crais how to hold his child, smiling at the look of absolute fear on her husband's face.
"What are you going to name them?" Crichton asked softly, picking up the little girl as she started to fuss.
Crais' eyes met Crichton's. "His name is Allan, after Morgan's father. We…never decided on a girl's name." Crais looked at his daughter, his lips pursing slightly. "She has the Crichton eyes," he simply observed.
"I wish I had a camera," Morgan said softly. "Because anyone who really knows the two of you would never believe this."
Both of them turned at the sound of her voice, their faces flushing slightly. "How long have you been awake?" Crais asked, carrying Allan over to her.
Morgan took the little boy, looking at him as Crichton sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Long enough to hear the conversation." She peered at her daughter. They were both perfect, with ten little toes, ten little fingers and heads full of dark, downy hair. She looked up at Crais. "What shall we name her, Daddy?" Crichton turned away at the deepening blush on Crais' face, trying not to laugh at him.
Crais sat on the bed next to Morgan. "Suleah. That was my grandmother's name."
Crichton lifted the little girl, supporting her head as he gazed at her eye to eyes. "Welcome to the universe, Suleah." He placed a gentle kiss on her head and handed her to Crais.
A few days later the transport pod carrying Moya and Talyn's combined crews settled softly on the landing strip at Zorosa 3. Crais stared at the welcoming committee as he slowly walked down the pod's stairs, Morgan and the twins behind him, followed by Crichton and the others. A path had been cleared, the members of the resistance lined up along it in perfect military formation, Tauvo and Shantar waiting at the end of the long line.
"Boy, Tauvo goes all out doesn't he?" Morgan commented, shifting the sling Zhaan had helped her fashion to carry the babies.
"It's the Peacekeeper in him," Crais remarked. He turned, gently taking her arm as Morgan set foot on land. Their eyes met and he smiled slightly, gazing down at his children nestled together in the sling.
"Go on," she prodded. "This is your party."
Crais nodded and turned, walking down the path towards his brother, his family and friends behind them. The ex-Peacekeepers nodded and smiled as he passed. He stopped in front of Tauvo, Morgan stepping up beside him.
"Welcome home, brother," Tauvo greeted, his face split in a wide grin as he offered Crais his hand, drawing him into an embrace as he took it. The younger Crais looked at Morgan, one arm still draped around Crais' shoulders. "You couldn't wait could you?" he teased, kissing her cheek.
"They couldn't wait," she answered, pulling back the edge of the sling.
"They?" Tauvo laughed, gazing down on his niece and nephew. "Well, look what we have here," he whispered. He looked at his brother. "I never pictured you a father."
"The feeling is mutual, I assure you," Crais answered, a proud smile on his face.
Crichton and Aeryn stepped up, the human slapping Crais on the back. "Eh, you love them. Your daughter already has you wrapped around her finger." The human looked at Tauvo. "One whimper, Daddy here is right at her side."
"Bialar!"
Crais turned at his father's booming voice as the man pushed through the crowd that had gathered around them. "Father." Crais looked up at him in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"It's very simple, Bialar. It was too dangerous for us to stay. So after you left, we did too." She glanced at her youngest son. "Although Tauvo should have told you we would be here. Our family is now together," Mother answered as she slipped past her husband. She took her older sons face in her hands, her blind eyes filled with tears as she kissed him on the cheek. "Where is my daughter?"
"Right here," Morgan called.
Mother moved to her, stopping when she felt the wiggling bundle. Her eyes lit up as Morgan guided her hands to her grandchildren. "Father, look," she whispered, reaching behind to pull Father to her. Mother reached out to the twins, her fingers gently caressing their faces as tears slid down her eyes. "They're beautiful."
Father looked at Morgan, softening slightly, then down at the twins. A small smile touched his lips as he turned to Crais. "You have been busy, my son."
Crais' face flushed and he bristled slightly at his father's rough tone, unsure whether his father's gruffness was from emotion or annoyance over the fact that his grandchildren were half-human. "Yes. And Morgan needs some rest. The birth…was difficult."
Tauvo looked at his brother and his father, the tension thick between the two men. "Well, then my sister will rest," he commanded. He turned to the crowd around them. "And I am looking forward to getting to know the friends you have brought with you." Tauvo pushed through the crowd, pulling himself up to stand atop a Prowler. "Your attention!" The crowd quieted. "Tonight, we will hold a celebration of my brother's return and…" he smiled down at Morgan. "…the new life that he and his wife have brought into this universe."
A pair of dark eyes gazed through the bars of a holding cell as the crowd cheered Tauvo's proclamation. A pair of dark eyes that narrowed at the first sight of his father with his arm wrapped around an alien woman's shoulders. "Enjoy it Father," Terrick whispered as they passed, stepping away from the window. "For you won't be alive much longer."
Chiana gazed at Rygel sitting to her left. The Hynerian was gorging himself happily at the banquet that was spread before them. "That is disgusting," she said to herself.
"No joke," Morgan commented, carefully easing herself next to Nebari woman. She had managed to get in five arns of undisturbed sleep, Mother fussing over the twins under Father's watchful eye. He had shocked Morgan as she leaving for the banquet, pulling her aside and awkwardly hugging her. She returned her attention to Chiana, smiling at the woman. "You know, John and Aeryn have told me quite a bit about you."
Chiana studied Morgan for a moment. "Good or bad?" she asked, an impish smile on her gray face.
"Both," Morgan laughed. She turned her gaze to Mother, watching as the Sebacean woman happily rocked Suleah while Tauvo held Allan. She looked away, returning her gaze to her plate.
"What's the matter dear?" Zhaan asked as she sat on the other side of Morgan. She had seen the look of sadness that came across Morgan's face.
"Nothing. I…uh…was just thinking how nice it would've been if my parents had seen them."
Chiana put her fork down on her plate. "Why couldn't they? You know how to return to Earth."
Crichton chose that moment to step up, hearing Chiana's question. "Because they're not alive anymore, Pip." He smiled down at his cousin. "That's why Morgan came after me." Crichton looked over at Aeryn, taking Allan from Tauvo as Crais showed her how to hold the baby, the way Crichton had shown him. "Aw man," he whispered.
Morgan grabbed Crichton's wrist. "Nope, no bonding tattoo yet," she teased, trying to lighten the mood. "When are you going to ask her to marry you?" she finally asked, sipping at the glass of water before her.
"I don't know. You know my track record," he shrugged.
Chiana chuckled. "Yeah, not very good at times," she quipped, causing Zhaan and Morgan to laugh.
But the mood became darker as a commotion started outside the huge hall. Morgan quickly crossed the room, taking Allan from Aeryn as Crais stepped up beside them, pulse pistols drawn as the doors crashed open and the room went quiet.
"Looks like I was left off the guest list," Terrick snarled, a pulse pistol in his hand, aimed right for Crais. Two guards stepped in behind him and the young man turned, firing once at their feet before returning his attention to Crais, Morgan and Tauvo. "Tell them to back off, uncle, or I will shoot…" His eyes settled on Morgan. "…her and the sniveling half- breed brat she holds." He couldn't help but overhear the conversations between his guards and Terrick knew about Morgan.
Crais looked at his brother. "What is going on?" he hissed through clenched teeth, his face darkening.
"A little problem I have not had time to fill you in on," Tauvo answered calmly, his own pulse pistol drawn.
"Oh yes, a little problem," Terrick sneered, nodding.
"Who are you?" Crais asked, slipping into his Peacekeeper training, his voice hard and cold as he stared at the young man before him. A cold shiver went down his spine when he realized he was staring at a younger version of himself.
"Who am I?" Terrick asked incredulously. "You mean you don't know?" He slowly moved towards Crais, the pulse pistol in his hand unwavering. "Think back about fifteen cycles, Captain." Terrick spat the last word. "You and your commanding officer, one Captain Sulan, had a bit of a unauthorized tryst."
Crais' face paled at Sulan's name. "I have no recollection of ever…recreating with Sulan."
"Well, let me jog your memory. You were a lowly lieutenant working your way through the ranks. She offered you a position on her carrier and a promotion to her second-in-command." Terrick swallowed, rubbing his cheek with his empty hand. His eyes flashed in fury. "And then you left. Promoted again. Leaving my mother pregnant with me. She gave me your name in the hopes that one day I could serve with you." The teen snorted in disgust. "Although I do not serve with traitors."
Crais stepped away from Tauvo and Morgan, his jaw tight as he approached Terrick. "You are mistaken," he simply commented, fighting the bile that was slowly rising up in his throat. The room was deathly silent, everyone watching the powder keg confrontation before them.
"No. I am not mistaken. I am Officer Terrick Crais, Cronis Regiment." His eyes narrowed as whispers of shock began and quickly spread through the room. "I am your son."