Administrator Caulder looked over the report only briefly before his eyes came up. He spoke shortly thereafter, sharp and to the point. "Terminate."
Brenna winced internally.
Caulder glared down unhappily at the report on his desk. "Honestly, Brenna, I don't know why you even bothered to bring this up. What question was there that this pregnancy should be terminated?"
That Thera wanted the baby was irrelevant, so Brenna had to think of another argument to present to Caulder.
"Administrator, I know that right now there is no need to supplement the work force with bred workers, but I think in this instance we might be looking at an accident that works in our favor."
Caulder looked dubious but he was at least listening.
"Just think what the offspring of Thera and Jonah might be able to contribute."
Caulder frowned. "Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter were a threat to our people and our way of life and already they've overcome the memory stamp once."
"I don't know why that happened but after we stamped them again there have been no signs of relapse. Now that To–Teal'c, with his resistance to the process, is no longer there to reintroduce them to their old vocations and identities there have been no signs of rejection of the stamp. Without reminders of who they used to be the stamps might hold this time. And I suspect we didn't give them a strong enough treatment the first time they were stamped. Apparently people from their world are stronger willed than those of our planet."
"An indication they might still prove a threat to us, and you want to propagate that insolence?"
"I don't look to breed the bad but the good."
Caulder stopped and considered the report before him again. Brenna let him think. While clinically detached to a fault when it came to his human workers Caulder was not an idiot... he was smart and that could work for Brenna.
Slowly, Caulder began to think aloud. "Our current worker population is genetically limited to a relatively small group of individuals. Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, and Doctor Jackson offer new genes to introduce into the group." He tapped the desktop idly with his fingers and Brenna could see the calculating wrinkle form on his brow. "That is a tempting promise to improve our stock."
"And Ther–Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill are both exceptional specimens, the trouble with the memory stamps aside."
"That's true."
"And," Brenna pressed cautiously, "we have to consider the fact that the work done in the caves is difficult and sometimes dangerous. Something could happen that caused Jonah's death or Thera's and we would have lost that source of new genes. By allowing this child to be born we would have access to those genes even if one of them should be killed. Technically, we could lose Colonel O'Neill today and still have access to his genetic material. We've been presented the opportunity to take advantage of all that they have to offer our city."
"Our biggest problem with SG-1," Caulder noted aloud, "has been the memory stamp. Other than that, they've been good workers."
"Extremely good."
Caulder nodded. "So an infant born and reared in the system would never need a memory stamp. It could be taught to obey and accept its place and do the work required of it through much more traditional means, means much more permanent. The one troublesome issue we face with SG-1 would be inconsequential when it came to this child."
Brenna only nodded.
Caulder was quiet for a long time and Brenna stood there, nervous. She imagined it was what Thera must have felt like that morning standing at her desk.
Finally Caulder looked up and met Brenna's gaze. "Authorize the breeding privilege and make all the necessary adjustments to maintain the pregnancy."
Brenna nodded. "Yes, of course," and tried not to smile. Thera would be so happy, and Brenna, secretly, was happy for her.
"Do you think they'll let you keep it?"
Jonah's voice was a low rumble against her back as she reclined back against him, body bracketed between his bent legs. It was half an hour past the end of their shift, and they occupied themselves with their customary distraction... each other. They were sitting on the floor near the south passage generator because it emitted a good deal of warmth and it was a low-traffic area. It was the closest they could really get to being alone together.
Jonah's arms were wrapped loosely around her middle, his left hand clasping his right wrist atop her stomach. When he spoke, he fanned his right hand fingers gently against her clothed lower abdomen.
A senseless, thrilling flutter sparked inside her at his touch even as uncertainty gnawed at her. "I hope so," she whispered softly. She dreaded to think of the alternative. She couldn't fathom reporting to the infirmary to have it aborted if Brenna couldn't come through for them with the work force committee. Thera had almost been shocked to discover just how much she wanted this baby, hers and Jonah's. She couldn't imagine being ordered to walk into the infirmary and let it be taken from her.
Distressed at the course of her thoughts, Thera snuggled more tightly against Jonah and he wordlessly obliged by gently hugging her closer. In his arms she felt safe, even if she knew there was only so much even Jonah could do. His stubble scratched at her temple and caught on her hair as he rested his head against hers.
Thera inhaled and a small waver laced her sigh. Even to her own ears she sounded distraught.
"Shhh," Jonah shushed as he pressed his lips to the side of her face, and it was inanely comforting. When he told her he'd make everything okay she believed him. She knew it was stupid but she couldn't help but trust in him no matter the situation.
Thera settled against his body, surrendered herself into his arms, and she let herself believe. She slid her hands over Jonah's where they casually perched atop her stomach and he tugged her gently closer in response.
"Whatever happens...," Thera began to say, but the words caught stubbornly in her throat. What could she say? She might be duty-bound to let them take away their baby, he knew it as well as she did.
"Yeah," Jonah said roughly, and it was all that needed to be said. There was nothing more they could do; it was out of their hands.
"You wanted to see me, Brenna?"
Brenna looked up to find Thera standing timidly in her office doorway. It was bed-down hour for Thera and those on the same shift rotation with her.
"Yes, come in, Thera... I sent someone to find you two hours ago."
Thera moved into the office, closed the door behind her, then cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was looking for me, I was, um, with Jonah." Thera almost blushed and did avert her gaze.
"Well, no matter. I talked to Administrator Caulder this afternoon." Brenna could practically see Thera fidget and hold her breath in nervous anticipation. "I know you're anxious to hear what the administrator said about your pregnancy, so I won't keep you waiting any longer. You've been granted breeding privileges."
Thera's eyes shot up and they immediately widened at Brenna's words. She stared at the woman overseer and then her mouth formed the shape of a circle as Brenna's statement started to sink in.
"You mean..."
Brenna couldn't help a small smile. "Yes, they've given you permission to carry your baby to term."
Thera, for a second, was absolutely beaming as a brilliant grin split her face, but she brought herself under control quickly. "Wow... that's... I don't know what to say, Brenna... thank you."
A wash of guilt assailed Brenna and she wasn't sure why. "You and Jonah are excellent workers, this was the least I could do to reward you your excellent service.
"I'll speak with the kitchen and foremen before morning to make sure you are given supplementary rations to maintain your health and your baby's. It's been quite a while since we've had an active breeding pair among the workers, so I imagine a lot of people will have to make adjustments."
Thera nodded enthusiastically and barely held herself still. Brenna could tell she was itching to tell Jonah the news.
"You can go back to barracks."
"Thank you." Thera said and turned immediately to leave.
"Thera?"
Thera paused and looked back at Brenna.
"Congratulations."
For the second time in a single day Jonah found himself anxiously awaiting Thera's return. He went through the motions of preparing for sleep but he was on high-alert for Thera's swatch of unkempt blonde hair in the milling crowd. This patience thing was turning out to not be his forte.
"Jonah?"
Jonah turned at Carlin's voice to find the younger man watching him curiously. The skin at the corners of his eyes was tight from squinting a lot of the time; Carlin had said once he didn't see as well as everyone else. Jonah had a nagging feeling there was something that could help Carlin with his eyesight, though he didn't know what. Still, the vision problem didn't stop the observant man from noticing the anxiety and edginess in his companion.
"Carlin," Jonah grunted and hoped the other man would catch the hint and leave him alone.
He did catch the hint, but Carlin didn't leave.
"What's going on?" Carlin asked in that insanely calm, unassuming voice he could invoke at the drop of a hat.
"What do you mean?"
"You and Thera... you've been acting odd these last few days."
"Maybe we're just odd people."
Carlin frowned, not in disapproval but concern. His voice was heavy, worried, and sincere as he asked, "Is Thera night sick?"
Jonah winced and closed his eyes for his recent attitude toward the guy as realization slammed into him. Carlin was just worried about Thera. He couldn't fault him or blame him for that.
"No, Carlin," Jonah turned to Carlin to meet the other squarely and in doing so reinforce the veracity of his words. "Thera's not night sick."
Carlin frowned and there was something anciently familiar about the crinkles it etched in his face and the purse of his lips, matched with the look of a thousand questions in his quick blue eyes. Jonah had noticed some time ago that his two closest companions were blue-eyed; he thought it was a strange coincidence. He wondered why he would unintentionally choose blue-eyed friends.
Odd.
Carlin's eyes shifted off of Jonah to a point beyond him and the scowl didn't relent as he said, "Hey, Thera."
Jonah turned at once and there she was, standing right in front of him. Looking up at him. Smiling.
Smiling. That had to be good.
His eyebrows rose is silent question and Thera's eyes glittered like sunlight reflecting off a glacier. The look on her face was her answer.
"Really?" Jonah asked. He couldn't believe it even if everything he saw in Thera said it was true.
Thera nodded and if her smile got any bigger they'd have to make extra room in the barracks.
Jonah was suddenly grinning, he just barely refrained from scooping her up in a hug, and everyone and everything else other than him and Thera disappeared.
"Um... what's going on?" Carlin's befuddled voice broke the moment.
Jonah stopped smiling like an idiot and looked over at Carlin. The younger man looked lost, dazed and confused, and that was more familiar than it should have been, too.
Thera's hand on Jonah's arm drew his gaze down to her and she looked up at him. Silent question shined in her eyes and Jonah merely nodded. It seemed safe now.
"I'm pregnant, Carlin," Thera said and she and Jonah both watched their friend for his reaction.
He blinked at her a second, then looked between Jonah and Thera, then his eyes narrowed and squinted and his lips tightened. "That's what this has been about?" His face cycled through a strange array of emotions then. First relief that Thera was in fact not night sick, then a building smile of happiness, but quickly (before his smile had due chance to form) a deep concern that dampened his good spirits. He looked worried, wary, and he glanced cautiously between them once again.
"Thera..." Carlin began softly, "you know they're going to make you..."
Thera shook her head. "I've been granted a breeding permit."
Carlin's eyebrows arched toward his hairline. "Really?" He sounded like he could barely believe it. Thera could empathize.
"Yeah, I just came back from talking with Brenna."
Carlin looked stunned, thrown, and Jonah found it strangely amusing to watch the younger man struggle to wrap his brain around something.
"So, you're... you're going to have a baby." Carlin stared at Thera with barely-disguised amazement.
Thera looked down demurely then up at Jonah at her side. Jonah was almost buzzing with energy and poorly-masked happiness.
"Wow," was all Carlin could utter.
"Wow is right," Thera returned playfully.
Carlin finally, belatedly, grinned.
"All right, all right," Jonah said as a hand conveniently snaked around Thera's waist, "enough of this, if we don't bed down the foreman will dock our rations."
It spurred Carlin to head back to his cot, quirky smile in place, and Jonah used his fortuitously placed hand to guide Thera to her own bed.
"Are you going to be able to sleep?" she asked him dubiously as they neared her bunk. She could literally feel Jonah bubbling with energy at the news.
Jonah smirked at her. "Not a chance in Netu," he quipped, then paused and frowned as though he'd bitten into something bitter. Thera, too, felt her brain snag at his comment. She couldn't imagine why.
Jonah shook his head, gave a shrug, and when he saw her looking up at him pensively he offered, "It's an expression."
Thera nodded, still distracted and 'tripped up', as Jonah bid her good night and went back to his own sleeping area. Slowly the mood brought on by Jonah's flippant comment dissipated and she was left with the joy of that day's discovery. She would get to keep her baby, her and Jonah's baby.
She was more than happy to serve if her hard work and effort was the reason she'd been granted something almost no one else in the caves was given. She'd work so hard and Brenna would never have to doubt her decision.
