Chapter 61: Honeymoon Surprise

A/N: For starters, there's a second A/N at the bottom of this chapter, as I don't want to spoil the actual chapter for you.

Romulanlover, glad you enjoyed the chapter and that my story would like to make you travel and see places! The Taj Mahal is truly impressive, and you're right, there are not that many Indian protagonists around in Star Trek. In fact, are there any at all? Yes, Letant behaved very badly towards Asha's parents, and it serves him right that Asha and her family got mad at him. Soji Asha – that was really, really weird. Who knows who's actually reading our fanfics? :-)

Alaya Karangalan, yes, you're right about the history of the Taj Mahal :-) Yes, Romulan-Human interactions are very awkward at times! Vekal was a Commander before he switched careers to programming computers for Romulan space vessels. While a military man in many ways, the requirements of his first career tired him and jarred with his gentle and peace-loving nature. And no, no jeans for Romulans. Ever. No, Asha and Vekal do not wear wedding rings – they do wear Romulan wedding bracelets. Asha's story is not done, as you'll see in this chapter :-)

Tomalak, lovely reading you again! It was really difficult to write about Christine, Vreenak and Thorek's deaths. Asha and her friends hope that the mutiny on Romulus will result in the downfall of the Tal Shiar and also in that of corrupt politicians like Neral, Hiren or Tal'aura. They also hope Senator Cretak will play a significant role and manage to gain control over the mutiny through her cleverly chosen allies and resources.

Teamsga: I'm sorry to hear about your endometriosis, I've heard that it is a very painful condition. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you find the right doctors who are truly invested in your wellbeing. Endocrine problems are overlooked far too often and require far more attention and research from the medical community.


Asha was lying in Vekal's arms, frowning heavily as a wave of dizziness made her head spin.

"You are restless today, dearest," he observed as she shifted her position yet again. "What is it?"

"I'm feeling queasy," she said. Then she suddenly bolted from their bed and rushed to the bathroom, where he heard her throw up. He went inside, concerned, and dabbed her face with cold water.

After she had rinsed her mouth and was back in bed, he fetched their tricorder and scanned her. He studied the results, shot her a peculiar look, smiled warmly and repeated the scan.

"What does it say?" she asked.

"If this tricorder is functioning properly, then it says that you are expecting our child."

Asha blinked and was silent for a few minutes, wondering how such a thing could be possible given her tubal ligation. Six weeks had passed since their honeymoon Since their return to San Francisco, she had missed her period, which she had put down to geographical and time zone change, and she had been smelling cows a few times, although there was not a single cow in sight.

"I'll contact Ruvasa in the morning and make an appointment," she said at last.

"I'll come with you, e'lev."

She kissed him and snuggled back into his arms. As she did so, she realised that she, too, was smiling. That realisation surprised her more than the tricorder scan results.

Doctor Metak scheduled an appointment on the very day Asha called. Asha knew that Doctor Metak had her hands full, and the fact that she still managed to find time for Asha made her realise what a committed doctor Ruvasa Metak was.


While Vekal sat patiently in the waiting room, the doctor took Asha's blood, scanned her abdominal region and studied the results.

"You're right. You are indeed expecting," Doctor Metak announced.

Asha raised her eyebrows. "Wow," she said finally. "But I don't understand. I underwent surgery to prevent that from happening. Tubal ligation is said to be very effective."

"In rare cases, the ends of the fallopian tubes grow together again, though it is almost unheard of in women in their forties. You have also beaten the odds by not ending up with an ectopic pregnancy."

Asha shook her head. "I hardly know what to think. Ruvasa…you know my feelings about parenthood."

"Yes, I do."

"And yet...now that I am indeed pregnant, I am uncertain how to proceed." She paused, then said softly: "Vekal would be a wonderful father. But would I be a suitable mother? What is suitable?"

The two women were silent, then Doctor Metak said gently: "I'll call in your husband."

Asha nodded.

Vekal came inside and sat next to his wife. He took her hand in his. Doctor Metak informed him about the pregnancy and added: "If you decide to go ahead with the pregnancy, Asha, your baby will require infusions and medical treatment since your blood contains iron and Romulan blood is copper-based, among other factors. Asha, Vekal, I'm not going to sugar-coat it. It will not be an easy pregnancy."

Asha was silent, thinking of Christine's miscarriage. Vekal was more preoccupied watching her and trying to gauge her reactions than musing about potential fatherhood. Finally, Asha squeezed Vekal's fingers gently.

"Ruvasa, is it okay if Vekal and I have a few minutes alone to discuss this?"

"Of course. You can also go home and talk about it, but I want you back in a week with a definite decision."

Back at home, Asha spend the next four days doing what she usually did: teaching, busying herself with her various projects, including a new book, gardening and sitting quietly in her room to think things through. She had asked Vekal gently to give her some alone time to think about it. He had kissed her forehead and obeyed. She had not told anyone about the news.

She placed her hands on her stomach and closed her eyes, trying, however stupid it sounded or seemed, to feel herself into her child.

Abortion was rare in Romulan society, though neither illegal nor frowned upon. It was because Romulans planned starting a family very carefully. Romulans had to in fact attend family and parenting courses. Just like they had to be fit for the military, politics and other domains, they had to be fit for parenting. This turned out to be a matter of debate between Asha and Vekal when she asked him for more details on Romulan parenting.

"There's only so much a course can teach. The rest you learn while you're actually a parent," Asha stated.

"A Romulan course is very thorough. We have simulations, and children are taught from a very early age to observe their parents so that if they choose to have a family in the future, they will learn through watching," Vekal said proudly.

"My deyhhan, that's second-hand learning. The real stuff is when you actually become a parent."

"That's like saying that as long as you're not a parent, what you know about parenting is not real," Vekal pointed out. "If you prepare for parenting like you prepare for military-"

Asha interrupted him by bursting into laughter. "Oh my goodness! Parenting and military! Now, Vekal, that's a drastic comparison."

Vekal smiled. "My dearest one, it's all about preparation."

"Preparation is great, but basically it's all about learning on the job," Asha insisted.

He stooped and kissed the top of her head. "Having a baby is a lot about parents making compromises, whether Human or Romulan. What do you think?"

Asha chuckled and agreed. However, she did feel scared. Would she make a suitable parent? Would she even carry the child to term? Would it be and stay healthy? Questions upon questions. Her thoughts went back to the nausea, dizziness and the gushing menstruation she had experienced during her flight from Romulus. What if that had actually been an abortion? if that was so, would it have been Thorek or Vreenak's child?…She didn't want to think of that.

She focused on her current situation. She had probably conceived on the night after Vekal and she had visited the Taj Mahal. It had a majestic touch about it, very fitting for a half-Romulan child.

"Very well," she said loudly, touching her stomach. This child was here to stay, and she would do her best to make sure about it. She got up, and Lilou cocked her fluffy ears. Asha patted the thick shining coat.

"Set'leths are said to be good with children, right?" she said on her way out.

Vekal was reading downstairs.

"Vekal, I've decided," she announced. He immediately put down his PADD and gave her his full attention.

Asha said: "I never wanted children. I am forty, and it would add to the risks this pregnancy entails for the baby. Although Humans live well into their hundreds in the twenty-fourth century, I am more concerned about the quality rather than the quantity of my years of life. I would want to offer our child my best. And after what you went through, I don't want you to suffer again through the pain of another miscarriage. I am also thinking of our baby's future. As a Human-Romulan child, would our little one struggle more? There are times when all parents have to look on helplessly when their child suffers, but some children get it worse. So. That's the logical rational stuff. What I've always told myself."

She got up and paced the floor.

"And yet, Vekal, my heart says yes. So much has happened, and we conceived this child with so much love, and it seems to be insisting on having the last word. Everything in me is saying yes. Everything in me already loves this baby. I want our child so very much. Is that selfish of me? What do you think, my deyhhan?"

Vekal took her face in his hands. "Asha, are you sure? I don't want you to have this child for my sake or anyone else's sake. Parenthood has always appealed to me, but never at the cost of pursuing it relentlessly. I would only like to be a father if you would like to be a mother. I don't want you to regret becoming a mother. Our child would know and suffer, and so would we."

"I've made up my mind. I want our baby."

She went on tiptoe and kissed him firmly. He caught her in his arms and laughed. "I am so glad!" he exclaimed.

She laughed, too, excited and elated.

They informed Doctor Metak about their decision, and she smiled warmly. "I will do my very best," she reassured the couple.

Then Asha visited her parents and announced the news. They were rather taken aback and concerned about the risks of her pregnancy and overall, a little dubious about the whole thing, especially her mother; but they were also pleased and excited about their very first grandchild.

André guffawed when he heard the news. "Oh man, Asha. First you didn't want to get married, then you got married. Then you didn't want to have kids, and now you're having one. You're doing us single childfree people a huge disservice. Kidding, sis. Congratulations! Do I get to be an uncle? Godfather? Both?"

Asha laughed as he hugged her. "Thank you, André. I have the feeling you'll have to negotiate with Delon, but first I've got to get through this pregnancy."

"Does he know?"

"I'm about to tell him. I'm really excited, happy and scared about this whole thing."

"After all you've experienced, Asha, it has simply got to work out this time, too!"

Then she told Delon.

"My dear girl, congratulations!"

He swept her into a suffocating hug.

"Your baby will have the heart of a raptor, that's for sure! Now, where do I fit it into this? A close family acquaintance? Or a more avuncular role?"

"You'll have to negotiate with André, he's interested in being the uncle or godfather…Or both."

"I don't think two uncles will overstretch family matters," Letant said happily. "The more, the merrier, so it is said of Romulan families."

"It's a very sensible idea, Delon. By the way, set'leths are said to be great with children? Most Romulan children grow up with a set'leth?"

"The likelihood that Lilou will be jealous of the baby is extremely remote, if that's what you're worrying about. Now, Asha, I think you're in fact starting to worry about a whole lot of little details which will work themselves out in the end anyway. I know you want the best for your baby, and you can begin by doing what's best for you."

Asha nodded. "I'm rather terrified about becoming a mother, Delon. Happy and terrified at the same time. I mean…I'm putting a life into this world. And it's a high-risk pregnancy."

Letant put a reassuring arm around her shoulders. "Let's send the risks to the talons of the raptors, yes?"

"Yes."

"Good. Because you'll have a lot of people to make sure about that. You and Vekal won't be a tiny family unit bearing the brunt of raising a child alone. Besides, children, Romulan or Human, are far more resilient than we adults give them credit for."

Kihika and Vereth were in ecstasies and immediately began to discuss proper diets and games to stimulate the child's cognitive abilities.

"Okay, ladies. First, I have to get through the pregnancy and give birth," Asha laughed.

Most Romulans learnt relaxation techniques at school when they grew up, and people undergoing military training were in fact required to learn advanced techniques to promote calm and cool decision-making. Vekal, who had served in the military for a long time, knew them by heart. Back on Romulus, it had been Thorek who had managed to convince Asha that relaxing with Romulan lyre music and breathing exercises were very helpful. And now, with the baby coming along, Asha wanted the very best for her bodily and mental health.


Second A/N: I had originally planned for Asha to not have children, but I was fascinated by the idea of writing about the life of a Human-Romulan character; and so it only seemed fitting that Asha and Vekal become parents. I also did a lot of research on whether women with tubal ligation can still become pregnant and have a successful pregnancy. It seems that in rare cases, the ends of the fallopian tube can actually grow together, though the chances are higher if the woman is in her twenties. I also hugely prefer a scientifically explainable pregnancy in contrast to a mystical pregnancy à la Deanna Troi, and I also wanted a situation where Asha could freely decide whether she wanted to continue with her pregnancy or terminate it, and not be judged for either choice.