Kaidan stared blankly at James. Nobody else said a word. Finally, James caught his breath and began what Kaidan could only hope was an explanation.
"It gets better," James said. "It's not just any batarian. It's a female."
"I've never seen a female batarian," Catherine said. "I didn't think they were allowed to leave their home systems."
"Me neither," James said. "But there's one here."
"James, are you being serious?" Kaidan asked.
"Completely," James replied. "Come on." He waved at Kaidan and headed for the door.
Tali made to follow with Kaidan, but James turned to told her to stay.
"She's pretty freaked out," he explained. "She's only ever seen pictures of other species. Let's save an unsuited quarian for later."
Tali sat back down, but now Catherine was on her feet.
"What, if anything, do you guys know about batarian culture?"
Kaidan looked at James and they both shook their heads.
"Not much," Kaidan said. "Just that they have a pretty strict caste system that includes slaves."
"It's so much more than just that, and so complicated," Catherine said, taking charge. "James get her back here, but don't speak to her or look her in the eyes. Make a show of force, but not overly. And whatever you do, do not tilt your head to the left or right."
James glanced at Kaidan but didn't wait for approval. He turned and left and Catherine looked at Tali.
"Will you please find EDI," she said. "She may have the batarian language programmed into her core. If she does, she'll need to download it."
Tali jogged off in the direction of the labs. Kaidan felt oddly aroused watching Catherine give commands. It amazed him how quickly she had taken hold of the reins.
"How do you know anything about batarians?" he asked.
"Before the Reapers hit, when the Normandy had been intended for Anderson, I had hoped to stay on as an environmental officer," she said, putting her fists into the small of her back and stretching. "But I needed more training in alien culture. Anderson checked personnel files and said he didn't have anyone with a good understanding of batarians, so I took a few courses."
"I didn't know you were one of Anderson's," Kaidan said, surprised to learn that Catherine had known the Admiral that well. Anderson had always had a habit of not playing favourites per se, but supporting talent where he saw it. Like bringing Ashley along after Eden Prime, or recruiting Tali, Garrus and Wrex on the hunt for Saren.
"I don't know that I would say I was one of Anderson's, but he did me some favours," Catherine said with a shrug.
"So, you want to explain why we're treating this batarian like a prisoner," Kaidan asked.
"We're not," Catherine said. "We're treating how she's used to be treated. It will set her at ease. We don't know a lot about their caste system, but we do know roughly where their women rank and it's not high."
"And why should we not tilt our heads?"
"Because body language is a very important part of batarian language," Catherine said. "Holding your head to the left is a sign of honour or respect, and we don't want to confuse her by showing her something no male would, unless he was her child. Tiling your head to the right is a sign of superiority, can even be an insult, and we don't want to start off by making her think that we feel ourselves to be her betters."
Tali returned with EDI then and Catherine explained the situation to the AI.
"I do have a base program for batarian speech," EDI said, but sounded regretful. "But I fear it will be of little help. Batarian females speak a different dialect than males. It was never anticipated that I might need to speak to a female and so only the dialect of the male is in my core."
Kaidan couldn't believe how much he didn't know about batarians. It had been so easy to think of them as gangsters, thugs and slavers, he'd never bothered to consider what life was like in their home systems.
"It would better, Kaidan," EDI was saying. "If only women were to speak to her. We don't know which caste this woman is from and some of the lower castes are forbidden from speaking to men not of their own family."
"Obviously I volunteer," Catherine said. "EDI can join me. I think more would be overwhelming for her."
"No," Kaidan said firmly. "We have no idea what we're dealing with here and I'm not about to put you alone with this person."
"Kaidan, I assure you Catherine will be safe," EDI said. "Not only am I perfectly able to keep her from harm, but batarian have a reverence for pregnancy that other species do not possess. This female is bound by custom to treat Catherine with the utmost respect, particularly if we make it known that she is carrying twins as this is rare among their species."
"They understand guards, right?" Kaidan asked.
"Yes," EDI said. "In fact, pregnant women of the higher castes would not be without a guard."
"Then I'm going to be there too as Cat's guard," Kaidan said.
"Kaidan, I don't think-" Catherine began, but Kaidan cut her off.
"I'm not debating this, Cat," Kaidan said firmly. "I'm there or someone else talks to her."
He looked her in the eyes, his gaze unwavering, and reached out to her with his mind to let her know just how serious he was.
"Fine," she agreed after a moment. "Where should we take her?"
Kaidan would have liked to have taken the batarian to one of the empty homes, but there was no way he was letting Catherine traverse the icy paths.
"We'll have to use Karin's office," Kaidan said. "EDI, meet James at the door and have him bring her in the side entrance. No need to parade her through the hall."
EDI went to wait outside while Kaidan and Catherine headed for the hospital. They explained to Karin what was happening and the doctor insisted on staying in case the woman needed medical help.
James hadn't said she was injured, but Catherine explained that few batarians would admit to pain or physical discomfort, particularly to strangers. Kaidan and Karin carried in another chair and settle down to wait for James.
They didn't have to wait long because James and Garrus came through the door only seconds later. The batarian must have been very close to the camp. Too close for Kaidan's liking. That also meant there could be more of them close by. Could there be a batarian settlement here and they had not noticed? It seemed unlikely.
EDI lead the batarian into the room and said something to her in a rough, guttural language which Kaidan assumed was the batarian tongue.
The woman sat and surveyed the room. Her four dark eyes look from Catherine to Kaidan and back again. Her colour was striking and unlike anything Kaidan had seen. For the most part she was a light tan colour, but her fur was a dark, shiny copper.
Catherine stood and stood slightly sideways, as if to show off the full girth of her mid-section. Kaidan saw the batarian's eyes widen slightly before she got her expression composed.
"I've been told you understand some English," Catherine said, keeping her voice even and low. "Enough that we can speak or would you rather EDI interpret?"
"I do not know difficult words, but I can talk," the batarian said.
"Very well," Catherine said, taking her seat again. Kaidan could tell she was tired. "First then, what is your name?"
"My father called me Bortai, but my master calls me Eloiti," she said carefully.
"You're a slave?" Catherine asked.
Bortai made a sound of disgust. "I am no such thing. I am a concubine."
"I apologize," Catherine said, lowering her chin ever so slightly but not breaking eye contact.
Bortai seemed surprised by the gesture. "You know our customs. I was made to believe that humans could not be educated in the ways of the batarians."
"You were misled," Catherine said flatly. "Shall I call you Bortai or Eloiti?"
"Bortai. Only my master may call me Eloiti."
"Bortai, we have many questions for you, but before I begin, are you well? Do you need medical attention?"
"Can you not tell that I am starving?" Bortai said harshly.
"Forgive me," Catherine said formally. "I have only seen one image of a batarian female. I do not know what a healthy individual looks like. Will you eat and talk or should we give you time alone?"
Kaidan was about to jump in and insist that they continue questioning her, but he felt the equivalent of a command to stand back in his head and stayed where he was.
They waited and Kaidan was surprised to see Bortai's head tilt deeply to the left.
"I am grateful for your kindness, banya," she said. "I will eat here if you will allow it. May I know your name?"
"Catherine." She turned around in her seat to look at Kaidan. "Will you bring us some soup, please?"
Kaidan frowned at her.
"Please?" she said more insistently.
"Fine," Kaidan said and left the room.
EDI followed him into the hall and stopped him. "She is in no danger now. Bortai has acknowledged her as her superior."
"I still don't like it," Kaidan said. "I've never met a batarian who wasn't dangerous."
Kaidan didn't give her a chance to reply. He walked away and into the hall. It seemed half the crew was waiting for him. They looked at him expectantly.
"I don't know anything yet except that she is starving," he said and everyone but Garrus took that as a cue to leave him alone.
The turian followed him to the kitchen and leaned on the counter as Kaidan poured two bowls of thick and hearty vegetable soup.
"Do you think we need to set up a perimeter?" Garrus asked.
"I don't know anything yet," Kaidan said, sounding more frustrated than he intended. "Catherine is playing this by the book. I had no idea batarians were so formal."
"Better to be safe than sorry, I say," Garrus said soberly. "James and I will set up a patrol. We don't want any surprises."
Kaidan sighed. "I would really like a week to go by where nothing happens. Just a plain ordinary week of life."
Garrus laughed. "I don't think life is going to be ordinary ever again, but I know what you mean. Maybe this'll be the last surprise the universe throws at us."
Flexing his ankle, trying to work out some of the stiffness, Kaidan picked up the steaming bowls of soup.
"A patrol isn't a bad idea," Kaidan said. "But be careful, and don't shoot on sight."
"Got it," Garrus said with a nod and beckoned to James.
Kaidan waited for a moment until they were out the door and then headed back to the hospital wing. When he got there the door to Karin's office was shut and EDI was standing outside.
"Bortai has allowed Doctor Chakwas to examine her," EDI said. "They will not be long."
Kaidan nodded and leaned on the wall beside EDI, taking his weight off of his injured leg.
"EDI, what does banya mean?" he asked.
"I believe it is an honourific used between batarian females," EDI said. "As I have said, the female dialect is not familiar, but I believe it is a term that denotes equality and respect. Combined with the head gesture, I think she has implied that Catherine is both friend and superior."
"And this is a good thing?" Kaidan asked.
"Indeed," EDI said. "Most batarian's believe that species with fewer than four eyes are less intelligent. Inferior. Though they frequently serve under other species, particularly in mercenary bands, they often display a certain level of contempt, and they rarely make a show of friendship."
Kaidan wanted to ask EDI more, but the door opened beside them and Karin came out, closing the door softly behind her.
"Give them a moment," she told Kaidan. "Bortai is getting dressed."
"I am surprised she let you examine her," EDI said.
"As am I," Karin replied. "I know very little about batarian physiology but she seems to be in relatively good health. She is not in fact starving, but she hasn't eaten in several days and a meal will likely improve her mood at least."
"Did she tell you anything else?" Kaidan asked.
"Nothing." Karin shook her head. "She wished to speak privately with Catherine, but we knew you wouldn't like that."
Karin opened the door for Kaidan and he went inside, handing one bowl to Catherine first and then the other to Bortai. She took up the spoon and ate with gusto, devouring the meal in less time than it had taken Kaidan to fill the bowl.
Dabbing delicately at the corners of her mouth, she set the bowl down on the desk between herself and Catherine and sat back with a sigh.
"You have a talented cook," she commented.
Though Catherine had only eaten a few spoonfuls of her meal, she put the bowl aside and began her questioning of Bortai.
"As I said, we have many questions for you, and I hope you will answer them honestly," she said. "The first is obvious I suppose. Is this planet a batarian world?"
"No," Bortai said quickly. "We were forced to land here when we made an emergency jump out of the Bahak system when the relay was destroyed."
Catherine glanced up at Kaidan and looked back at the batarian. "We were lead to believe that there were no survivors of that explosion."
"I do not believe there were any others," Bortai said. "We were approaching the relay when a broken message came through warning us evacuate the system. We have been cut off from the galaxy since then. I get the feeling that much has happened in that time."
"That," Catherine said. "Is an understatement. I'm not sure I know where to begin. You really know nothing of the Reaper attacks?"
"I do not. Many thing have happened that we cannot fathom, like the synthetics in our bodies."
"In that case, I am very sorry to be the bearer of bad news."
Catherine went on to tell the whole story of what had happened in the years since the destruction of the Alpha Relay. The Reaper invasion and the construction of the Crucible. She explained how the Reapers had hit the batarians first, nearly wiping them off the galactic map within a few short days. She even took the time to include the curing of the genophage and the reconciliation of the quarian and the Geth hoping, Kaidan though, to give the batarian a better impression of the rest of the galaxy.
It was difficult to explain what exactly happened during and after the final battle on Earth, but she did an commendable job making it sound like more than theory.
Bortai sat calmly through all of it and when Catherine was finished she hung her head and stared at the floor.
"So everything we knew is gone." It was a statement rather than a question, but Kaidan couldn't tell how she was reacting, whether it was grief, or denial, or panic.
"I'm afraid so," Catherine said.
Kaidan could hear the grief in his wife's voice. Or maybe he could feel it through their connection, but either way he knew that the telling of their story had been difficult for Catherine.
Bortai looked up and to Kaidan's shock was smiling broadly, her pointed teeth glinting in the white light of the office.
"Then we are free," she said cryptically. "My master cannot enforce the laws of the Hegemony now."
"Maybe you should tell your story," Catherine said, leaning back in her chair, crossing her arms and resting them on her belly.
Bortai adopted a similar posture and Kaidan sensed satisfaction and pleasure in Catherine at the action. Clearly mimicry was another sign of respect.
"Movement in batarian space was severely restricted, but life on my home planet of Aratoht was different. Women there had more rights and freedoms. My master did not like this. He earned permission to move us to Khar'shan so that he could have better control over his harem. When we received the transmission warning us to evacuate, he thought he could make it to the relay but we did not. I am not educated in the technology of starships or the science of flight, but I believe that our FTL jump was... accelerated by the shockwave caused by the exploding relay."
"Does that mean you know where we are?" Catherine interrupted.
"I do not," Bortai said sadly. "This planet is not like any in our databases. It is not part of batarian space."
"That's too bad," Kaidan said, before he could stop himself.
Bortai looked sharply at Catherine. "You allow your slave to speak in the presence of guests?"
"I'm sorry for the confusion," Catherine said easily. "This is not my slave. He is my husband, Kaidan."
"What does this word mean? Husband?"
"He is my life partner. The father of my children," Catherine explained.
"He is your master then?" Bortai asked, her two upper eyes narrowing.
"No, we are equals," Catherine said.
"But he does your bidding," Bortai stated.
"Because I asked him to," Catherine said. "I can't make him do anything."
"And yet he guards you," Bortai said, struggling to understand. "I do not understand how one person can fill the role of many. Father, master, guard, servant. Humans are strange."
"Human's society doesn't have a caste system," Catherine explained.
"Then how do you determine who does what?"
"Maybe this conversation would be better saved for later," Kaidan put in. No point in keeping silent now.
"I have much to learn about your species," Bortai said. "What else would you like to know?"
"How many people were on your ship?" Kaidan asked, sitting down at the end of the desk.
Catherine gave him a look and he gestured to his ankle. It was throbbing and he couldn't keep standing, even leaning against the wall. He realized Bortai had clammed right up as soon as his behind hit the chair. Catherine leaned in to him, not whispering, but still being subtle.
"Kaidan, she thinks you have taken charge. Men who sit with women are superior," she said, and then turned back to Bortai. "We're all equal here. You can speak freely."
Still seeming nervous, and unable to meet Kaidan's eyes with her own, Bortai answered the question.
"There are only nine of us now," she said quietly. "My master, Batukhan, his primary bride, and seven concubines of which I am first. When we landed there were also four guards and my master's brother aboard, but he killed them all in their sleep."
"Why?" Catherine asked with no emotion in her voice, thought Kaidan could sense her horror and disgust.
"Because they wished to share us," she said. "My master would not allow it, even though we are alone here and can never leave."
"Your ship was damaged?" Catherine asked.
"No, the ship will still fly, but we cannot leave the system. The FTL drives are ruined."
"Where have you been living? How have you survived here?" Kaidan asked.
"Our new camp is further up the valley," Bortai said. "Batukahn has made us move many times. He enjoys hunting and every time he kills off or scares away all the prey in one area we must leave."
"I'm not liking the sound of this," Kaidan said quietly.
"How did you find us, Bortai?" Catherine asked.
"Before the winter my sister and I, she is also a concubine, were washing ourselves in the river and we saw your shuttle carrying large dead beasts," she said. "We did not tell Batukhan. If you were other batarians we knew he would kill us rather than let you take us away from him. And I am ashamed to admit that we feared contact with any other species. But this winter has been hard for us. We have little food and our only shelter is a cave. If we continue like this we will not survive."
"So you came to us for help," Kaidan said.
"I ran away in the night. I knew that Batukhan would not follow me in the cold. He is a cowardly and lazy man." She whispered the last words and Kaidan wondered where talk like that would get her were she speaking to other batarians.
"And you think that you could live peaceable with humans?" Catherine asked.
"Not to mention asari, quarian and turian," Kaidan added.
Bortai hesitated. "I... We are not a horrible people, though I know the galaxy has viewed us that way."
"I don't believe you are horrible," Catherine said gently. "In fact, I think human kind is best able to understand your society. There were once cultures on Earth that adhered to a rigid caste system. We were able to move past such segregation."
"There are many batarians who wish for the same," Bortai said nervously. "But such talk is punishable by death. If we even appeared to be flouting the laws of caste we could be jailed or made a baekjeo."
"Baekjeo? What does that mean?" Catherine asked.
"It means to be of no caste," Bortai said.
"Ah, like an untouchable," Kaidan said.
Bortai looked at Kaidan and tilted her head left ever so slightly. "You have shown great respect that I was not aware humans possessed. You have long been the monsters to my people. We will gladly live by your laws and customs if you will allow it."
Kaidan smiled at her. "We would be happy to have you. One more species for future generations to know of."
"Sadly, there will be no further generations of batarian on this planet," Bortai said, sounding truly sad for the first time during their conversation. "Batukhan had all of us except for his primary bride sterilized. We are not able to have children."
"That may have changed," Catherine said and told the woman about her own pregnancy and how they had thought it impossible. "Any one of you could be pregnant and not know it yet."
"That is impossible, but I will tell you why privately if you wish to know."
"I'm sorry, Bortai," Catherine said, tilting her head in respect. "I did not mean to embarrass you."
"It is nothing, banya," Bortai said with a small wave that seemed to mean the same thing coming from any species. Never mind. "My family has little time. Will you help us?"
"Will this Batukhan be willing to join us?" Kaidan asked.
"I doubt he will do so happily, but he has no wish to die," Bortai said. "If you show him that you are strong, stronger than him, he will serve you."
"We don't want him to serve," Catherine said quickly. "We work together here."
"He will not understand this," Bortai said. "He cannot think outside the caste system."
"Bortai, we will do whatever we can to help you," Kaidan said seriously. "Give me some time to talk to the others here. We'll have a plan by tomorrow morning at the latest."
Kaidan got up and excused himself, leaving Catherine and Bortai to talk privately. EDI joined him in the hallway when he limped out the door.
"What do you think of all that?" he asked her.
"I believe she is telling the truth," EDI said. "While on Cronos Station I was able to extract information the Illusive Man had gathered on batarian politics. He was manipulating their people, encouraging dissent and arming warring factions, all in an effort to keep the Hegemony weak. It is clear now that the dissent trickled down to the common castes. I wonder now if the Reapers had not attacked when they did if we would have seen the beginning of a batarian revolution."
"If they had been members of Citadel space the Reapers might not have taken the toll they did," Kaidan said. "Well, anyway, this is what we're dealing with now and we need to come up with a plan."
"Shall I gather the usual council together?" EDI inquired.
Kaidan rubbed his hands down his face feeling drained. "Yeah, might as well. I'll be with you shortly."
His ankle was throbbing and felt hot, like it might be infected. As EDI walked away, Kaidan limped back to the hospital room where he had spent the night. Once inside he closed the door and pulled off his boot and sock.
The area around the gash was scarlet and itched maddeningly, but the cut itself seemed fine. In fact, to Kaidan's surprise, it looked to be entirely healed. The thin thread Karin had stitched it closed with was what was causing the pain.
Kaidan's body was attacking it, trying to push it out. The synthetics hadn't just sped up the healing process since he ingested the mushrooms, it had mutated him into someone kind of super hero with phenomenal healing powers. The injury probably would have healed all on its own. Now, he had to pull the stitches out which wasn't likely to be fun.
He pulled his utility knife from his pocket and cut the first knot away. Gritting his teeth he tugged at the string. With a burning sensation the thread pulled out of his skin, but there was no blood. Like a piercing, new skin had formed inside the hole.
The rest of the stitches came out easily and with that his ankle was back to normal, all the pain gone. Amazed at the transformation, Kaidan ran his fingers over the scar which was little more than a bump under his touch and barely visible to the eye. Karin would be pleased.
He opened the door to find Catherine and Bortai standing in the hallway. Catherine was clutching at her belly, her face a frown of pain, and the batarian was supporting her by the arm.
"What's going on? What's wrong?" Kaidan asked fearfully.
"I think I'm having contractions," Catherine said a bit breathlessly and the frown faded from her face. "It's been happening since this morning, but they only really started to get bad in the last hour."
"Holy crap," was all Kaidan managed to say.
Catherine was remarkably calm when she spoke. "Could you find Doctor Chakwas please? And maybe get EDI to show Bortai where she can sleep. She's exhausted."
His heart pounding in his chest, Kaidan turned and ran into the hall. EDI had already gathered James, Garrus, Liara, Tali and Cortez and they were seated at the largest table waiting for him.
"Where's Karin?" he asked, his voice cracking.
"I'm not sure," Tali said. "I think she might have gone home."
Kaidan didn't bother to explain, he just took off and raced out the door. He was at Karin's home in moments and tried to contain his glee as he knocked rapidly on the door.
Karin swung it open and all he could do was grin.
"Let me guess," Karin said. "Catherine is having contractions. I'll be right there."
She closed the door and Kaidan paced on the spot until she emerged again. It drove him mad when she would only walk sedately up the path to the hall.
"There's no hurry, Kaidan. It will be some time before she needs my help," she said with a laugh. "I see your ankle is doing just fine."
In his excitement Kaidan had actually forgotten about his injury. Since Karin was making him walk so slowly anyway, he used the time to tell her about pulling the stitches out.
"You should have let me do that, Kaidan," she chided as they stepped inside.
Kaidan noticed that Liara had disappeared from the table and he could guess where she had gone. Joker had joined the table in her place. There was no way he was going to sit down and talk batarians while Catherine was in labour though.
"EDI knows all the details. She'll bring you up to speed. Come up with a plan and tell me later."
He rushed after Karin and caught up with her just outside Catherine's room. She stopped before entering.
"Kaidan, you might as well go have your meeting. Nothing is going to happen for quite some time."
"I'm not missing this for anything," Kaidan said with a laugh he couldn't contain.
Karin sighed, but went into the room anyway. Catherine was pacing the floor beside the bed, Liara and Morgan were sitting calmly on the edge of the bed and Bortai was standing in the corner, clearly not knowing what to do with herself.
"Kaidan, you forgot EDI," Catherine said, still pacing.
"Right," he said with a snap of his fingers and flew back to the hall.
He interrupted EDI and tried to hurry away with her, but she called him back.
"Would you like me to post a guard at her door?"
"I don't think we'll need to, but it might be a good idea. Where are you going to put her?"
"The only spare beds are in the hospital."
"Fine," he said and ran away, ignoring the laughter of the men behind him.
EDI followed him and lead Bortai out of Catherine's room and down the hall to an empty room. Kaidan closed the door behind them and went to Catherine's side.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Is there anything I can do?"
"I'm okay," Catherine said, smiling up at him. "Just relax though. You're freaking me out."
"In or out, the three of you." Karin pointed at Kaidan, Morgan and Liara. "I need to established how far along she is."
"Out," the two women said in unison and pushed off the bed. "Let us know when we can come back."
"I'm staying," Kaidan said. "I assume that's okay."
"Nothing you haven't seen before," Catherine said with a shrug.
Karin had her take off her bottoms and lie down on the bed. Kaidan sat down next to Catherine's head and gripped her hand in his. She draped a sheet over Catherine's raised knees and knelt down at the end of the bed.
"You know the routine by now," Karin said as she got started.
As always, Karin worked quickly and efficiently and the exam was finished before Kaidan had a chance to feel uncomfortable. Catherine was feeling enough discomfort for both of them.
"You're about six centimetres dilated," Karin said with a somewhat surprised tone. "How long did you say you've been having contractions?"
"Since this morning, but they might have started in the night."
"Well, they are going to start getting closer together now I think," Karin said. "You don't really need me here for a little while yet. Remember all the breathing exercises that you worked on and you'll do fine. I'll check on you again in an hour."
She left and Liara and Morgan came back in and helped Kaidan get Catherine comfortable and settled in for the wait. Catherine was so calm and relaxed he wondered if he was sitting with a different woman. Several night over the last few months she had woken him in a panic, worried about the delivery; that she wouldn't be able to take the pain, the one of the babies might be breach, and all kinds of other things that Kaidan had never even thought of until she brought them up.
Now their roles were reversed. He was feeling panicky and stressed and she was more serene than he had ever seen her. She was radiating peaceful energy that only barely kept down the angst he was feeling. Beneath their energies, Kaidan could feel an anticipation, an excitement mounting. The babies were ready to enter the world.
Time seemed to drag by for Kaidan while the women chatted and gossiped. Liara left at one point and came back with Tessa who sucked eagerly at her breast. Kaidan caught himself watching several times. If Liara noticed she didn't say anything.
Kaidan was imagining what it was going to be like watching Catherine feed the twins. He'd known so many men who'd been terrified of how their lives were going to change once they had children, but he had never felt that sense of dread. The idea of holding in his arms a life that he had helped create filled him with wonder and awe and he couldn't wait.
His angst now was purely for the delivery. He knew it was going to be difficult and that if there were complications they were going to be much more dire given their situation.
When Doctor Chakwas finally came back Catherine's contractions were much closer together and had become painful. With each one she crushed Kaidan's hand in her own and whimpered softly though she did not cry out.
"You're at eight centimetres, Catherine," Karin said. "Things are moving much more quickly than I expected. And I am surprised you aren't in more pain. You'll transition soon and it will get rough then. Does everything feel right?"
"I feel wonderful," Catherine said cheerfully. "Is there time for Kaidan and I to have a few minutes alone?"
"Oh, I expect so," Karin said and left the room. Liara and Morgan followed and promised to be right outside if Catherine wanted them.
As soon as they were alone, another contraction hit and Catherine bit down hard, her hand gripping hard on Kaidan's knee. This one lasted a lot longer than the others and when it was over, Catherine was panting.
"Okay, that one was worse," she said between breaths. "My back is killing me."
"Hands and knees," Kaidan said and stood, offering his hand.
She got up and knelt on the bed, her head down as she breathed through the next contraction while Kaidan massaged her lower back.
"Don't push. Don't push," she mumbled to herself. Karin had told her to resist the urge until she was a little further along, but Kaidan could tell she was struggling.
"Did it really become bad this quickly or were you just hiding it before?" he asked.
"It was bearable before," she said when the contraction stopped. "This is not. I'm scared, Kaidan."
Kaidan stopped massaging and knelt on the floor to look at her face. He pulled her hair back and saw the fear in her eyes. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes glistened with tears.
"You can do this, Kitten," he told her. "I'll be okay."
Shepard hold told him years ago that sometimes a simple 'It'll be okay' was enough and he'd never forgotten that. This was one of those times. There was nothing else he could say. he could only comfort and encourage her.
"In no time at all there will be two healthy babies here with us," Kaidan said. "I'm sure you'll want to hit me for saying it and sounding so cliché, but you were made for this. You'll be wonderful."
She laughed and then a rictus of pain stole over her face and she cried out, the first sound she'd made above a whimper. Collapsing to the bed she curled on her left side facing the wall and tried to breathe through the pain but her breath kept catching in her throat. Not knowing what else to do Kaidan just kept rubbing her back.
Karin came back in and Morgan and Liara stood at the door, waiting for the contraction to stop. When it did, Kaidan moved out of the way so the women could lean over Catherine and comfort her.
She rolled onto her back again and tried to lift herself higher on the pillows.
"Catherine, I know you wanted to follow Liara's example," Karin was saying. "But I don't recommending squatting. Only because I worry about getting you into the bed if you are too tired to keep it up."
Catherine nodded her agreement, swearing as another ripple of pain gripped her body. They were closer together now and much more painful than Kaidan imagined giving birth could be. He couldn't physically feel her pain, but he could sense her reaction to it and knew he had never experienced anything like it, not even in battle.
Catherine was sweating now, the pain almost constant. Between contractions she asked Liara and Morgan to wait outside. She told them she wanted it to be a private experience and Kaidan was grateful. He wouldn't have argued with her if she had asked them to stay. He knew someone would have to come in to care for the first baby as the second made it's way out, but to begin with her preferred to be as alone as possible.
The next contraction was the worst one yet and Kaidan's heart ached for Catherine as she moaned in agony. Karin still would not let her push and the urge to do so had become so powerful that Kaidan was now aware of it in her.
Finally, Karin declared her to be a full ten centimetres dilated and said she could push when she was ready. Kaidan sat her up and pulled all the pillows away, taking their place behind Catherine. She leaned back into him, her arms wrapped around his raised knees.
When she began to push her cries became sharper, more agonized and Kaidan felt his own pulse quicken in response. He kept up the encouragement and suddenly she bore down, digging her fingers into his legs as she gave a great scream and then relaxed back into him.
A piercing wail echoed through the room and Karin held up a bloody, wrinkled baby for them to admire.
"A healthy baby girl!" she declared with joy.
Kaidan laughed and kept laughing as he watched Karin cut the umbilical cord and wash the baby off in a shallow tub of warm water.
"I have a daughter," Kaidan said when he finally got the joyous laughter under control. "Holy crap, Kitten. A daughter."
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head repeated until he realized that she was crying.
"I can't do this, Kaidan," she sobbed. "It hurts so much."
She was crying so hard that her words were almost unintelligible.
"But you've already done it once," Kaidan said. "You already know you can."
"I can't," she cried, her body shaking with sobs.
Karin approached with the little girl and set her down on Catherine's chest. The baby stopped crying immediately and Catherine's own tears changed tone.
"Oh, she's beautiful," she said with a hiccup. "Kaidan, look at her."
Kaidan could do nothing but look. She was the reddest, most wrinkled thing he had ever seen, but she was more than beautiful. He could find no words to describe what he was feeling and so lay one hand on Catherine's cheek and other on his daughter's tiny back and just stared.
But Catherine's moment to relax was soon over and unobtrusive hands were lifting the child away and the second birth was beginning.
Kaidan could already tell this one was going to be different. He could feel that Catherine was tired and unable to put the same amount of energy into pushing. Fifteen minutes later she was still struggling and had made little headway.
"Catherine, you have to push," Karin was saying as Catherine tried to put more effort into it.
The look on her face had Kaidan terrified and he knew Catherine could feel his fear. She was nearing delirium it seemed, begging for it to be over and Kaidan didn't know what to do or say to help.
"Why is nothing happening?" he asked Karin desperately.
"She's in pain and is simply not pushing hard enough," Karin said. "With twins it can take longer because the uterus needs to shrink before it can start pushing on the second baby."
"We have to do something," Kaidan said frantically.
"Don't get worked up, Kaidan," she said firmly. "It won't help. There is something I can try."
She stood up from the foot of the bed and came to Catherine's side. She put her hands on Catherine still large belly and felt around carefully and then took her chin and turned Catherine's head until their eyes met.
"Catherine, listen to me," she said gently. "I know it hurts. I know it's awful. But you have to do this or your baby is going to suffer. When I tell you to push, give it everything you've got. Okay?"
Catherine nodded and gripped her arms tighter on Kaidan's legs. Karin put both her hands on the curve of Catherine's belly just below her breast and counted to three.
"Now, Catherine. Push!"
Karin pressed her hands down into Catherine's belly and Kaidan felt her whole body tense and flex. She kept it up for a full minute before she let go and expelled a great sigh. Karin went to the foot of the bed and Kaidan watched her face. She smiled.
"She's crowning, Catherine. One more push."
But Catherine didn't respond. Kaidan said her name several times before he realized that she had passed out.
"Doctor, she's not awake," Kaidan shouted.
"Slap her!" Karin shouted back. "Now, Kaidan. Do it! She has to push or the baby is going to suffocate."
Mentally begging for forgiveness Kaidan raised his hand and gave Catherine a slap on the cheek. She moaned and rolled her head away from the sting. Karin was yelling her to push.
Kaidan could feel how little she had left. Her strength was almost gone and she was barely aware of anything but the pain, but she gathered up what she had and flexed one more time.
It was enough. The child seemed to simply slide out of her and her body went limp. Holding her tightly, rocking her from side to side, Kaidan waited desperately to hear the cry that should follow.
When it finally came he almost broke down in relief. His children had arrived, and while Karin washed the newest he turned his attention to Catherine.
She was awake, but exhausted and not even able to lift her head from his chest.
"Let me hold her," she managed to mumble.
"Karin, is she healthy," Kaidan asked to Karin's back as she washed the squalling baby.
Morgan appeared at the side of the bed, and saying nothing,lowered the first baby into Catherine's arm and then left the room. Catherine weakly struggled to raise her shirt up to let the child get to her breast. Kaidan helped, but had a hard time because Karin had yet to answer him.
Finally she turned around and carried the baby to them. She carefully lowered the bundle into Catherine's other arm and helped the child find her nipple.
"A healthy baby boy," she said softly.
"A boy?" Kaidan said in confusion. "But you said..."
"I know what I said. I was wrong. Let's get everyone comfortable."
Kaidan waited while Karin got Catherine cleaned up and dealt with the afterbirth. When she was done her work Kaidan extracted himself from behind Catherine and helped her stand while Karin removed the protective sheet of plastic and the soiled bedclothes.
Once Catherine was settled back in bed, Karin went out into the hall and she and Morgan carried in a beautiful wooden cradle. Catherine's burst into fresh tears when she saw it and Morgan told her it was a gift from Joker. He'd made cradles for every child so far, but the sentiment remained the same and Catherine's reaction was no less thankful.
Morgan and Liara gave quick congratulations and then left leaving Catherine and Kaidan alone with their two new children.
"A boy and a girl," Kaidan said in wonder. "What are we going to do about names now?"
Catherine kissed the head of the baby in her left arm and said, "She'll be Jane."
"Are you sure?" They had talked about naming one of the girls after Shepard, but Kaidan had secretly thought that maybe the idea made Catherine uncomfortable.
"I'm sure," she said dreamily. "Jane Emma Alenko."
"I thought we had decided on your last name?"
"I like yours better," she said. She gave the baby on the right a kiss. "And him?"
Kaidan stared down at the little boy suckling away greedily and thought between the two names they had settled on.
"Everett," he said finally.
"I agree," Catherine said. "Everett David Alenko."
"Jane and Everett," said Kaidan, and leaned his head down to rest on Catherine's soft curls. "Welcome to the world."