The Command Officers of the Kodiak defense force gathered in the Council
Chambers. Their well-ordered routine had evaporated when The Kodiak
recaptured his desire to procreate. With the new development came the
thanks of a portion of his officers that their Commander had corralled his
manhood for a decade. They took his current behaviour as proof that the
High Council had been wise to deny The Kodiak his desire a decade ago. A
few, inspired by his example, had spent the time between meetings
impregnating their wives. Just as Beka had predicted, in nine months there
was going to be a baby boom amongst the palace staff. Some of the bachelors
who had modeled their lives on his broke their self-imposed celibacy and
had accepted offers to mate from females who had been pursuing them.
Tyr recognized the signs. The newly mated men were distant and bleary-eyed. They played with the shiny helixes on their arms, a little unsure of themselves and their new status. Those with successful impregnations recently behind them were puffed with pride and grinning broadly, relaxed in their seats. The discontented that believed he had gone mad with lust were morose and would not look him in the eye.
These were his most trusted men. They had supported his climb to the position of Alpha. They had shared battles on the field and in the diplomatic arena for ten years. The thought that even one of them would betray him was difficult to face. So he turned his attention to Tamerlane, sitting at the opposite end of the table. The mind of the boy had drifted, ignoring the interplay around him. Tyr sighed with regret. Entering that displaying competition had acted like a slipstream drive on his son's hormones.
Why did the Progenitor make their drive to procreate so powerful that in its first stages a male would risk his own survival to satisfy the urge? He put aside his blasphemous thought and called the meeting to order by dropping his fist on the table. Tamerlane jumped. The others looked puzzled. The Kodiak continued his uncharacteristic behaviour.
"Honey, I'm home."
Beka recognized that voice. It couldn't be? She turned slowly, holding her breath. When her eyes confirmed the truth of her hearing, a smile as wide as the galaxy crossed her face.
"So it is true. You are pregnant." Dylan hugged his First Officer. "Tyr should be congratulated - that was one of longest campaigns in history."
He held Beka at arm's length. "You look ravishing."
"Ravished actually. Seems to be an important part of the process according to Tyr." Beka hugged him again. "What brings the Admiral of the Fleet to the Kodiak fast hold?"
"Still painfully direct, I see." Dylan winced. "Would you believe I was in the neighbourhood and decided to drop in?"
"I wouldn't. Tyr wouldn't and Harper wouldn't." Beka tilted her head. "But if you want the rest of the Pride to believe it, we'll make an announcement."
"Perhaps you should," was Dylan's cryptic reply?
"Dylan!" Harper dashed across the empty room to pound his former Captain on the back.
"Lord Engineer." Dylan put his arm around the shoulders of the smaller man. "Tell me I am not hallucinating." He nodded toward Beka.
"You are not hallucinating." Harper turned around. "Let me introduce you to Lady Kodiak, mate of The Kodiak and mother to be of his second son. As well as interior decorator and stepmother extraordinaire."
"Interior decorator?" Dylan's eyes widened.
"I'll explain later." The three old friends huddled in the middle of the empty room. Heads bowed and voices lowered. "Why are you here?"
"Yes, Admiral Hunt," The Kodiak entered the room. "Why are you here?"
Tamerlane watched the interplay between his father and the Admiral of the Commonwealth Fleet. From his father's tone of voice it was hard to determine if they were friends or enemies.
Tyr had his arm at Beka's elbow as he steered her threw the chaos that was Harper's central corridor. Dylan kept pace beside Harper as children ebbed and flowed around them. Every now and then, Harper would reach out to tousle a head as it passed. Each time he addressed the victim by name. Trailing behind them was Tamerlane who was comparing this madhouse to the carefully controlled world of his childhood.
"Lady Harper, you know my Lady Kodiak."
Harper's second wife had appeared in the same doorway in which Tyr had found her earlier in the day. Harper had obviously called ahead. She had dressed to meet The Kodiak and his Lady. Harper left Dylan's side to stand beside his wife.
"Yes, my Lord. I have had the pleasure of making your Lady's acquaintance." She nodded her head, then turned to search Harper's face for support.
"Beatrice," Harper tucked her hand under his arm. "Thank you."
Beka stepped forward, "Yes, we are indebted to you. I am sorry that we cannot invite you to join us. I promise that you and your household will soon be our guests for dinner."
"Seamus is a thoughtful husband. He would not have asked if it were not necessary."
Three eyebrows raised. Harper a thoughtful husband? His former crewmates did their best to hide their disbelief.
Once inside the lab, they seated themselves around the table that had been set for a cold supper. Harper used a remote device to lock and seal the doors and blinds. He turned off the monitoring system. To the best of his engineering ability the room was completely secure.
"Someone is claiming to be the Reincarnation of Drago Museveni."
Tyr recognized the signs. The newly mated men were distant and bleary-eyed. They played with the shiny helixes on their arms, a little unsure of themselves and their new status. Those with successful impregnations recently behind them were puffed with pride and grinning broadly, relaxed in their seats. The discontented that believed he had gone mad with lust were morose and would not look him in the eye.
These were his most trusted men. They had supported his climb to the position of Alpha. They had shared battles on the field and in the diplomatic arena for ten years. The thought that even one of them would betray him was difficult to face. So he turned his attention to Tamerlane, sitting at the opposite end of the table. The mind of the boy had drifted, ignoring the interplay around him. Tyr sighed with regret. Entering that displaying competition had acted like a slipstream drive on his son's hormones.
Why did the Progenitor make their drive to procreate so powerful that in its first stages a male would risk his own survival to satisfy the urge? He put aside his blasphemous thought and called the meeting to order by dropping his fist on the table. Tamerlane jumped. The others looked puzzled. The Kodiak continued his uncharacteristic behaviour.
"Honey, I'm home."
Beka recognized that voice. It couldn't be? She turned slowly, holding her breath. When her eyes confirmed the truth of her hearing, a smile as wide as the galaxy crossed her face.
"So it is true. You are pregnant." Dylan hugged his First Officer. "Tyr should be congratulated - that was one of longest campaigns in history."
He held Beka at arm's length. "You look ravishing."
"Ravished actually. Seems to be an important part of the process according to Tyr." Beka hugged him again. "What brings the Admiral of the Fleet to the Kodiak fast hold?"
"Still painfully direct, I see." Dylan winced. "Would you believe I was in the neighbourhood and decided to drop in?"
"I wouldn't. Tyr wouldn't and Harper wouldn't." Beka tilted her head. "But if you want the rest of the Pride to believe it, we'll make an announcement."
"Perhaps you should," was Dylan's cryptic reply?
"Dylan!" Harper dashed across the empty room to pound his former Captain on the back.
"Lord Engineer." Dylan put his arm around the shoulders of the smaller man. "Tell me I am not hallucinating." He nodded toward Beka.
"You are not hallucinating." Harper turned around. "Let me introduce you to Lady Kodiak, mate of The Kodiak and mother to be of his second son. As well as interior decorator and stepmother extraordinaire."
"Interior decorator?" Dylan's eyes widened.
"I'll explain later." The three old friends huddled in the middle of the empty room. Heads bowed and voices lowered. "Why are you here?"
"Yes, Admiral Hunt," The Kodiak entered the room. "Why are you here?"
Tamerlane watched the interplay between his father and the Admiral of the Commonwealth Fleet. From his father's tone of voice it was hard to determine if they were friends or enemies.
Tyr had his arm at Beka's elbow as he steered her threw the chaos that was Harper's central corridor. Dylan kept pace beside Harper as children ebbed and flowed around them. Every now and then, Harper would reach out to tousle a head as it passed. Each time he addressed the victim by name. Trailing behind them was Tamerlane who was comparing this madhouse to the carefully controlled world of his childhood.
"Lady Harper, you know my Lady Kodiak."
Harper's second wife had appeared in the same doorway in which Tyr had found her earlier in the day. Harper had obviously called ahead. She had dressed to meet The Kodiak and his Lady. Harper left Dylan's side to stand beside his wife.
"Yes, my Lord. I have had the pleasure of making your Lady's acquaintance." She nodded her head, then turned to search Harper's face for support.
"Beatrice," Harper tucked her hand under his arm. "Thank you."
Beka stepped forward, "Yes, we are indebted to you. I am sorry that we cannot invite you to join us. I promise that you and your household will soon be our guests for dinner."
"Seamus is a thoughtful husband. He would not have asked if it were not necessary."
Three eyebrows raised. Harper a thoughtful husband? His former crewmates did their best to hide their disbelief.
Once inside the lab, they seated themselves around the table that had been set for a cold supper. Harper used a remote device to lock and seal the doors and blinds. He turned off the monitoring system. To the best of his engineering ability the room was completely secure.
"Someone is claiming to be the Reincarnation of Drago Museveni."