DISCLAIMER: I am not in any way associated with any of the characters or parts of PR SPD… yadda yadda…

After it had been two weeks since my conversation with Isinia, I fell asleep on shift. That was it. I had to tell him. I dried my teary eyes, and walked down to the command centre, approaching my boss slowly.

"Sir," I approached him slowly, my hands in my pockets. I was holding them against my stomach, as if trying to comfort the lives inside. Deep down, I think I was only trying to comfort myself. As my boss looked at me, I dipped my head my head in respect, being careful not to display any of the affections we'd once had. "I have some news…"

"So do I." It was then that I noticed, for the first time, the tense and excited air about our commander – a sort of light-headed daze – which was unusual for him.

"Well you seem fairly enthusiastic, so, after you." I gestured with my hand for him to speak.

"Isinia's pregnant!" Cruger exclaimed, and I wondered if it were possible for him to explode with happiness. If it were, I would have to be fetching a mop fairly soon.

Me however – I could not help but sigh.

"Oh!" I tried to smile and be happy for them, but failed miserably. "Congratulations, that's great." I knew there was something I should be asking, but had a total blank, and there was a few minutes silence before I remembered, "How long? Until the baby is born?"

"Well, she has been pregnant for about a human week, and two weeks is the limit for losing a baby so she is faring very well. The Sirian gestation person is only two months, if that, so the pup should be born in about one and a half human months – early June." Cruger announced.

Typical. "That soon?" The words were out before I could stop them. "When Isinia mentioned you were considering it I never thought that…" I broke off as Isinia herself walked in, looking much healthier if anything, since two weeks ago.

"Congratulations. You must be excited." I caught Isinias gaze. She mouthed 'thank you' at me. I smiled back, and then cursed myself for doing so

"Oh, and Dr Manx…" oh great, it was back to 'Dr Manx' now. Not even 'Miss Manx' or 'Katherine'. "You said you had some news too." I gawped for a moment, wondering if I might get away with something trivial like 'its thirteen degrees outside and partly cloudy.' No, I told myself. I'd come to tell Cruger that I was expecting too, not about the weather.

"Well?" Cruger prompted again, using is hand to indicate for me to speak – in an eerily similar manner to the way I had just done moments ago.

"Um… well, I…" I sighed. "I am pregnant too." I braced myself for impact.

"Really?" Cruger sounded a little bewildered. I couldn't blame him.

"Really. Dr Felix confirmed that all is well just this morning." I replied, smiling a little. I couldn't help it; I suppose if I was honest I was looking forward to becoming a mother again – regardless of their heritage.

"And when are you due?" Ah – now this was the catch. At present, it was hard to tell whether he was taking this news particularly well, or particularly badly. But either way, when I answered this question, he'd know I'd kept a secret from him, and he would be mad.

"June the eleventh. Again, Dr Felix confirmed that this morning." I answered, trying my best to sound confident.

"I would have thought that your species carried their children for longer than that." Isinia commented, and I silently thanked her for saying something before Doggie had the chance to.

"They do," Doggie's stern tone worried me and I swallowed. "You've been pregnant for seven months – just over – and you've said nothing all that time? Why?"

"I…" was scared you'd make me abort them. I didn't want you to realise that they were yours. "…don't know, sir."

Cruger opened his mouth to speak, but a voice behind me beat him to it. "I'm sorry, what?" Bridge. I flinched, but bravely turned round to face him, Boom and Z who were standing just inside the command centre. "Are you talking about what I think you're talking about? Kat's pregnant? As in, Dr Manx, who never does anything but work all day and all night?"

I ignored him, and instead turned to Boom, "You'll have to keep a good eye on my lab for me, Boom, I'm due in just over a month. Tell our lab rats to keep the radiation down and to move any radioactive substances to Store C." To the two B-squad cadets I said, "Feel free to spread it round. Not much point in keeping secrets any more."

Feeling rather pleased with myself for coming clean, I listened as Isinia shared her news, and revelled in the cadets amazement that we were due around the same time.

"Yes," Isinia laughed along with them. "Wouldn't it be funny if we went into labour on the same day?"