"Friendly fire? You mean to tell me that my husband was injured by friendly fire?" Miriah was yelling incredulously at a lieutenant in General Garza's outer office. She turned to Corso, "Babe, when you were getting shot at, did it feel warm and fuzzy to you?"

"No, not very friendly at all," he replied, struggling to keep a straight face. He was barely limping today, but couldn't stand the friction of his usual plate armor where he'd taken the two hits. It had woken him up whenever he'd rolled the wrong way but appeared to be healing well. Miriah was steaming mad, still, and he'd thought he'd calmed her down late last night. Evidently he'd just put the mad on simmer instead of boil, he thought. Maybe that's why her stomach bothered her this morning, all that anger couldn't be good for anyone.

Miriah was telling the good lieutenant where he could put his current supply route rotations when Maura stopped Aric with a hand on his arm. They'd been on the way to account for the incident yesterday on Alderaan when she heard her sister's blistering tirade. She stopped and closed her eyes when she heard Miriah say, "Anytime my crew gets jumped offloading vital supplies? I'm leaving the area, and you're damned lucky I didn't do a flyby and level the hangar on the way out."

Tanno Vik, who was escorting a prisoner, looked at his CO. "Boss, is that Captain Chantalle I hear?" She nodded, eyes still closed.

"Apparently, we shot at her ship and crew yesterday, on this man's info." She felt sick, and knew she had to go try to do damage control. Maura looked at the pale faced man Tanno was dragging along, "I have a good mind to just turn you over to my sister, it sounds like she's ready to make you die a slow death."

Maura entered the room to see Miriah pacing in front of General Garza's assistant, who was taken aback by the tiny woman's anger, and not just a little scared. Miriah whirled when she saw someone else enter the area, but stopped short when she saw her sister and brother in law.

"Miriah, it was us," Maura explained. "We were given bad intel on that hangar and shipment by this man," pointing to the prisoner Vik was still holding. "The outpost sent men ahead and by the time Tanno got there and realized what had happened, you were already in flight." Miriah was just staring at her, her mouth open, unbelieving what she was hearing but knowing in her gut it was true. So that's why Garza wouldn't talk to me about it, she reasoned. She turned her narrowed gaze on Maura, seeing the genuine distress there, and Aric wouldn't meet her eyes.

"So, Corso spent several hours in the kolto tank because Havoc squad believed a toad and didn't check out a target before blasting it," Miriah looked at the toad being held by the giant Weequay, walking slowly up to the trembling man. Before anyone could react, Miriah had placed a well aimed kick at the man's crotch, and when he bent low in pain, kneed him in the face. She had her blaster in her hand, about to pistol whip him, when Corso put his hand on her arm. She didn't look up at him, but did slowly lower her arm and put Grace back in her holster. Miriah turned her gaze to Tanno, who took a small step backward, watching her warily.

"Miriah," Maura said softly, "we may be Havoc squad, but we're human and we make mistakes. This was our mistake. I'm so sorry Corso was injured." At that, Corso smiled at Maura, and she knew he wasn't going to hold a grudge. Her sister, on the other hand, wasn't so easy going. Miriah had gone very still, and on closer examination looked pale, almost sick.

Corso noticed too, looking at his wife with a frown, his brow creased. Suddenly, Miriah snapped out of whatever it was, and turned again to the lieutenant, who was inconspicuously trying to put his desk between the angry pixie and himself. She dropped her voice into that low, deadly tone, "Tell Garza my crew is recovering. I will be in contact in a month, and at that time I'll decide if we are still working with the logistics missions." She took a step closer, "Do you understand?" The assistant nodded vigorously, hoping that meant she was leaving.

Miriah strode out of the office, forgetting that Corso wasn't moving at his usual speed today. When she got outside, she stopped for him to catch up, and helped him balance to climb on the speeder. She took off for the hanger and her ship, not looking back. Maura and Aric hurried behind her, and saw her speeder as it streaked toward the spaceport.

"That is one mad woman," Aric noted. Maura nodded, she could't blame her. "Don't worry, honey, she'll calm down and realize it was a mistake. Corso knows Tanno didn't meant to shoot at family, and on some level Miriah knows that because she didn't shoot him."

They landed on Dantooine just as the sun was setting. The crew was bunking at the guest house, all but Guss, who had made plans to go to his home world. With a whole month off, they were busy making plans, and Miriah had assured them they'd all be paid as if they were working normally. She pulled a speeder off the ship and made Corso ride up to their house, knowing he'd never complain about the walk but also knowing he'd pushed himself all day and was still recovering. Miriah herself was bone weary, so tired she'd had trouble staying alert during their descent to the planet, and was looking forward to a soak in her tub and then stretching out in her bed. C2 was already at the house, pulling food out for the crew, so when she entered the house, Miriah went directly to the refresher attached to the master suite. She was in the garden tub, soaking in the hot water, when Corso located her.

"Thunderstorm is coming," he told her, "and dinner is ready. Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?"

"I'm just tired," she told him, "maybe still feeling a little kolto effect from standing in it yesterday." He crouched and kissed her head, then left her to soak. When she made it to the kitchen, she looked pale again, but ate some of the stew she'd frozen on their last trip home. Halfway through dinner, thunder boomed and lightning illuminated the interior of the house, and while the crew enjoyed their meal, Miriah was silent.

After dinner, the crew gathered in the living area and switched on the holo. Miriah joined them, but slipped away without anyone noticing, going out to the porch swing, wrapped in a light, soft throw. The thunder had settled into steady heavy rain, and she stretched out on the swing, falling into a light sleep. Corso found her there after everyone had gone to bed, he'd thought she'd gone to their room when she left the living room. He walked to the swing and lifted her up, then reclined in the swing with her sitting against him. She opened her eyes and pulled the throw around to cover them both.

"This is peaceful," he said softly, pushing the swing with one booted foot. "Miriah, what's going on? You've got something on your mind. Talk to me, love."

She sighed, and settled against him. "I'm pregnant," she said, a note of wonder in her voice. His heart skipped in his chest, not wanting to get too excited before he figured out how she was feeling about it.

"Does that upset you?"

She turned her head to look at him, "I'm not upset at all, I was just waiting to make sure before I said anything." He kissed her, and she turned to face him, her eyes aglow with wonder and excitement. " I did the test while you guys were watching the vid, then came out here to wait until I could tell only you."

He hugged her close, his eyes filling with tears, so happy he thought he'd explode. "Miriah, I'm so happy, sweetheart! That explains the last few days a little better. I was afraid you were sick." He realized she was crying against him, and he pulled her up to look in her eyes. "Happy tears?" he asked her. She nodded.

"And hormones," she responded, and he smiled. "Corso, will we be okay with this?" Her concern was apparent, but he didn't know why she'd think he was less than overjoyed.

"We'll be perfect, my love. You've made me the happiest I've ever been in my life. Question is, are you ready for this?"

She was quiet for a minute. "I am, I really am. I've had about an hour to process it, and the only concern I have is how to tell Mags when she's not yet." She got up and pulled him up, and he held her, stroking her hair, loving the way her arms locked around him. He knew this moment would be burned in his brain forever, the moment he knew he'd be a dad.