Despite being the result of a cross between a human and an android, Alex appeared to be a perfectly normal baby boy. Dr. Crusher gave him a thorough examination right after his birth, and found that all his anatomical and physiological measurements were well within the normal range for a human male newborn. He was twenty inches long at birth, and he weighed a healthy eight pounds, two ounces. He had Tasha's blue eyes, but there were flecks of amber in his irises, giving his eyes an exotic, but not at all unattractive, appearance. He seemed to have the normal human requirements for nourishment and sleep. Dr. Crusher concluded that his human DNA seemed to be primarily dominant over his nonhuman DNA, although there were definite traces of Data in his facial features, and of course it was entirely possible that he might develop more android-like features as he got older. Dr. Crusher also planned to perform intensive psychological testing on him at a later point.

Data and Tasha proved to be devoted parents. The fact that Data didn't require sleep turned out to be invaluable to Tasha, who was recovering from an episiotomy as well as adjusting to breastfeeding. Will prepared dinner for the family several times, and Soren offered to help in any way she could.

Soren loved to hold baby Alex and feel his warm, soft body against hers. She loved the way his tiny face assumed various adorable grimaces, and marveled at the intricate perfection of his tiny fingers and toes. She also loved the soft mewing noise he made when he cried.

Alex seemed to want to breastfeed almost nonstop, and he went through an amazing number of diapers for the first few weeks. Dr. Crusher checked his weight on a regular basis. He lost a few ounces initially, but quickly made up for it, and he grew quickly after that.

Soon he began making the sweetest cooing sounds, and he had a smile that lit up his whole face. He was also able to wave his rattle around. Soren loved to hold him and talk gently to him and watch his responses.

The day finally came that Dr. Crusher determined that Will and Soren's child was ready to be born, and they followed her into the room where the artificial womb was kept.

"Please have a seat. I will begin the procedure shortly," Dr. Crusher told them.

Will and Soren did as they were told, Will making small talk to try to take his mind off how nervous he really was. Soren sat smiling calmly, but inside she felt anxious as well. Would her baby be completely normal? Were there any detrimental effects of mixing human and J'naii DNA? Dr. Crusher had assured them both that the baby was completely normal, but Soren still felt apprehensive. Were tricorder readings 100 percent accurate?

The procedure was very similar to a C-section delivery, except that of course the services of an anesthesiologist were not needed. Dr. Crusher carefully opened the artificial womb, gently lifted the baby out, and laid it on a table. She cut the baby's umbilical cord, and the baby began moving its arms and legs and crying.

"Congratulations, Will and Soren. You have a beautiful baby girl."

They both breathed a huge sigh of relief, and Will grinned as only he could grin. "We did it!" He enveloped Soren in a tight hug, lifting her slightly off her feet as he did so.

"Can I hold her now?" Soren asked.

"Just as soon as I get her weight, measurement, and Apgar score," Dr. Crusher replied cheerfully. She cleaned and dried the baby and transferred her to a scale.

"She's twenty-one inches long, which is no surprise, considering how tall both her parents are." All three of them chuckled. "And she weighs...let's see...seven pounds and two ounces. A perfect size for such a perfectly adorable little girl." Dr. Crusher talked baby talk to the newborn, who seemed to be paying rapt attention, although she wasn't able to completely focus her eyes yet.

As soon as she was finished with her initial examination, Dr. Crusher wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed her to Soren. Soren saw that she had slight, but unmistakable, J'naii markings on her forehead.

"She looks just like you, honey," Will exulted.

"I love that cute little dimple in her chin," Soren remarked.

"I have a dimple just like it in my chin," Will told her. "Only you can't see it anymore because of my beard."

"I'm just so relieved that she has a definite gender. I was really worried about that," Soren said.

"There are internal examinations that can be done when she's older," Dr. Crusher told them." But her external anatomy is perfectly normal for a female. It seems that the X chromosome which Will inherited from his mother is dominant. Likewise, if you ever have a son together, the Y chromosome which Will inherited from his father should insure a normal male anatomy."

Soren thought of Betty Riker in her crypt in the mausoleum in Alaska and said a silent 'thank you' to the long-dead woman who would never know her granddaughter.

"Have you chosen a name yet?" Dr. Crusher asked them.

"I think it would be nice to name her 'Kyla' after your father," Soren told Will.

"That's fine by me," Will said, "as long as her middle name is 'Soren'".

Soren smiled and blushed. "Thank you for that, Will," she said.

Dr. Crusher kept baby Kyla in sickbay overnight for observation, but she let Will and Soren take her back to their quarters the next day.

Over the next several days, various members of the Enterprise crew, and even Captain Picard himself, visited them.

"You're a real pioneer family," Picard remarked, gazing at baby Kyla in her crib.

"What do you mean?" Will asked.

"You have produced the first ever cross between a human and a J'naii, proving that J'naii are indeed reproductively compatible with other species. After all, if there can be a cross between a human and a J'naii, why not between a Vulcan and a J'naii? Or a Betazoid and a J'naii?"

"I can just imagine Noor and Krite's reaction to what you just said," Soren told him.

Picard looked at her with compassion. "One of my greatest hopes is that some day the others of your species will be willing to accept and embrace those of you who are different like yourself, rather than viewing them with pity or revulsion. When that day comes, perhaps they will be willing to reach out to members of other species as well, considering everyone equals."

"Amen to that," Will agreed. Baby Kyla, who had been sleeping soundly, began to squirm fitfully.

"And in just a minute someone's going to be waking up and demanding to be fed," he laughed.