CHAPTER 4:
Another Mini Kantra?
"Would you get out of the bathroom? I have to take a shower!" Kantra complained while banging on the door of their bathroom.
It was the morning and Kantra had lazily gotten up for another day in Sau-Trul's boring office. He had barely sat up when Iliana had groaned and ran to the bathroom to go throw up. Kantra had waited with his usual patience, which wasn't much since he was a yautja male, and had now gotten up to check on his mate.
"Are you all right? You're worrying me" he called out. "You've been like this recently. You think it's the food here?"
"No, but I'll be fine" she assured from inside while wiping her mouth. "I'm sure it's nothing."
"Nothing, my ass! You're going to Ani-De's med bay today" Kantra ordered. "Vomiting is not normal!"
"Fine, I will, so shut up!" she yelled back. "I'll be out in a minute."
She rested her back against the metal wall of their bathroom and breathed deeply. She'd been feeling nauseous the last few days and had wondered the causes for it. There was only one she could think of and she didn't know how Kantra would react if it was true.
I can't be pregnant, she thought. I wanted to wait a bit more but with Kantra, I'm surprised I wasn't pregnant sooner.
"Oh well, if it's true, I can't complain" she sighed and tried to lighten her mood. "I'll have a new baby to get stuff for and Kahet will have someone to play with."
Getting up from the floor, she turned on the sink by passing her hand over the metallic sensor and filled a cup of water. Rinsing out her mouth, she washed her teeth next and looked into the mirror.
Gah! I look scary in the morning, she thought. How the heck does Kantra still want me like this so early?
"Because he's a sex maniac" she answered herself and allowed herself a small grin.
"Iliana! Hurry up!" Kantra broke in and knocked on the door again.
That man has no patience, she thought humorously.
"Keep your loincloth on, I'm almost done!" she yelled back. "You hog the bathroom anyway so too bad!"
Kantra growled from outside and sat down on his bed to wait. Kahet poked his head out from over the crib and stood up to look out at his father. He was now three years old and still created mischief for his parents. His brown hair looked bushy against his face while his green eyes looked around curiously.
"Morning, father" Kahet said, waving to his father.
"Hello son" Kantra said, looking up at him. "Sleep well?"
"Mm-hmm" he said, nodding. Then with a worried face, "Why's Mama yelling?"
"She felt sick again" his father sighed. Then waved a hand, "Don't worry, Kahet, go back to sleep."
"No, I'm hungry" he said, shaking his head. "Do you have to leave today?"
"Yes, Kahet, but I'll be back as usual" he said, walking over to pick his son up. Kahet happily jumped into his arms and purred. "Are you going to go play with the twins today?"
"Yep" he nodded excitedly at his father who sat down on the bed again. "We're going to go play in the gardens."
"You're happy about it, eh?" Kantra laughed. Iliana opened the bathroom door and went to lay on the bed immediately. "Feeling better?"
"Yes and I didn't hurt your precious bathroom" she muttered and closed her eyes. "It's squeaky clean for all of your hunting needs."
"I only joke, Ana" he purred and traced his hand down her cheek. She smiled softly. "I want you to go to the med bay, I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I'll go after you leave, okay?" she told him quietly. "And whatever the diagnosis is, I don't want you to freak out."
Please don't let him go on a rampage or something, she thought. As much as I'd love to see his body beating the crap out of warriors, now isn't the time.
"You sound like you know already" he chuckled and then stopped when she didn't join him. In a serious tone, he asked, "Iliana, what is it?"
"Don't worry about it" she smiled and caressed his cheek. "Everything will be fine. Just go to work and I'll tell you when you get home."
"Iliana-" he warned, worried.
I hate not knowing what's wrong with her and her ooman body, he thought. I wish they gave us classes on species and their anatomies.
"It's nothing bad, I promise" she said, sitting up to kiss him. "Don't look worried, okay?"
"How can I not?" he asked, quickly. "I know nothing about your ooman anatomy and I can't do anything to aid you."
Smiling gently at him, she said, "That's the choice we made when we chose to be together. Sometimes, we may not know what's wrong with the other at all until a doctor explains it."
"I'm taking you to my brother now" he said, letting her go. She objected quickly and pinched his side. "Ow! Hitting is not making it better!"
"I'll be fine, just wait" she sighed and soothed his pained side. "Just relax for now."
"Mama" Kahet purred and hugged his mother. She grinned and squeezed her son tightly in her arms.
"I love you, my baby" she said, kissing his head. Looking at Kantra, she cuddled up to him while holding Kahet. "Stop looking so down. We're here together and that's all that matters right now. And don't you have a shower to take?"
"I forget things when you worry me" he said, giving them a quick hug. Then grinned, "See what you do to me, Ana?"
"Me? You're the one who lost his brain" she laughed while he got up and headed to the bathroom. Watching his muscled body walk away, she said, "You crazy, handsome man."
"And don't you forget it" he said, pointing at her.
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"How's it going over there?" Eliok grinned idiotically.
"Fine, Eliok" Iliana laughed while watching him on an onscreen panel. "We just finished having breakfast. How are you?"
"The same" he said, shrugging. "Doing business here and there."
"Do I really want to know?" she mumbled and furrowed her brows.
"It's best not to" he responded and smiled. "It could put you in unspeakable danger!"
"Eliok!" she exclaimed.
The bounty hunter had called Iliana after she'd finished eating. Kahet sat in his chair and watched the navy alien curiously. He'd seen him many times over his little lifespan onscreen but he rarely visited the Ade'k'ra.
"Eliok!" Kahet mimicked.
"There's our Mini Kantra" Eliok said, looking at him. "Yep, still looks like him."
"He has my hair" Iliana pointed out.
"He looks completely like Kantra, Iliana" he smirked. "You're gonna have to admit it eventually."
"Shut up" she muttered.
"Does he give you as much trouble as Kantra?" Eliok grinned innocently.
"They're at a tie" Iliana said, feigning a sigh. "One's a child and one acts like one."
"And you whine like a spoiled child" Kantra's voice said behind her.
Iliana turned around and shook her fist at him. He hissed at her playfully while she walked over and pecked him on the cheek. Eliok cringed and booed at them while Kahet laughed. Kantra glared at the screen and growled but Iliana nudged him on the side.
"What do you want, Eliok?" Kantra asked, crossing his arms. Iliana poked his side again so he'd be nicer. "It's not another suicidal vacation, is it?"
"Is that a nice way to greet your old pal?" Eliok asked, opening his arms in the form of a hug.
"Don't ever do that again" he cringed and stepped back a little.
"Ignore him, he's cranky in the morning" Iliana said, dismissively. "I'm glad to hear from you though. Have you been to Earth recently?"
"No but I probably will soon" Eliok shrugged, then licked his bottom lip. "I can't wait to taste that food. You have to at least miss it, Iliana."
She shrugged lightly while Kantra glanced at his mate. Usually at night, when they were alone in bed, he asked her about it but she shrugged and made a small joke about it. Iliana usually avoided the subject in order to forget the planet and the happy things she remembered. Besides, she had something better here now.
"At times but I get over it" she shrugged and changed the subject. "So when are you coming to visit?"
"What?!" Kantra interrupted quickly. "Every time you're here, you run into Sau-Trul and piss him off. A pissed off Arbitrator is not what I need here on board!"
He cheers up Iliana but he causes chaos for me, he thought glumly. He always pokes at the Arbitrator for humor for some reason and miraculously survives every encounter.
"Stop moping! The excitement begins when I arrive" Eliok smiled dashingly.
"Yes and by the end, people will want to kill me for letting you on board!" Kantra objected.
"Come on, you'll get to live a little" he smirked. "I bet Iliana's bored by now."
"We've had enough adventures to last a lifetime" Kantra grunted. "Some of those included you."
"Are all yautja usually this grumpy?" he teased. "If so, Iliana, you must begin preaching from the good book called 'The Joke Book'."
"What's a joke book?" Kahet asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"Oh! Not the little one! We must teach him soon, Iliana, before it's too late!" Eliok faked his plea and reached out his hand. Iliana laughed and waved him off.
"He's funny" Kahet laughed from his seat.
"No, he's not" his father said, turning around. In a parenting tone, he stated, "He's the example of what happens when you get hit on the head too much."
"Ouch, if we weren't friends, I'd be offended" Eliok said, faking sniffles and making his black eyes wider. Kahet laughed again making his father sigh.
"Yeah, we make crazy friends all the time" Iliana smiled widely in which Kantra hung his head. "Just look at my crazy husband."
"I'm not crazy!" Kantra protested humorously by turning his back to her like a child. "Why do people assume that all the time?"
"You were when I met you" Iliana laughed and ran her hand down his spine. "So dangerous it became a turn-on."
"There's children present!" Kantra warned quickly and placed his hand over her mouth. Then to Kahet, "Son, go play while the grownups talk."
"When will I be grown?" he pouted and got off his chair.
"Not for a long time" Iliana said, blissfully. "Now go on, sweetie."
Kahet grumbled quietly and walked out of the room. He hated feeling small in adult conversations and told himself that one day he'd grow up and be fully involved with them.
It's not fair but they'll see!, he promised himself.
Iliana watched her sulking toddler walk out making her heart clench. She always hated getting her son upset in any manner, even if it was for his own good.
"He'll be fine, darling" Kantra soothed, watching Iliana's line of sight. Then to Eliok, "See what you did, my son's upset now!"
"Me? You two are the ones flirting in front of my fragile eyes!" he shot back and crossed his arms to huff, "The child was saved while I have to suffer."
"Stop complaining" Kantra scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Okay, you two can stay and argue till the end of time but I have things to do" Iliana said, bored by their squabble. "I'll talk to you another time, Eliok."
"Bye!" he waved dramatically until Iliana left. Looking at a grumpy Kantra, he grinned, "How did you land a cool mate like that? You brainwashed her, didn't you?"
"Why am I always the one stuck to you?" Kantra growled and yanked at his dreadlocks. Then sighing, "It wasn't easy, I'll say that much."
"Did she really keep kicking you in the crotch when you were on Earth?" Eliok asked curiously, making Kantra growl in his throat in annoyance.
"No, she stopped that once we became friends" he said, narrowing his eyes. "If she had kept it up, I doubt I'd have my son now."
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"So, am I?" Iliana asked, cautiously. Her mind had been in torment for the last hours with the same question.
"Are you what?" Ani-De asked, nonchalantly.
"Am I pregnant?!" she demanded, balling her hands into fists.
"Yes" he said, simply. Then briskly, "You know what my next question is, right?"
"Have I told Kantra?" she asked, pouting unhappily. He gave her a firm look.
"No, why haven't you been eating better?" he asked, crossing his arms. For a medic, he could be sympathetic and enraged in a second. "You're pregnant, you should've come sooner!"
I should've?, she thought. I've felt fine so far.
"How far along am I?" she asked, surprised. "I barely felt any symptoms! Will the baby be all right?"
"Almost three months and it will be fine if you follow my orders" he explained. She nodded quickly. "You're family and I don't want anything to happen to you under my watch."
"I know, that's why Kahet only likes you out of all the doctors" she joked but he kept his face serious. "I'm sorry, I should've been here days ago but I thought it was a stomach virus or something."
"You still should've come in" Ani-De said, firmly. "I'd hit you over the head if you weren't pregnant."
"Hey, I'm the one who cheers for your hits on others, don't take it out on me" she said, pointing her finger at him. "And I do listen, I just tend to make my own diagnosis before coming to you."
"You're not a professional medic" he stated quickly. "Don't assume you know better."
"Fine, but only because I don't want you envious of my skills" she teased while grinning. Ani-De narrowed his eyes and snorted. "I'll take that as an okay."
"Enjoy the days when you can joke because from hereon, you're going to be grouchy with pregnancy symptoms" Ani-De smirked in his teasing manner.
"Thanks a lot" she muttered and sighed. "Now that I know I'm pregnant, I have to tell Kantra."
"You don't think he'll be happy?" Ani-De asked, furrowing his brows. "Males in our society make it their goal to produce at least 70 sucklings in their lifetime."
What?! Hold on a minute, she thought.
"70?! That's a freakin' military platoon!" Iliana gasped in surprise. "I'm not having more than 10, and that's if I live long like you guys."
"Our poor brother" he shook his head in fake pity. Iliana grinned at his display. Then in a soft tone, "Iliana, is something wrong between you two?"
"No, it's fine, I just. . ." she stuttered, hesitant. She didn't want to talk much about it but if she had to then, "Kantra and I keep busy all the time, especially with Kahet, and I don't know if we're ready for this baby."
"That's what you said about Kahet and he's perfectly fine" Ani-De said, sitting down in a chair nearby. "You're both wonderful parents."
"Yes but Kantra was there to help when he wasn't busy" she explained and then sighed, "He's training harder now and sometimes I feel as if we're distant. We still have that culture barrier but humans like to know things about their spouses and sometimes Kantra doesn't want to talk about it when I know it's something that's bothering him."
"Have you spoken to him about it?" he asked, looking at a now shy Iliana.
"Yes but he says we're fine and I believe it most of the time" she said, shrugging and looking at her sandaled feet. "But sometimes I think that if we don't talk about it, it could get worse over the years. I just wish he'd talk to me about himself instead of worrying over my well-being."
"Females here worry as well but don't let your mate keep himself too secretive about his daily tasks" Ani-De advised carefully. "Kantra may be trying to shield you from the tough change of rank that affects him over the years but keep yourself close to him without looking like you're trying to pry him open. All males in our society can be aloof when it comes to any emotion but we do love our mates, I will say that."
"Thanks, Ani-De" she said, gratefully. "I just hope he doesn't faint from this new baby."
"He'll adore it, trust me" he said, chuckling softly. "Kantra, Sali'ah, and Aru'Kar always watched over us when my younger siblings and I were small despite our squabbling. Kahet must also learn his new role as an older brother over the months also."
"I know, I wonder if he'll be okay with the new baby" she said, feeling nervous. "I don't want him to think he's not our baby anymore."
"He'll be fine, just keep mothering him" Ani-De laughed and pulled open a drawer from his desk. He grabbed a black bag out of it and handed it to Iliana. "When you tell him, give him the candy, it may lighten his mood."
"Thanks, brother" she smiled and hugged him. He hugged her back and patted her head. "Wish me luck."
"I do, we medic types have to stick together" he teased her.
"Oh, now I'm one of your types? What happened to the assumptions, eh?" she laughed and grabbed her things to head home.
"In my med bay, I rule the domain" he hissed playfully. "Outside, we're partners."
"Even in the medical fields, males are still aggressively territorial" she chuckled and waved him goodbye.
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"Mother, I missed you!" Kahet smiled and hugged his mother. He had just run in through the door after being dropped off by an irritated Sali'ah who ran after her two giggling boys.
"Did you behave for Aunt Sali'ah?" she asked, rubbing his back tenderly. He nodded. "Did you have fun with the twins?"
"Mm-hmm" he nodded happily. "Aunt Sali'ah told me to tell you to be there next time."
Probably had trouble keeping the twins in check, she thought humorously.
"Yep, that sounds like her" she laughed and squeezed her son again. "So, what did you do?"
"We played hunters, except for Sri'shan, he wanted to stay with aunty" he said, placing a finger on his chin to give him a thoughtful look. "Sau'Nak showed me this tablet about the homeworld, it was pretty but I just wanted to play."
"One day you'll study about it" she said, tickling his side.
"Mother!" he protested but laughed. "Stop!"
"All right, then" she faked a pout and picked him up. "Hungry?"
"Mm-hmm" he nodded and she headed towards the kitchen.
She heard the entrance open and a grumpy Kantra entered their home. He placed his things on the table next to their door and kicked off his sandals while throwing his mesh to the side.
"Rough day?" she asked, giving him a sympathetic look.
"As usual" he sighed and stretched. "The new training sessions are getting harder over the months."
My poor love, she thought. He works so hard.
"Can't you ask Sau-Trul to tone it down?" she asked, walking over to him. She spotted two new bruises on his side. "Are you all right?"
"It won't kill me, don't worry" he said, dismissing it. Cupping her chin with his hand, he said, "But I am worried over you so tell me what my brother said."
Great, he did the switch thing again, she thought. Oh well.
Kahet reached out for his father who easily grabbed him into his arms. He tickled his son's side making him groan in protest. Shaking his head at his son's complaint, Kantra draped his arm over Iliana.
"As long as you're both here, I might as well tell you" she said, hugging him.
"It's something bad, isn't it?" he said, assuming the worst. "Whatever it is, I will find a cure for it or make my brother do it."
"It's nothing bad! Don't overreact, though I love you for it" she smiled and soothed his chest. He purred in return and squeezed her cheek.
"Then what is it? I've been worried all day!" he asked in a serious tone. "There's only three things that worry me: my family, rank, and food."
"Food? Kantra, really now!" she laughed loudly making him snort. Kahet just stared at his parents blankly. "Darling, I'm pregnant, that's all."
"Oh, that's a relief" he said, hugging her closer. Then letting her go a second later, "Pregnant?! How are you pregnant?!"
"Is your brain frozen or do you want to traumatize our son by me telling you the whole process?" she said, sarcastically. He hissed playfully. "We're having another baby, Kantra, so get it through your thick skull."
Another one?, he thought. I could barely handle Kahet when he was a suckling. Just when I thought I had it under control, I get another one.
"Maybe it'll be a girl, do you think they cry less?" he asked, curiously. She hit him on the side. "Ow! Thanks for not hitting me on the injured area."
"You're okay with it, right?" she asked, looking at him. She really needed his support on this. "We can get ready for this new baby and handle things here, right?"
"Of course we can, Ana" he asked, nuzzling her cheek. "We've been through worse. This baby will be fine, besides, we've been through it before with Kahet."
"Oh, my sweet Kahet" she smiled at her son. He instantly smiled back at her. "You'll be getting a new baby brother or sister to play with by next year. Will you like that?"
Kahet heard his mother's announcement and felt nervous immediately. He was going to have a baby brother or sister around him. What if they didn't like him or he didn't like them? He imagined a baby boy throwing toys at his head while laughing and Kahet hitting him in return. But then he remembered hitting people was bad, so what would his parents say? Would he be replaced if his real sibling turned out like that?
No, they love me, he thought defiantly. The worriedly, But what if the new baby's better than me?
"Will I get replaced?" he asked, timidly. "I'll be good!"
"What? No!" Kantra said, instantly.
"No, sweetie, I'd never do a thing like that!" she assured him by grabbing him into a hug. "Don't ever think that. Your father and I love you with our lives, Kahet."
"Then why do we need another baby? I'm the baby" he mumbled and drooped his mandibles in a sulk.
"Honey, it's not because we don't want you as the baby anymore" she explained carefully. She hated seeing him upset and he was used to getting his way most of the time. "But these things happen, most people here have an older or younger brother. Look at your father, he has six!"
"That's not bad, others have more than six" Kantra pointed out quickly.
"Yeah and we're not going to be one of them" she said, firmly. He scoffed. "I'm serious."
"Sure and you said we'd never have a second child but here we are" he grinned, smugly. She stuck out her tongue as payback.
"So I won't be replaced?" Kahet asked, whining softly.
"Never" Iliana said, kissing his cheek. "I'd never let anything take you away from me. Just because you won't be the baby of the family doesn't mean we'll love you any less."
He nodded quietly and cuddled up against his mother. He was relieved he wouldn't be discarded while his parents entertained a new baby and not him. He liked being the baby of the family but now it seemed he'd have to make room.
"Do I have to share my toys?" he asked, looking at his father.
"No, don't worry about anything until the baby arrives" his father comforted and tickled his side.
"Why is everyone tickling me today?" he whined and swatted at his father's hand.
"You're the baby, like you said" Kantra teased him affectionately.
"I don't want to be the baby then, you can tickle this new baby" he pouted and tried to growl at his father. "Father!"
"You'll regret that" Iliana laughed and squeezed him.
"I doubt it" he whined but purred to his mother. She squeezed him again. "Mother!"
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End of Chapter 4. Iliana's pregnant again, poor Kahet, he's starting to feel down. So, who thinks it'll be a girl or boy? Thanks for reading and review, it'll be appreciated. And thanks to my last reviewers!