Vor’taalnis plays with Teresa’s hair, which has fallen around her face, as she wraps him in Orderly Meyer’s collegiate sweater. Folding the bottom of the sweater between Vor-taalnis’ chunky thighs, and over his stomach, Teresa ties the sleeves around his middle. She ties two knots in the sleeves and then uses large safety pins to hold the material secure.

Teresa slips a thin tank top over Vor’taalnis’ head and pulls it down over his tiny body. Vor’taalnis wriggles and tries to grab at her fingers. Teresa shakes her head and makes soft cooing sounds. She speaks to her childling in a voice clogged with emotion.

“No. You can’t have my fingers,” Teresa says and kisses Vor’taalnis’ belly through his clothes. “I need my fingers.”

Once Teresa finishes dressing the infant, she places him on a blanket to sleep. She leans forward and kisses his forehead. The slightly human nose at the center of his face has always fascinated her. So much like her own, and she kisses this as well.

Straightening up, Teresa moves across the room. Shoving select items into a large bag, she rakes a hand through her long hair.

“Okay. What did I forget?” Teresa whispers aloud. “I think we have everything. Well, not everything. Damn, I hate this! The idea of floating around in space indefinitely. Again. When will it ever end?”

Zipping the bag shut, Teresa climbs to her feet. She turns to find Mau-Nis standing a few feet away. The yautja leader’s eyes are narrowed and his mouth is closed tight—the folds around his tusks drawn taunt.

“Mau-Nis? What’s wrong?” Teresa exclaims in surprise. “Has something happened? Where’s N-Vorl?”

Mau-Nis briefly averts his eyes before responding to Teresa’s questions. When he looks at her again, his face is more relaxed.

“Elder N-Vorl is fine,” Mau-Nis explains. “He is preparing to engage the ooman vessel.”

“Oh. Okay,” Teresa says, flustered but also relieved. “As long as he’s safe.”

Teresa moves to grab the strap of her bag. Mau-Nis’ hand gripping her upper arm causes her to look up in surprise. The second-in-command fixes her in his hawkish gaze—his gray eyes unblinking and calculating.

“You must leave,” Mau-Nis says in a hoarse whisper.

Teresa shakes her head in confusion. She chuckles uncomfortably and glances in the direction of her sleeping infant.

“I thought that was the whole idea?” Teresa quips. “We certainly don’t want to be on the station when it blows.”

“No. You do not understand,” Mau-Nis continues. “You must not wait for N-Vorl. You must take the childling…And you must leave.”

Teresa wrenches her arm free and backs away a few steps. Her eyes are filled with a fiery rage as she levels her gaze on Mau-Nis’ face.

“What are you talking about, Mau-Nis?” Teresa fumes. “We finally have our son back. We’re finally a family. You want me to separate my son from his father? Why are you saying this?”

Mau-Nis closes the distance between them. His eyes do not leave Teresa’s face.

“I am not a naïve youngblood,” Mau-Nis says. “I do not believe the council will hear what you have to say. They will form their own conclusions. And you will be killed. I believe that to be the true mission. Why else would they demand your return? They cannot risk what you know falling into the wrong hands. They will do anything to stop that from happening. Even if that means eliminating you and your son. Especially, your son.”

“No. I can’t. No!” Teresa says, backing away from the advancing yautja leader.

Mau-Nis’ face falls and he halts his advancement. His solitary hand flexes as he considers reaching out and grasping Dr. Boyd. He refrains from doing so, focusing on her terrified face.

“I did not tell you this before,” Mau-Nis begins. “But you and N-Vorl were…Observed. During one of your mating rituals. My subordinate, Leyyu…Reported the incident to me. He was…Confused. I convinced him that I would investigate the matter. However, to have truly done so…Would have implicated Elder N-Vorl. Leading either to N-Vorl's death…Or complete exile. Certainly, he would lose any standing with the clan. I could not permit such a thing to happen. I could not allow the reputation of our clan…Of Elder Glandis…To fall to ruin. Not again. So, I took matters into my own hands.”

Teresa’s eyes widen and she takes a wary step toward Mau-Nis. Her eyes roam to Mau-Nis’ mouth and she steps even closer.

“Mau-Nis? The yautja who was killed during the decompression of deck four…” Dr. Boyd queries. “His name was Leyyu…Wasn’t it? Please tell me you didn’t—.”

Mau-Nis does not answer. He simply averts his eyes a second time. Mau-Nis’ lack of words is enough answer for Teresa. She takes another step in his direction.

“Oh. Mau-Nis…” Teresa exclaims. “There was no need for you to—”

“There was every need!” Mau-Nis declares confidently. “I have been command leader of the Fihgi Clan for many ooman years. I have served under three elders in that time. I have never neglected my duty to the clan. I will always do what is necessary. Even if it means protecting our elders from themselves.”

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It is Teresa’s turn to avert her gaze. Her heartbeat accelerates when Mau-Nis uses his clawed hand to lift her head. The command leader’s eyes have softened and his voice is calm and reassuring.

“N-Vorl is young. He does not understand what is best for him,” Mau-Nis states. “Nor does he understand what is at stake should he continue down this path. More than just his life…His happiness…Hangs in the balance. Many of the elders are old. Their ways of thinking have shaped the course of our kind for far too long. N-Vorl will be the youngest elder this clan has ever had. His ideas may yet invigorate our kin…And bring about real change. But what you ask of him…Could be the undoing of it all.”

Teresa’s voice trembles and tears well at the corners of her eyes. She wills back the tears and clenches a fist at her side. The scream building up inside her threatens to burst forth.

“What are you asking me to do?” Teresa says.

Mau-Nis steps even closer. He looks directly down into Teresa’s face. The peculiar gleam in his eye, which was present the day Dr. Boyd gifted him the mechanical prototype, has returned.

“There is a planet…Not far from the yautja home world,” Mau-Nis says. “Very few know about it. Even fewer go there. It is a place…Where others like you can be found. N-Vorl is not the first dignitary with wishes to keep his offspring close at hand.”

“Are you telling me…There are other childlings like Vor’taalnis?” Teresa exclaims in astonishment.

“Not many,” Mau-Nis says. “But they do exist. Their existence is a closely guarded secret. Oomans and yautja have not lived in peaceful coexistence for many ooman years. However, we do happen to find each other from time to time.”

Teresa gazes into the wise yautja’s haunted eyes. She glances down at the much improved version of Richard’s mechanical gun-arm which is attached to the command leader’s shoulder. Running a hand down the full length of the bulky contraption, Dr. Boyd smiles wistfully. Richard. How long ago his death seems. So many things have transpired since that time. She almost feels as if she is leading a whole other life. Returning her gaze to Mau-Nis’ face, Teresa shakes her head sadly.

“I wish you could understand…” Teresa says. “What N-Vorl means to me, Mau-Nis. I’ve thought of no one but him for over two years. When I realized I was carrying his childling…At first, I was overjoyed. But as time went by, I became frightened. I knew…If we were found by other humans…They would take my son away from me. For five months, I debated what to do. I watched him grow on the craft’s medical scanner. I even gave him a name. I waited until the last possible moment…And then I entered the stasis pod. I never expected us to survive the journey. I never expected N-Vorl to come looking for me. For us. I don’t want to see him hurt.”

Teresa stiffens as Mau-Nis cups her face with his hand. He lowers his mouth to hers. At first, Teresa stands perfectly still. After a moment, she places an arm around Mau-Nis’ neck. The yautja command leader envelopes Teresa with both arms, flesh and mechanical, and pulls her closer. His lone clawed hand travels the length of her back, resting above her hip. Teresa enfolds him with her other arm and their kiss intensifies.

After a few moments, Mau-Nis politely separates and peers down into Teresa’s face. His expression is one of pure sadness and his voice deepens significantly.

“N-Vorl was not the same…After we left the Judas planet,” Mau-Nis states. “His behavior became…Unpredictable. He did not eat. He did not sleep. He grew more surly and reserved. When he did speak…He spoke only of you. How he wished he’d forced you to return with us. That is when I put it all together. I believe in his own way, N-Vorl truly loves you. Even if he does not know how to show it. N-Vorl has grown used to getting what he wants. Rarely has he experienced true loss. He does not understand what is at stake. For all of us.”

Mau-Nis strokes Dr. Boyd’s cheek with his hand. The command leader’s eyes are filled with great sorrow—at the loss of his famed elder, his arm, his title, and the possibility of losing Teresa.

“I did not get an opportunity to thank you, after the battle…For giving me back my chance to be a warrior. I did not expect to survive our battle with the Judases. Without your quick thinking and without this—” Mau-Nis motions with his mechanical gun-arm as he says the word: ‘this’.

“I do not believe I would be alive today,” Mau-Nis continues. “I would no longer be able to serve my clan.”

Dr. Boyd shakes her head emphatically. She regards Mau-Nis with tear-filled eyes.

“It was your courage and skill that kept you alive, Mau-Nis. It had nothing to do with me,” Teresa exclaims.

“Not so,” Mau-Nis insists. “My first memory upon waking…Was of you wiping the blood from my face. You sang to me. Soothing my pain. And of you speaking kind words—encouraging me to fight…To go on. You gave me back the will to continue living. You made me a warrior again. You helped me to avenge my clan elder. I did not die a useless death aboard an ooman vessel. My heart sank when I realized that N-Vorl wanted you for himself. Because, I wanted you as well.”

Teresa swallows the lump in her throat and glances over at Vor’taalnis. The infant is beginning to stir. He whimpers atop his blanket. Teresa returns her gaze to Mau-Nis face, indecision crowding her thinking. While her love for N-Vorl is undeniable, darkness has crept into the recesses of her mind. So many times, the researchers forced her to watch the dream images of N-Vorl stabbing her over and over. So many times, they'd watched as felon Norris slashed and tore at her flesh—while her blood ran down to mingle with the pig’s blood splattered everywhere and upon the floor. Many times, she’d showered and wiped away the blood caked over her arms, breasts, and stomach.

Her love for N-Vorl is real. But so is her fear. Mau-Nis carries no such mental load. His touch and his words are pure. There is no love pact to consider. No arrangement made for the sake of convenience. No scientific curiosity to satisfy. Only the warmth of his touch. The purity of raw emotion, and passion. Because, yes, she does feel for him as well.

Mau-Nis’ hand slips behind Dr. Boyd’s head, his clawed fingers sliding through her hair. Teresa’s breathing accelerates as the command leader uses his mechanical arm to enfold her waist, while using his good hand to bring her face closer to his.

Mau-Nis kisses Teresa a second time. She once again encircles his neck with her arms. Letting their passion play out for several moments, Teresa strokes the beaded braids on Mau-Nis’ head. The big yautja releases the back of Teresa’s head, his hand traveling to her chest mounds. Teresa lets out a deep sigh as he squeezes gently. Mau-Nis breaks off their kiss and nuzzles the flesh of Teresa’s neck. She moans softly. This encourages Mau-Nis to squeeze her chest mound even harder. He raises his mouth to the level of her ear.

“Before the destruction of Deck Four…I secured an ooman vessel for you and your son,” Mau-Nis whispers. “The shielding is in place and planetary coordinates are set. You will be safe. Just this once…I would like to pretend you are mine.”

Teresa’s answer is a deep sigh. Returning his mouth to Teresa’s lips, Mau-Nis lifts her into his arms. Vor’taalnis has not gone back to sleep, he plays with his toes in childling amusement. The infant makes noises which are similar to the language of a yautja and the babbling of an ooman infant. In his innocence, Vor’taalnis pays no heed to the very interesting goings-on happening mere feet away.

Unlike N-Vorl, Mau-Nis has taken every precaution. He has ensured that no ear will hear—and no eye will see—the deeds he has planned. This particular room has no inward facing portals and is completely soundproof.