Chapter 14
Creation
The Pines vow renewal was in two weeks, so they were holding a rehearsal at the local church. Robbie knelt and talked to his son. He had his father's hair and nose but his mother's skin tone. "Okay R.J. all you got to do is carry this pillow, it will have four rings on it during the wedding. You bring them up there and give them to Mr. Soos, walk to side and sit with me and your mom."
"But what if lose them? And everyone on is going to stare at me…" R.J. was obviously a very shy boy,
"That's why we're practicing, so it won't bother you." Dipper said from the alter, "And you don't have to worry the rings my Grunkle Ford will give them to you just before walk down the aisle."
"You can do this R.J." Tambry said, "You are going to look so cute in that little suit, I'm going to take so many pictures."
"I'll try." R.J. whispered.
After the rehearsal the Ixcia crew watched as R.J. showed Amelia a game on a blue tablet. "I made that possible; Gideon and I can't wait to have one of our own." Mabel said,
"Us too." Pacifica added,
Grenda overheard them. "That reminds me, I better call home, my two-year old son doesn't take his nap unless I am the one who reads him a story."
"Grenda 2: the sequel, right?" Mabel asked,
"Marius sweet talked me out of it, we named him Grendarius. Grenda plus Marius."
Candy was also listening. "I also should video chat with my one-year old daughter Kimi. It's been great working with you Mabel, but I do miss her, even the diaper changes. Grenda and me are glad our families are coming for the wedding."
"I'm sure meeting them will be good practice for when we each finally have a baby." Pacifica said as Candy and Grenda left,
"Are you four having problems in that area?" the four women turned to see Andrew with Dipper and Gideon.
"No, Mr. P…Andrew"
Mabel pointed to the two children. "Like we told Amelia over there we chose not to have kids until we got back to earth, Dad."
Gideon smiled. "And since we've been back, we've been trying in our spare nights, and enjoying it."
"What made you decide to wait?" Andrew asked,
Dipper took in a deep breath, "Dad as you know we all went through hard times out there, on the run and hunted. It wasn't the safest place for a child."
"I guess you used some sort of alien contraceptives."
"Not by choice, didn't know about the stupid things for years." Pacifica grumbled,
"How can you use something like that and not know about it?"
Gideon began to explain. "Andrew, that is a story, the whole thing nearly tore our family in half."
Four years ago,
The Pines family sat in the common area watching the show "All my Eggs" on the cosmo-net. "Mother why can't you accept our love?" A salamander like character said,
"Fobber you are an amphibian, Novarina is a mammal, it is not meant to be! I will not be denied grandchildren!" a female of the same race proclaimed,
"Come on Glanba you have fifteen other kids! Let them be happy!" Mabel yelled at the holographic projection,
"The two of you have been married for three years! If you were the same race you would have had children of you own right now!" Glanba screamed,
"They've been married as long as we have. Funny coincidence huh?" Dipper said as he kissed his wife's cheek,
Pacifica's mind however just gone to another place, "Yeah, funny." She said not really paying attention,
A Celestanite character with an eye patch came in, "Dr. Jafni! You have news about Orberlon?" Glanba asked,
Dr. Jafni had a grim loon on his face. "I am afraid that your daughter has…"
"We interrupt this program for an Eyes on the Imperium special report." The Soothsayer replaced the other holograms,
"Boooo!" Mabel said throwing some snacks through the Soothsayer's face,
"Figures they'd interrupt at the important part." Gideon said,
The report continued, "With fresh reinforcements the Imperium fleet have won a deceive victory against the Gondarian Oligarchy. With this and the surrender of the Cotax last month 80% of the Isoban Galaxy is now under the protection of the Grand Cosmic Imperium. Experts say the time of the complete liberation of Isoban is now ahead of schedule and will be complete in two years!"
"Ixcia turn it off!" Dipper ordered, "We're running out of places to go!"
The display tuned off. "We'll find a safe harbor Dipper, we always do." Mabel said,
"But now jobs will be harder to come by! Potential clients won't want to hire fugitives from the Imperium if they think the Imps could be at their door tomorrow!"
Gideon had an idea. "Once we complete this cargo run, we can transport supplies for anyone who's still fighting! That can give us some protection."
"I guess it's the best we can do for now." Dipper sighed,
Meanwhile on Celestio Regent Duradis was finishing his daily meeting with Empress Stellara, he had grown a grey goatee. "With the conquest of this galaxy so close we should consider where to open a new front. I was thinking we could be bolder than in the past and extend operations to multiple galaxies. With the resources and troops that we can gain we might finally have an advantage over both the Fanmarx Order and the Trans-Galatic Confederacy!"
"You're getting ahead yourself Duradis." Stellara said from the diamond throne with Buckgis standing next to her, she was now thirteen years old and had grown quite a lot. Stellara now wore a white shirt with gold trim, with matching blazer, pants, boots, and a gold cape. "Even if everything goes according to these projections, I still wouldn't be able to open a new front for two years."
"Still it's best to look to the future."
"Have we caught the Pines yet?" Stellara asked,
"Not yet but they can't run forever."
Stellara stood up. "How is it that after seven years we have nearly conquered this whole galaxy and yet the heretics who tried to kill me, my mother's murderers still remain at large?!" she shouted,
"Your holiness, you needn't dwell on them. I'll handle everything."
"Stop treating me like a child! What is being done about this?!"
Duradis internally groaned, Stellara was becoming more rebellious and harder for him to control. "First she dyed her hair black so she could sneak off with Buckgis to that Rangar Ravenstar concert because she wants to know what it's like to be a normal girl and because she thinks he's cute. Now she questions my every decision and refuses to listen to me! This teenage attitude is just one of the reasons I never had children! However as loath as am to admit it she is right, as long the humans are alive my plans are at risk." Duradis thought. "I was going to save this as a surprise, but I may as well tell you now. I have arranged a trap for the humans." Making a gesture a holographic screen was turned on and the image of Captain Kondar appeared. "Captain Kondar is one of our greatest strategists."
"Your Grace, it is my greatest honor to speak to you." Kondar said bowing,
Stellara was not impressed. "I've read the reports, you lost to the Pines twice before."
Kondar tried to reassure his young leader, "Those were unexpected encounters my empress, this time with my extensive knowledge of tactics and Imperium military history there is no way they can escape me. Consider, they are running out of places to hide and will soon be desperate for quan. Now through our intelligence agents I have arranged to hire Odysseus Enterprises to make a cargo delivery to the Naxro system. I will be waiting for them there in the Hand of Suprema along with the destroyer Spear of the Stars and twelve cruisers. I have learned from our past encounters, as soon as they enter the system, we'll target their jump engines and flood the area with theta particles making their cloak useless, they won't able to run or hide. They have a durable ship, but it will not stand up to the combined firepower of sixteen warships. We'll fire at them until they are destroyed, no offers of surrender, no mercy! This time they will meet their end by the ship named for your great grandmother and pay for their crimes and the humiliation they brought upon our greet nation!"
"It is a good plan…" Stellara admitted. "…but are you sure you have enough ships? I want to be absolutely sure this will work."
"Kondar has more than enough, anymore and we deplete from vital warfronts." Duradis said,
"Very well, I wish you a swift victory captain."
"Empress." Kondar bowed again and ended the transmission,
"Soon you be avenged mother." Stellara whispered,
The next day the Ixcia had landed on a planet to deliver their cargo. While the Pines twins were out to receive payment Gideon and Pacifica spared in the cargo bay. Gideon had Pacifica in a headlock, but she jumped breaking out of it and did a sweep kick knocking Gideon to the floor. "Good move." Gideon said getting up,
Pacifica however needed to talk about what she realized last night, "Gideon can I ask you something personal? Normally this something I'd talk to Mabel about but I'm not sure if I can wait."
"We're family, go ahead." Gideon took a drink of water.
"How often do you and Mabel, …do it?"
Gideon coughed on his drink and said, "You weren't kidding when you said it was personal."
"I really need a comparison, I worried something might be wrong with me or Mason."
"Okay but don't tell Mabel I told you this but with the exception of the Cotax run I'd say we get close around three times a week."
"That's about the same for us. Do either you use any sort of protection?"
"Un no, we never did, do you two?"
"No and that's the thing I'm worried about. The four of us have been married for three years and having sex three nights a week with no birth control of any kind! How come neither me nor Mabel have gotten pregnant?" Pacifica was beginning to sound panicked,
"I, I never really thought about it before. Is it me? Please, not Mabel, no."
"Hey guys great news!" Mabel said as she and Dipper returned,
"We lined up two jobs at once. In an hour we'll pick up a delivery of computer components half of them we'll drop off at station 783 the rest we'll pass to a ship in the Naxro system." Dipper explained,
"The whole thing should be less than a week. Two days to the station, three days to the system." Mabel then noticed the worried looks on Gideon and Pacifica's faces, "What's wrong?"
"Mabel we might have a problem." Gideon said, his voice shaking,
"Us too Mason, last night I realized that we should have had a baby by now! Gideon and Mabel too!"
"A baby?" Dipper's legs felt like wet noodles,
Mabel felt much the same. "Me, a mom?"
"Guys, what if we can never children?" Pacifica was on the verge of tears,
"Paz, we don't know anything! Remember our upcoming physicals Ixcia gives us every three months? Let's take it early and we'll see if there is anything wrong."
And that is what they did. After they loaded their cargo, they went to Ixcia's sick bay. "All scans complete." Ixcia said,
"Well what's the verdict?" Gideon asked,
"There is nothing biological keeping any of you from conceiving."
"Well that's a big relief." Mabel said.
"Then we just have to be patient." Pacifica took Dipper's hand.
"That is not correct Pacifica, as I stated there is nothing biological preventing conception." Ixcia display images of her scans,
"If there's nothing wrong then why haven't we had any children? You're saying it's something else?" Dipper asked,
"You all have nanotechnology inside your bodies designed to prevent conception. I first detected these nanites eleven years ago when Dipper and Mabel came aboard. It is often a practice of slave owners to use this kind of technology. Your translator implants were likely suspended in a solution of these nanites."
"From day one! I should have broken that pirate's arms!" Pacifica yelled,
"Ixcia why didn't you tell us before? You have a bad habit of not saying everything." Mabel said,
"I apologize, the nanites are not harmful and none of you expressed an interest in being parents before so my directive to look after your wellbeing did not apply until now."
"So, these things mean we can never have kids? Ever?" Gideon asked,
"No Gideon, scans show that that the nanites can be turned off with a simple electromagnetic frequency, after twenty-four standard hours you own immune system would eliminate them and you can conceive normally. Most likely this is in their design so that a slave's owner could bred more servants if they wish."
Pacifica stepped right up to Ixica's avatar, "Well what are we waiting for? Shut these little bugs down!"
"Wait a minute, Paz let's think about this!" Dipper said,
"What is there to think about?"
"We are wanted criminals in most of the galaxy and our kids would also be considered criminals from the day they are born! We're attacked by bounty hunters and space pirates at least once a week! Isoban isn't the safest playground! All I'm saying is that we wait until we get back to earth. If we do then these nanites might be a good thing, we can still enjoy each other without…"
Pacifica interrupted her husband, "You just don't want the responsibility! We can keep our kids safe!"
"Pacifica's right, about keeping them safe I mean." Gideon said, "We've handled everything so far."
Mabel had other ideas, "I agree with Dipper. We're not saying we should never have kids, just that it will be better for them if we wait until we get home."
"And how long will we have to wait? Another five, ten, forty years?" Pacifica asked, "Mabel we're on the biological clock! If we do it your way, then by the time we do get home we maybe too old to have kids! Ixcia turn them…"
"Don't do it Ixcia! That's an order!" Dipper said,
Ixcia obeyed, "Confirmed. I am sorry Pacifica, but my primary directive is to obey the orders of the captain."
"Mason, how could you!?" Pacifica said hurt,
"This isn't fair Dipper!" Gideon was angry, "Mabel you're co-captain! Can't you do something?"
"Gideon, that only works to stop Ixcia from doing something. Besides I told you I agree with my brother, the order stands." Mabel explained,
"Arrrrgh!" Pacifica ran out of the room.
"Pacifica, wait!" Dipper followed his wife to her old room. "Can't we just talk about…" Pacifica's dagger whizzed by Dipper's left ear hitting the door to Gideon's old room before it flew back. "…We'll talk later."
"Can you blame her?" Gideon asked,
Mabel was confused, "Gideon, you didn't care about having kids until you thought that we couldn't! Why are you so upset?"
"The two of you are using your position as captain to take the choice away from us and have things your way!" Gideon yelled. "Pacifica and I looked to the you two as examples of being better than we were, but now you both have really disappointed us! Goodnight captains!" he went into his old room and sealed the door.
The twins hung their heads. "Wait a minute, Gideon it's the middle of the afternoon!" Mabel said,
On the Hand of Suprema Kondar received a report, "Excellent! They have taken the bait." He pointed to nowhere in particular and began shouting orders "Begin battle drills! I want every ship, every officer to know the plan by heart! I will leave nothing to chance this time! Operation Fallen Star is a go!"
"Sir! Yes sir!" his crew said as they began to run simulations, and relayed orders,
"I have tried to be a gentleman, but these humans take advantage of that twice! I will not fail a third time!"
Two days later and the twins' spouses had barely spoke to them. After unloading half of their cargo Dipper and Mabel decided to go to a bar on station 783 while the ship refueled. When they entered, they found three depressed aliens drinking together at a table. One had a purple carapace and three horns that looked like a mohawk, the second looked like a big green moth that wrapped his wings around his body, the last one they could almost be mistake for Darnak if not for the fact he like the other two wore a military uniform. "Two Star Blasters please." Dipper asked the bartending robot. It wordlessly made the drinks and handed them to the twins.
"Let me guess, the Imperium is about to overrun your forces and take your planet too huh?" The first alien asked, "Wolvri, Captain of the Toruk Hierarchy Star Forces."
"Actually, we haven't thought about the Imps in a couple of days, marriage problems." Mabel said,
"Wait, I recognize you two, you got that enormous bounty. The Pines, right?"
"We don't want any trouble." Dipper said getting his gauntlet ready,
"No worries! Any enemy of the Imperium is welcome to a drink us. Besides your crew has become something of a legend among those fighting against the Imps." The third said pulling out a chair. "Tarnor, Captain of the Brido Republic Defense Fleet."
The second one pulled another chair. "Flarnap Captain of the Whisder Royal Navy and fourteenth in line for the throne."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Dipper and this my sister Mabel. I got to say I normally don't go to bars, but my wife doesn't drink and she's beyond mad at me right now."
"So, what is she so mad about that the Imps seem trivial by comparison?" Wolvri asked, "Because I really need to see how it could get worse."
"We abused our authority as ships co-captains to try to solve a personal problem." Dipper explained,
"We did what we thought was the right thing, for the right reasons, but did it the wrong way. Now my husband won't speak to me." Mabel added,
"Ouch, that does sound bad." Flarnap said,
"Long before we were all abducted Pacifica and Gideon couldn't stand us and us them. One boneheaded mistake and we practically hit a reset button on our relationships." Dipper said as he took a swig from his glass. "So much for pulling together like the Allies in World War 2."
"I never heard of that conflict. What species fought in it?" Tarnor asked,
Mabel chuckled, "Just ours. It was a war on our planet a long time ago."
Dipper explained, "One man raised an army to try to take over the world. He was succeeding until several nations decided to work together and formed a coalition to stop him."
Flarnap looked confused. "Different nations worked together? How? In the history of this galaxy it's always been that a nation be it of a continent or a planet would always protect its own, grow to overpower it enemies. The closest thing like you're talking about would be trade agreements or non-aggression pacts."
"Well they shared supplies and information, coordinated attacks. Mostly they compromised how to divide the work." Mabel tried to explain. "Compromise…"
"I know what you're thinking Mabel." Dipper said, "Guys thanks for the company but we need to get back to our ship and fix things with our family."
"I just hope that they'll listen."
After that Wolvri talked to the other captains. "My peoples' fleet have a lot of fire power, but we just never know when the Imps will attack."
"My race has an extensive intelligence network that can help with that, the only problem is the Imperium have cut off our supply lines and we're facing a food shortage." Flarnap said,
Tarnor joined in, "The Republic has a lot of transport ships and an excess of food and medicine, but we have been out gunned. Wolvri if your people provide escorts…"
"I have a lot of friends in the upper levels of the Hierarchy, I can get those escorts." Wolvri replied. "Flarnap can you convince your people to help?"
"I'm the Queen's favorite nephew, she'll listen to me." Flarnap said,
Tarnor jumped in. "And my father is an influential senator on the defense committee. So, we're really doing this? Forming our own coalition?"
"It maybe our only hope." Wolvri said, "I came here to drown my sorrows but right now I propose we drink a toast to the birth of our coalition to keep our worlds free!"
"I'll drink to that." Flarnap raised his glass,
It took Dipper and Mabel two days of begging and pleading just to get Gideon and Pacifica to talk to them in the common area. "Alright we're listening." Pacifica said,
"First off we are both extremely sorry that we forced our wishes on you two." Dipper apologized.
Mabel continued, "While we still think we all should still wait, we want to talk and ask how long you think we should. We want to come to a compromise."
"Well that is better but mostly I just want to ask you something Mable." Gideon said, "I thought you would be eager to have kids, but I also know you look at yourself as the eternal child. Are you so afraid of being that much of a grown up?"
"No, that's not it at all. I do want kids but if we start a family here then it feels like we are surrendering. 'Okay Isoban you win! We're settling here and we'll never get home!' I just don't want us to lose that hope."
"Mabel, I know you want to keep us moving toward home but maybe having kids may make us just that more determined to get back, make us work harder."
"And what about you Mason? Why don't you want kids?" Pacifica asked,
"I never said I didn't want them, I do! It's just…I don't want you to get hurt. After everything the felggur did to you, you had so much pain and guilt that I swore to myself that you wouldn't be hurt like that again. With you so eager and the news of how close the Imps were to having this whole galaxy in my mind I saw you crying your heart out holding a small dead child. But in trying to keep pain away from you instead I inflicted it." Dipper put his head in his hands.
"But Dipper the felggur are one of the reasons I really want a baby!" Pacifica said, "I caused so much death, I want to make up for the innocent lives I took by bring one or more into the universe that will be good and I want to start before I get too old to be a good mother."
"What do you mean too old to be a good mother?" Mabel asked,
"You all know that my parents had a hard time having me so they're older than most of our generations parents. Well, it's a family trend too, I think my dad was as bad as he was in part because my grandfather Auldman Northwest was sixty when he was born."
Dipper was shocked, "Sixty!? That's… I mean Grandus was over a hundred and had a kid but that's still pretty up there."
"He was as bad as the other Northwests, but he got meaner and meaner with age. Dad told me about the one-time grandpa gave in and took him to the park, Grandpa fed the pigeons gravel while he watched the other boys play ball with their dads. I don't want to put my child through that, I will not let myself be the only good thing to come from the Northwest bloodline!" Pacifica cried angry tears.
Dipper hugged his wife and kissed her forehead. "Pacifica, you're not like that. Our children will have a mother who loves them with all her heart; and sixty is a long way off for us. So, let's talk and come to a decision on when to turn these nanites off."
Ixcia's avatar appeared. "I am sorry to interrupt but we are about to arrive in the Naxro system."
"We better get ready for the cargo transfer, but we'll get back to this discussion afterward." Gideon said,
They went to the bridge Dipper took the helm, Mabel navigation, Gideon engineering, and Pacifica tactical. "Cargo ship Raxfar this is the Ixcia please respond." Mabel said over the comm,
Kondar listened to the signal, "The time has come! Begin Operation Fallen Star!"
Out from behind the moons of a nearby gas giant the Imperium ship flew out and began to fire and surround Ixica. "Ambush!" Dipper yelled as he began evasive maneuvers,
"Jump engines have taken heavy damage!" Gideon reported as sparks flew all over the ship.
"Enemy fleet consists of twelve Imperium cruisers and two destroyers." Ixcia displayed the position of the ships.
"There are too many! I can't shoot them all down! Engaging cloak!" Pacifica began to turn it on.
"Don't bother!" Mabel said, "I'm reading high levels of theta particles, the cloak's useless!"
"Shields at 46% and falling. Tri-laser cannons offline." Ixcia reported,
"There has to be a hole we can fly out of this!" Dipper yelled. A large hit and Pacifica was sent flying out of her seat. "Paz speak to me!" Dipper said scared.
Pacifica lifted her head up. "We're not getting out of this one, are we?"
"Shields have failed. Hull integrity at 66%. Sub-light engines offline." Ixcia said,
Gideon got up for the door. "I got to get back there and fix…" He found the door jammed.
"Hull integrity at 15%." Ixcia said as the shooting stopped,
"What are they waiting for?" Mabel asked, "One more shot from one of those space donuts and we're goners!"
Kondar appeared on Ixcia's display mode which had a lot of static. "I wanted you four to see who it was that finally defeated you. No last-minute plans or legendary monsters to save you this time!" He turned to his crew. "Target their bridge!"
"You're just going to shoot us? No offer of surrender, no speeches on Imperium superiority? That's not like you Kondar." Dipper said,
"I am leaving nothing to chance this time! Fire on my command!"
Gideon and Mabel embrace preparing for the end. Pacifica got up and wrapped her arms around her husband who had no idea how to get out of this trap. Kondar raised his hand as he was about to give the order. "Sir! Ten Toruk Battleships have entered they system and are on a direct course for us!" One of the crew said as an alarm went off. The Toruk ships were long and grey with building like protrusions and large gun barrels, they began firing on the Imperium fleet.
"The Toruk wish to fight us?" Kondar said forgetting the Ixcia crew were listening, "No matter! I know their ships and tactics well! Use jamming frequency four! They will not be able to lock onto us."
Another alarm and several ships that looked like blue tilted cocoons appeared and joined the assault. "Sir Now I'm detecting ten Whisder warships on an intercept course! What these readings? The Toruk are linking their targeting systems to the Whisder sensors!"
"What? Flank them! Whisder shields are weakest on the aft section!"
A third alarm as smaller tan horseshoe shaped ships jumped in and fired on the circling cruisers. "Sir! Fifteen Brido corvettes have taken position behind the Whisder!"
"Brido ships can't target more than eight objects at a time! Fire Cluster Torpedoes!" The Imp ships fired weapons that split into multiple objects.
"No effect! The Toruk's point defense systems are shooting them down!"
"This can't be! They're covering each other weaknesses! Countering my every stratagem!" Kondar shook his head, "Forget them! Destroying the Ixcia is all that matters!"
"We can't sir! The enemy fleets have extended their shields around them!"
A different officer had another report, "We just lost half our ships!
"They're helping us?" Dipper asked,
Then the screens on both sides were divided as another transmission came in. "I am captain Wovri and we are the Coalition of Free Worlds!" Behind him was a green banner with the Isoban galaxy on it.
"One of the guys at the bar?" Mable asked,
"Don't worry Ixcia, the Whisder intelligence network told us of this little trap and we thought it was a good way to make our big introduction! We couldn't let the Imps get you, this whole thing was your idea in a way."
"You did this?!" Kondar sputtered. "In a bar? You inspired an unprecedented strategy?"
"We just gave them a little history lesson from our planet!" Dipper said,
"Impossible!" Kondar screamed as he tore out the last of his hair,
"Sir, we just lost the Spear of the Stars! We are the only ship left! Escape pods have been deployed from the other ships." One of Kondar's junior officers said, "Sir what are your orders?"
"We're giving you this one chance to leave." Wolvri said, "I suggest you take it and tell Duradis something for me. Tell him 'to get your Imps out of OUR galaxy!'"
Kondar growled, "Engage Hyper Jump! Retreat! Retreat!" The badly damaged Hand of Suprema jumped out and the battle ended.
Later Ixcia was docked in the lead Turok battleship and was being repaired while the Pines family talked to Wolvri, Flarnap, and Tarnor. "You guys saved us, but why? Because you owe Mason and Mabel?" Pacifica asked,
Flarnap explained, "Like we told them before you four have become legends! You really didn't know?"
"The stories on how you keep outwitting the Imps, your journey to get home, it gives our peoples hope and we couldn't let that die. I heard my own men talk about how you were they only thing keeping them from giving up." Tarnor said,
Wolvri then said, "This operation proved to our leaders that this could work. We transmitted the whole battle on the cosmo-net. Not only do we have our governments support, but other worlds are asking to join the fight! This may mark a turning point in this war. You four helped give birth to the Coalition of Free Worlds." That sentence reminded the family that they would need to talk later after the repairs were done.
The next day at the Imperial Palace, Kondar transmitted the report on the failure of Operation Fallen Star and the Coalition of Free Worlds. "The tactics that normally ensured victory on these kinds of ships were negated by the others. Because of this we lost fourteen ships including the Spear of the Stars which has become the first imperial destroyer to fall in battle in two hundred years. It is estimated this Coalition has taken over a thousand prisoners of war. I have failed you your Grace."
"I have just one more question captain Kondar." Stellara said on the throne, "What happened to your hair?" she asked causing Kondar to rub his bald head and cry, "Never mind. This wasn't your fault Kondar."
"Thank you, my Empress." Kondar sniffed,
"No, if anyone is to blame it's you Duradis!" Stellara shouted to the regent.
"I beg your pardon your majesty!?" Duradis was shocked at this accusation,
"You said he had enough ships, but the fleet was outnumbered!"
Duradis walked up to Stellara and stood over her. "There was no way to know that the humans could rally different races together!"
Buckgis pulled out his elec-warhammer and stuck it between the two. "Remember your place Duradis." He said,
Stellara stood up and walked to the holo-display. "Excuse me captain but I need this, that will be all." She turned the display to a map of the Isoban galaxy with it colored of showing who had what territory with the Imperium in yellow. "Duradis you allowed the Pines to do something no one has ever done before. They have united our enemies against us! Already more worlds are joining this…Coalition. It is inciting rebellion on worlds we have held for years!" She changed all space that wasn't theirs green. "Instead of facing separate enemies on multiple fronts we are facing the same enemy on all sides. There is a word for that Duradis, surrounded!"
"Your Grace this Coalition is still made of worlds in just this galaxy, it is hardly a threat." Duradis said,
"The way they work together could get them support from the Trans-Galactic Confederacy since they have similar views! The Fanmarx Order could see this as sign of weakness and renew hostilities! The careful balance of power between the three largest nations in the known universe may have forever been altered because you in your incompetence can't destroy one little cargo ship with four primitive criminals on board!"
"But your highness…"
"Get out of my sight!"
"If I may only…"
"Get out! Get out! Get ouuuuuuuut!" Stellara screamed,
"As you wish." Duradis went to his office and locked the door. "This situation is becoming intolerable! She will never listen to me now!" Duradis looked out to the garden, to the spot where his assassination attempt was thwarted. "The Pines, for people I've only seen from a distance they have an annoying tendency of getting in the way of my plans! I must find a way to eliminate them and Stellara once and for all!"
The next day the repairs were complete and the Ixcia was flying under her own power again with the crew in the same stations they were in the day before yesterday. "Remember if you ever need our help then just use the frequency, we've shown you, and you can count on us for transport jobs." Wolvri said,
"Thanks." Dipper said with a nod,
"Ixcia I'm setting a course for the Qoan system. Pacifica found us a buyer for those other components there." Mabel said,
Ixcia's eye grew and shrank. "Hyper jump in 5…4…3…2…1."
"So, before the shooting started, we were talking about when we should start trying to have a baby." Dipper got out of the helm,
Pacifica held up her hand. "Actually, Gideon and I talked about it and decided you two were right. We should wait until we get back to earth."
"We almost died, if those ships arrived just a few seconds later…" Gideon shivered at the thought,
Pacifica sighed, "Even if we get out of this galaxy, we'll be facing unknown dangers until we get back home. I was so upset with everything I forgot the most important thing is what would be best for my child."
"Still, we shouldn't just close the door on the whole thing." Mable said, "You guys were right that we could still be out here a long time and Ixcia wouldn't be that bad a place to raise kids."
Dipper held Pacifica's hand, "Mabel and I were talking, and we thought maybe a good compromise could be we wait five years. We'd be around thirty, not too old do you think?"
Pacifica smiled, "Five years or when we get back to earth. Whichever comes first."
Gideon wrapped his arm around Mabel shoulder. "That sounds like a good compromise. But given our luck it will probably be the former."
Four years later,
"We beat that number by a year." Mabel said,
"That must have been painful for you all." Andrew looked at his children,
"The import thing is we're here and we already turned off the nanites and it's only a matter of time until someone is calling you grandpa." Dipper laughed,
"Well you mother will certainly be happy." Andrew chuckled,
Pacifica looked at Amelia and R.J. "Still with the Imperium coming even if things go as planned, we'll still be placing a big responsibility ours and every other child's shoulders when they grow up to continue what we started."
"Pacifica, some people would call that a legacy."
Later that evening the Pines family went back to the Ixcia, the outer frame of their house was about three quarters done. "Agent Stone would you mind staying in the cargo bay until midnight? We want some alone time." Gideon asked the agent on guard.
"Of course."
Ixcia greeted them on the upper decks, "How was the rehearsal?"
Mabel smiled, "It was fine Ixcia but are you sure you just want to see the wedding through the scantrix? Ford still has our flashlight shrink ray; you could be there in person."
Ixcia's avatar tilted back. "I do not find the prospect of shirking…appealing. I also must remind you it is time for your quarterly medical scans."
"With everything going on I forgot reschedule that." Dipper said,
"We may as well get over with." Pacifica began moving to sick bay.
A few minutes later green beam stopped washing of the family. "Scans complete. Dipper, Gideon you are both in excellent health." Ixcia said,
"Alright." The two said fist bumping.
"Mabel your blood sugar levels are slightly elevated."
"Hey, I didn't have candy for fifteen years! Can you blame me for indulging?" Mabel asked,
"Also, you and Pacifica have been pregnant for approximately two weeks."
"What!?" They all said.
"We're finally having a baby." Pacifica cried tears of joy,
"We were just talking about…and now." Dipper stuttered,
"You're going to be a daddy Gideon; I'm going to be a mommy!" Mabel cheered.
"A little prince or princess to go with my Queen." Gideon kissed his wife's cheek.
Ixcia continued, "Congratulations, it is too early to determine their sexes however…"
"Ixcia unless it is something about the babies' health, I think we all want to be surprised." Pacifica said,
Mabel nodded in agreement, "We should tell everybody!"
Dipper had other ideas, "Wait, the wedding is two weeks, you shouldn't be showing any outward signs by then. What if we surprise everyone all at once at the reception?"
"That sounds wonderful Mason." Pacifica said,
"That would be perfect but I'm not sure if I can keep this to myself for two more weeks!" Mabel squealed,
"You can do it Mabel, just picture everyone's happy faces at the big moment." Gideon reassured his wife.
Pacifica looked down at her stomach hiding the new life inside. "Hello baby, we love you."
Mabel did the same. "We can't wait to see you, hold you, kiss you."
Dipper hugged his wife and looked at her belly, "We've been waiting so long, there is so much we want to show you."
"We won't allow anything to happen to you, we are working hard to make your home a safe place for you." Gideon said,
Pacifica faced her family. "It feels like we are finally getting our happily ever after." What none of them could see was that in the engine room under the quantum infuser that brought them home, a tiny dim red light blinked.