I know, I know! "It took you long enough, Ms. SoftMynx! Who do you think you are making us wait this bleep, bleep long! Why I oughta'…!" LOL. Sorry for the long wait, you guys. I would have had the story up two weeks ago, but my chronic bronchitis decided it needed some private time with my immune system. I wasn't good for anything for almost two weeks! Anyway, I hope these two chapters are worth the wait…
Disclaimer: I have a correction to make. In the third chapter, and probably others, I wrote that Jax could hear the baby's heartbeat. I've since learned that a human baby's heart doesn't beat until the third week of pregnancy. I apologize for this mistake and I will try in the future to be more careful.
Also, I have to say again that the opinions and views expressed in this and further chapters belong to me only and I am not and can not speak for the entire Predator Franchise.
Chapter 6
She woke up hungry- ravenously hungry. As a matter of fact, it was the stabbing pangs of starvation that had dragged her out of unconsciousness. Nia sat up on her elbows in bed and called out for Jax. As there was no one else in the room, she received no reply. She, then, got out of bed, pushed her feet into her slippers and headed for the kitchenette.
After throwing open a few cabinet doors, she found several different varieties of soup. Without even bothering to heat the soup, or put it in a bowl, she opened the can and began eating. She was on her fourth can of chicken with rice when Jax entered the room, followed by Prae'tor.
"What are you doing?" the robot questioned, taking in the mess of empty cans lying on the table. Nia looked up at the sound of his voice.
"I…I'm hungry." she stammered, for lack of a better explanation.
"Well, I can see that." Jax retorted, his expression turning grim. She ignored him and continued spooning food from the can. Jax grasped her wrist.
"Nia, stop this. You are eating too much for one sitting," he warned.
"But I'm hungry!" she screamed, trying to snatch out of his grip. Prae'tor snarled something from behind the robot.
"Excellent idea." Jax responded. "Lie down on the bed. I need to examine you." He said to Nia.
"I'm eating," she refused, pushing food into her mouth with her free hand.
"Nia, please, let us not fight about this." Jax pleaded.
"I'm sick of being bossed around by you two! Why won't you just leave me alone?"
Prae'tor grumbled something, turned from the upcoming drama scene and went to his favorite seat.
"Some help you are," Jax complained to his retreating form, sighed, then released Nia's wrist.
"All right, I will make a deal with you," he conceded. "If you let me take a look at you, I will prepare any meal you want."
Nia glanced at him hopefully. "Anything?"
"Anything you desire."
"You promise?"
"Yes."
Nia dropped the can and the spoon she had been holding, hopped out of the chair and hurried to the bed where she stretched out on her back. Pleased that he had resolved the issue without another fight, Jax followed her and sat down next to her on the bed. Nia watched in fascination as the robot changed his robotic right hand into a box-like instrument exactly like the one she saw Prae'tor use on her in the Infirmary.
"What is that thing?" she asked.
"It is a minuscule sonogram device, roughly translated," he replied, sweeping the apparatus side to side across her lower abdomen after lifting up her tunic.
"That small?" Nia frowned in confusion.
"Must I remind you, once again, that Yaut'ja technology is…"
"I know, I know." she groaned, cutting him off. "More advanced than human technology." She looked up at the high ceiling and sighed, allowing Jax do his work in silence. She stole a glance at Prae'tor, whose head was resting on the back of the huge recliner as though he was stealing a nap. As if sensing that he was being watched, the Yaut'ja raised his head and peered in her direction. Nia looked away.
"Why does he always wear that mask?" she asked Jax. She shifted her eyes to Prae'tor to find him still watching her.
"Because the atmosphere in this room is suitable for a human, not a Yaut'ja."
Nia sat up on her elbows. "You mean they don't breathe oxygen, right?"
"More or less. Breathable air is made up of many different combinations of gases. You each can breath in the other's air for a period of time, but eventually, your lungs will give out. Yours faster than his, as Prae'tor is nearly three times your size." Jax explained casually.
"What about the baby?" Nia queried and Jax stopped what he was doing to study her. She looked genuinely concerned. "You said it wasn't human," she continued, "so that must mean-"
"Stay calm." The robot said gently, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder and pushing her back down on the bed. "The baby gets whatever it needs from your bloodstream. He is fine." Nia nodded in understanding, but she didn't relax.
"I need you to confirm my readings." Jax said to Prae'tor as he changed his hand back to its original form. The big Yaut'ja rose from his seat and ambled over. Nia watched as the eyeport of Prae'tor's mask focused on her belly. She felt completely naked beneath his gaze and it took everything in her to lie still. Finally, Prae'tor raised his "eyes" to Jax and spoke in his growling alien language.
"Hmm, no wonder she is so hungry." the robot concluded.
"What?" Nia demanded, sitting up completely, her heart pounding in fear.
"This is unexpected," Jax continued saying to Prae'tor, who nodded once in agreement.
"What? What!" Nia screeched and her robot guardian turned his attention back to her as if just remembering she was there.
"The fetus has grown exponentially." he informed her as Prae'tor stomped back to his chair. "It is still too small for you to detect any of its movements, but the increase is unmistakable."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning you are now three and a half weeks pregnant." Jax put simply. Nia's eyes widened in shock. "The rapid growth is draining your body of most of its nutrients and supplying them to the fetus. That is why you are so hungry despite all you have eaten.
"But…but…" Nia stammered, unable to believe what she was hearing. "How is this possible?"
Jax's expression was both thoughtful and worried. "I can only conclude that the growth increase is just another side effect of the Human/Yaut'ja blending." he said by way of explanation. "We could not have foreseen this and I believe that as your pregnancy advances we may have a few more surprises in store for us."
Nia didn't like the sound of that. "What did you mean by another side effect?" she asked.
For a moment Jax stared at her in silence as he contemplated whether or not to give her any more information that may upset her. But Nia was relatively calm at the moment, so he decided it would probably be better for her to know.
"While you were asleep, I took a blood sample and discovered that you have Yaut'ja testosterone in your bloodstream."
"Now what?" Nia groaned, and fell back on the bed exasperated.
"In diminutive amounts, mind you, but enough for me to believe that this is the reason for your sudden outbursts of anger from time to time." Jax continued despite her comments. "Your natural secretion of pregnancy hormones mixed with Yaut'ja testosterone would send anyone into a frenzy. I am surprised that the sleeping agent worked at all."
Nia shot straight up in bed. "What sleeping agent!" she fired at the robot. Jax paused, his expression flooding with the wide-eyed guilt of have spoken too much. He looked to Prae'tor for help, but the predator appeared to be stifling a laugh.
"Jax?" Nia pressed, but the robot was still reluctant to say more. Nia narrowed her honey-brown eyes at him.
"Did you drug me again?" she snapped. Jax wouldn't meet her hard gaze, but he didn't have to as Nia suddenly figured it out for herself.
"The broth." she concluded flatly.
"If you would have finished the entire cup you would probably still be asleep now." Jax finally said.
"No wonder I kept getting weaker and weaker until I could barely stand up." Nia mumbled as she remembered the incident. "Jax! How could you?"
"You were out of control," he reminded her. "You were ranting and raging and throwing things. I had to do something."
Nia harumphed, crossed her arms under her bosom and shot daggers at the robot.
"Hate me now, if you must, but remember that my primary objective is the safety and health of you and the child." Jax lectured.
"But aren't all of these…" Nia groped for the right word, "…changes my body is going through dangerous for me and my baby?"
Suddenly, the lights behind Jax's artificial eyes brightened and he smiled broadly.
"Did you hear that?" he turned and asked Prae'tor, who nodded once.
"What?" Nia asked.
"You said my baby," Jax repeated and Nia's brows bunched together in thought.
"I did?"
"Yes." Jax confirmed elatedly. "For the longest time we thought you would never except the fact that you were pregnant…"
"How can I not except it?" Nia grumbled.
"…let alone come to care for the baby."
"Who says I care for it?" Nia retorted and Jax lost his smile.
"Deny it if you wish, but I can see physical body reactions that you care for this baby and what is happening to Prae'tor's people."
"I do not!" Nia snapped, jumped up from the bed and began her usual pacing habit as she always does when she's angry and frustrated. "I'm just…"
"Hormonal?" Jax supplied. Nia tossed him a sour look.
"I was going to say hungry. You promised me you'd cook for me."
"And cook I shall." Jax assured, rising from his seat. "What would you like?"
"What do you have?"
"Anything and everything you so desire." Jax replied grandly. Nia was quiet for a moment as she contemplated this.
"Catfish." she finally announced.
"Fried catfish?"
"Seasoned and fried."
"Of course. How innate of me." Jax joked and walked into the kitchenette.
"And baked ham." Nia added. The robot turned and stared at her oddly.
"Fish and ham?" he asked.
"Just a couple of slices." she amended. "And chicken! I'm dying for some chicken, cook it anyway you want. And I want some spaghetti simmered in tomato sauce to go with the fish; mustard greens to eat with the ham and I've always cooked rice and corn on the cob with my chicken."
Jax cleared his throat nervously. "The mustard greens might take a while," he admitted.
"Yeah, that's right." Nia agreed off-hand. "You'd have to wash them again and again, they take forever to boil down and don't get me started on how hard it can be to season them sometimes." she rambled on, staring at her feet as she reflected on the matter. "Okay, scratch the mustard greens. I'll have macaroni and cheese instead. Lots of cheese."
"Anything else?" Jax asked, even though he was hesitant to do so.
"Um, no. I think that will do- for now."
"I certainly hope so." Jax quipped under his breath.
"How can you have all of this human food here?" she asked, ignoring his remark.
"We were expecting you, Nia." Jax replied simply. She had a feeling that he wouldn't say any more on the subject, so she didn't press him.
"I'm gonna' go take a shower. If you want, I'll help you cook when I come out."
"That will not be necessary." Jax declined. "You are our guest and you must be treated as such."
"If you say so," Nia sang, then turned and headed for the bathroom. Jax watched her go until the door slid shut behind her, noting that she did not insist on helping him. He tossed Prae'tor a "what-have-we-gotten-ourselves-into?" look, then set off for the kitchen.