27

Australia.

 10.42am

#1 stared into the beaker full of blood. He could see the squirming foetus bobbing up and down in the thick plasma. It was like watching a child in a swimming pool but on a miniature scale. He smiled and nodded to Scully. The perfect clone was close to being implanted. It was a thrilling moment.

"Miss Scully is there anything I can get you by way of a celebration?"

"A TV or a radio? I'd like to catch up on the news from home if I may?" Scully couldn't believe she actually had asked for something.

"Sure. 2354 will organise you a television with cable so you can pick up American TV. Anything else?"

"I would like to go for a walk outside, if I can, or a run? To be honest I need some exercise." Scully didn't want to tell him that she was putting on a little bit of weight and her clothes were getting tighter. One of the joys of the change in life! Also lack of exercise didn't do well for her mind. She was desperate to escape for just five minutes.

"Ok," #1 said after a few moments deliberation "3791 will take you to the private beach where you can spend the afternoon and we'll get you a running machine installed in your room. Would that be satisfactory?"

"That would be lovely. Thank you." Scully said humbly and watched her creation kick in its beaker. #1 clicked his fingers and things began being organised. Scully was ushered out of the lab and down the corridor to her room.

"Get changed for the beach. Wear something warm." Scully changed faster than she meant to. The excitement was visible upon her face. "Ready?" 3791 asked softly

"I am. Maybe I should have asked to write to my family!" Scully joked.

"You know he wouldn't have allowed that!" 3791 commented. "You'll be going home sooner than you think at this rate. It will fly by." They smiled at each other feeling the connection between them but denying it at the same time.

It was barely five minutes down the road to the beach but Scully could hardly contain her emotions as she stepped onto the cool sand. Taking off her boat shoes she let the sand seep between her toes before running down to the waters edge. 3971 stared in amazement at Scully's behaviour. She was like a child. Scully picked some water up in her hands and threw it into the air where it came straight down upon her up lifted face. Nothing could break her spirit in that moment. Sitting down upon a rock Scully stared out at the ocean. Home was so far away but she knew deep in her heart that life was going to get better. She would see Mulder and Samantha soon. 3971 sat down beside her.

"Have you decided who the clone will be implanted into?"

"Yes. I thought 5385 would like the honours since she was all set the last time. Why, did you want to be the mother?"

"No… I'm curious that's all. What is it like?"

"What?" Scully looked at her companion quizzically.

"What is giving birth to a child like?"

"Painful but completely worth it. Why do you ask?"

"I don't want to go through with it. I don't want to have a child. I never have. It is compulsory of their kind."

"Their kind?"

"I am a Human-Zigoran Hybrid."

"Wow. Sorry, it must be confusing for you at times."

"It is. I never knew my Human Mother. The previous #1 was my Father. I miss him but these things happen, don't they."

"Death comes to us all. Do you know who your Mother is?"

"Yes. You knew her very well." 3791 turned away her shoulder length blonde hair blew around her face with the sea breeze.

"Who is she?"

"I'm not supposed to say."

"But you want to tell me, don't you?" 3791 nodded and considered her answer.

"Cassandra Spender."

Scully was left speechless. Her friend had lost a child during one of her numerous abductions and now Scully was faced with that child. It couldn't be true, surely not? How could the child have survived? Human children were born after 9 months but Cassandra had lost the baby at a few months gone. Scully shook her head in disbelief.

"Are you sure?"

"Positively. I have the DNA results."

"Well we both know the reliability of those around here! I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe when Cassandra's baby was taken at a few months into her pregnancy."

"Zigoran children and clones are born within a week of conception. I was taken away from her because I had begun arousing suspicion at the hospital. I have the notes."

"I don't want to believe it. I'll look over the evidence and maybe we can run another DNA test, if you don't mind? I can't take this all in at the moment. So the clone will be born in a week? There was no mention of that in my predecessor's notes. Something I needed to know I think."

Later that afternoon...

5385 lay on the makeshift operating table. Scully was standing over her terrified patient trying to reassure her that the procedure wouldn't hurt. There was only one way that this foetus was going to be implanted. Scully looked at her equipment tray. There lay her cervix widener and the foetus was sat in its half filled beaker of blood. It had grown in just a few hours to three inches tall. It kicked happily when Scully touched the side of the glass jar.

"Hey little one. Meet your Mommy." She held the beaker up so 5385 could see the little creature. It looked perfectly human but its head was slightly misshapen and those fingers were longer than any human would have.

Placing it back down, having received a smile from her patient, Scully picked up her implanting tool.

It could not be described as anything but an enlarged turkey baster! Pressing the bulbous end Scully expelled any air left in the tube then dipped it into the jar. Releasing her fingers from around the bulb she watched as the foetus was sucked up the tube. Its face told Scully how scared it was. She cooed softly at it making it smile at her. Now Scully had to implant it in the host Mother. Scully had always hated gynaecology at Medical school and really didn't want to do what she had to for this foetus to be implanted.

"Try to relax. I know it is difficult but please try." Scully said as she inserted the cervix widener used for smear tests. The discomfort was evident upon 5385's face. It was bright red where her face was screwed up. She wasn't screaming but her whole body language spoke volumes. Slipping the tube between the metal widener's lips Scully took a deep breath.

"You'll feel a rush of liquid now. Hopefully the baby will attach its umbilical cord to your uterus wall." 5385 nodded though clearly still in discomfort.

Scully pressed the bulb of her tool and watched as her creation disappeared from view into its mother's body. Quickly extracting the tools Scully let 5385 calm down before she pulled her scan trolley across the room. Squirting the cold gel onto 5385's stomach Scully became nervous. It was at this moment she prayed the foetus had attached itself because she couldn't do invasive surgery on the Zigoran's. Their blood could kill. She had seen it with Emily and many other green-blooded clones.

The monitor firstly detected the foetus' heartbeat making Scully smile pressing the detector a little harder against 5385's abdomen Scully followed where the snaking umbilical cord went. Scully sighed in relief as she saw it had become attached to the uterus.

"Congratulations. You are officially pregnant." Scully said. It was met by cheers from the gathered crowd of Zigoran's who had wanted to see the process in action. Scully shook her head. This to them was an achievement but to her it was awful. She had created a monster that would try to destroy the human race. In that moment Scully realised she had to work on a way to stop them for good. It was something only she could do. Raising her head Scully closed her eyes to the applause. She needed to bargain with #1 but had to work out how to make him think it was for his colony's benefit.