"In my condition?" Lisa asked incredulously. She couldn't believe that Rick was being over-protective of her.
"You could give birth any day now," Rick insisted. "Why do you have to go see the SDF-4 now?" They had been building a smaller version of the SDF-3 since their encounter with the Dendronites. They had found resources along the way and the new ship was nearly complete.
"It's in the final stages of completion," she explained. "I need to do a final walk through with Emil."
"Let me go instead," he insisted. "I'll bring a camera with me." He knew she was going to point out his inattentiveness to details.
"Rick, it's routine," she assured him. "I'll be back before you even miss me."
"If it is routine, then let me do it for you," he doubled his insistence. "I promise I'll be very thorough."
Lisa considered it for a moment and then conceded. She saw relief wash over Rick's face.
"You won't regret this," he said with a triumphant smile.
"I want a full detailed report," she teased.
"I'll measure every inch of that ship," he teased back.
True to his word, Rick paid attention to every detail that Emil pointed out to him on board the SDF-4. He also asked a few questions that he felt Lisa would like to know. He was certainly impressing everyone who followed him around the ship.
"Rick!" Max yelled out to him from behind. "You should come see this. The launching pad is awesome. I've never seen anything like this before."
"We modified it based on one of the science projects in a recent school contest," Emil explained. "It was quite innovative."
"If Max is impressed, I think it's a winner," Rick joked. "And you know him; he can't wait to try it out."
"We can setup a demonstration," Emil replied. He signaled to one of his engineers to make it happen.
Sure enough the launching pad proved to be very efficient and required little time for Max to be hurtled out of the SDF-4 and into space.
"Quite impressive," Rick noted. "It can come in handy someday. I just hope we don't have to do it too often."
"I agree," Emil said. "I wish Robotechnology can be used for other things than war."
"That's what we're trying to do."
After a long day of checking the SDF-4 from top to bottom, Rick finally found a moment to sit down and work on his report. He vowed he would make this the best one ever to impress Lisa. He was almost done when he was interrupted.
"Admiral Hunter, you are needed on the SDF-3 immediately," the engineer at the communication console informed him.
"What's wrong?" Rick asked, wondering if the fleet had encountered some unfriendly aliens at their destination. He would have preferred that the main fleet stayed at their current position but Lisa insisted that they move on. He agreed reluctantly and promised to follow as soon as possible.
"Commodore Grant just said that you are needed on the SDF-3 as soon as possible," the engineer continued.
Rick didn't need further explanation. If Vince was in-charge, that meant only one thing – that Lisa had gone into labor. He quickly found Max and they set off to return to the SDF-3.
"Wow, these new VT's are extremely fast. They're faster than the current ones," Max said on the comm. link.
"Yeah, but I wonder how much faster we can go with these," Rick wondered and pushed it to the limit.
"Hey, wait up boss," Max teased. "We don't want to hurt Emil's feelings by breaking these."
"I'm sure he's used to test pilots always pushing the envelope," Rick joked. "I haven't done this in a long while."
"Yeah, doesn't it feel great?"
"It does," Rick admitted. "But right now, I just want to get home." With that said, he pushed the VT even faster as they raced back to the SDF-3.
"Lisa!" Rick yelled along the corridor. "Lisa!" He didn't find anyone at the nurse's station so he decided to look for her himself.
"Rick," Lisa replied after opening the door to her room. She saw him pass by and turn back when he heard her.
"Lisa," he said urgently. "I didn't miss Roy's birth did I?" He saw the answer to his question soon enough. His hand went immediately to her still bulging belly.
"Come in here," she said and pulled him in. "You're making such a commotion that Jean will probably scold you for disturbing the other patients."
"Well, she'll have Vince to blame," he replied in his defense. "He told me to get back here quickly and I didn't know where you were."
"Alright, you're here now," she said calmly. "But it's going to be a while still."
"Can I get you anything?" he offered.
"No, I'm fine" she said.
"See, I was right to make you stay here," he said with a smile. "What would you have done if you were on the SDF-4, hmm?"
"Well, I'm sure the engineers on-board will figure out how to help a pregnant woman," she joked.
Rick frowned at her joke. He didn't like that idea at all.
"I was just joking," she said, sensing his displeasure. "They would probably faint first at the sight of blood." She reached for his arm and ran her hand up and down to ease his mind.
"I'm glad I am not going to miss Roy's birth," Rick said kissed her.
"Uh-oh," Lisa managed to say before bending over. "I think this time he's coming."
A few hours later, Rick and Lisa welcomed their little boy. It was a routine delivery but Rick was still moved to tears as he held Roy in his arms. He kissed a tired Lisa and handed the baby to her to see.
"Let me take a picture," Jean said.
"Jean," Lisa started to protest. "I don't think I'm ready."
"You are just marvelous," Jean assured her. She heard the same thing the last time but knew Lisa loved the photo of Clarisse on the day she was born. She knew this would be the same.
"You look beautiful," Rick seconded. He kissed her forehead then posed beside her and Roy.
"Daddy!" Clarisse called out to him as Max led her to the nursery window.
"Hello," Rick greeted her and scooped her up.
"Where is my baby brother?"
"There," he replied and pointed to the little boy surrounded by other babies.
"He's bald," Clarisse noted.
"Well, he's still a baby," he explained. "His hair will grow eventually."
"Congratulations," Max finally managed to get a word in. "I guess we got back just in time."
"Yeah."
"Can I hold him?" Clarisse asked eager to meet her baby brother.
"No, not yet. He's sleeping."
"Where's mommy?"
"She's resting, too." Rick knew his little girl was disappointed but he wanted Lisa to have some rest.
"Clarisse, do you want to sleep over with Maia?" Max suggested.
"Ok," Clarisse replied happily.
"Thanks," Rick said gratefully. "I owe you one."
"Good morning mommy," Clarisse greeted her when she woke up.
"Good morning," Rick greeted, too. He had gone to pick up Clarisse so she could be with Lisa when she woke up.
"Hi," Lisa greeted both of them and received their kisses. She slowly rose up and listened to Clarisse's story about seeing her baby brother.
"Should I go get him?" Rick offered. "It's time for his feeding isn't it?"
"Can I feed him?" Clarisse asked innocently.
"No Clarisse," Lisa replied. "That's my job. Your job is to be a good big sister, ok?"
"Ok," the little girl agreed.
"Look who's awake," Jean announced from the door and carrying Roy in her arms.
"Hi Roy," Rick greeted his baby boy since he was the closest to the door. He carefully took the baby from Jean and kissed him before handing him to Lisa.
"Can I hold him?" Clarisse asked eagerly.
"Alright, but you have to support his neck," Lisa said and showed Clarisse how.
Jean couldn't help it but took a photo of them which turned out to be a very sweet one. It had Roy in Clarisse's arms, and she in turn was in Lisa and Rick's arms.
"When will you come home, mommy?" Clarisse asked after she finished her breakfast.
"Maybe today if Jean will let me," Lisa replied. She watched Rick cradle Roy while she ate.
"Ok, I'll go ask her," Clarisse offered. She slid off the bed with Lisa's help and tried to open the door.
"I think I should go with her," Rick said, handing Roy back to Lisa. "Besides, I think he is ready for his breakfast." He gave Lisa a quick kiss on her forehead.
After Lisa had finished feeding Roy, both Rick and Clarisse returned to inform her that Jean had agreed to let her go home that afternoon.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Lisa teased Rick.
"How hard can it be?" Rick teased back. "Besides, I have a little helper now." He lifted Clarisse up to the bed.
"Hello," Max greeted at the door. "Can we meet the baby?"
"Why can't we?" Miriya asked behind him. "They are our friends."
"Maia, come meet my baby brother," Clarisse invited her friend.
Max picked up his little girl so she could see the baby.
"He's tiny," Maia noted. She reached out to touch the baby tentatively.
"You were tiny once," Max informed his little girl.
"But he'll grow up soon enough," Miriya added.
"Will we grow up to be as big as you?" Maia asked innocently.
"I think you'll be just as big as we are," Max replied and thought he saw a spark of aspiration from both girls.
"I can't wait," Clarisse and Maia said in unison.
"Don't grow up too quickly," Rick said and kissed Clarisse. "I don't think I'm ready for it yet."
"Neither am I," Max agreed and kissed Maia.
Lisa and Miriya both smiled and looked on. They both knew how much the two grown men adored their little girls.
After they got settled in, Rick took charge of getting everyone settled in. He made sure that Lisa was comfortable before heading off to tuck Clarisse into bed.
"I love you daddy," Clarisse said.
"I love you, too," Rick replied and gave her a quick kiss. "Now go to sleep."
As if on cue, Roy started to cry in the room next door.
"I got it," Rick called out from the door to make sure Lisa didn't have to get up.
Rick tried everything to soothe Roy but he just wouldn't go to sleep. He knew it wasn't because he was hungry but perhaps it was just unfamiliarity of his new surroundings.
"Daddy," Clarisse called out from her room. "I can't sleep."
Rick went over with Roy into Clarisse's room.
"Is he going to cry all night?" Clarisse asked, standing up on her bed.
"I'm trying to get him to sleep," Rick said and tried once more to soothe Roy to sleep. "Maybe you can help me?" He was willing to try anything.
Lisa woke up to a quiet room. She turned to look for Rick and didn't find him beside her. She got up and looked for him. She found him in Clarisse's room with both children sleeping on top of Rick. She felt tears well up in her eyes as she watched the touching scene.
Rick stirred and saw Lisa at the doorway. He nodded and smiled at her.
Lisa approached and gently picked up the sleeping baby. Roy stirred but didn't wake up thankfully.
Rick got up and carried Clarisse to her bed. He gave her a quick kiss before following Lisa into their room. He briefly watched Lisa before climbing into their bed.
Lisa gently placed Roy into his bassinet next to their bed. She watched as the baby slept peacefully. She climbed into bed and noticed that Rick had already fallen asleep.
"Thank you," she whispered and kissed him.
"I love you," he whispered back and pulled her into his arms.
"I guess we have our early Christmas present," she said.
"Christmas already?" he asked, half asleep.
"Next week," she reminded him. "Have you finished your gift shopping?"
Rick replied by softly snoring and drifting off to sleep dreaming of Lisa's reaction to his present in a week.