Stella was annoyed. They were in Ktak's office and the conversation just wasn't going. Ktak was stubbornly refusing to even consider what she was telling her.

"Look, do you remember when was your last period?" she insisted.

Ktak shruged, "Early in our Tamare stay, I think. Yeah. About then."

"That's almost three months ago now! You are very much late..." Stella exclaimed.

"Yeah, late for a staff meeting," she declared trying to stand up but quickly sitting down again and depositing her breakfast in the bucket.

"See...", Stella insisted.

"Look, I'm a hybrid. It does not happen okay. I went to the doctor. He said I'm fine. Must have eaten something bad." Ktak retorted.

"The Tamare doctor?" Stella checked.

"Who else, I am a Tamare you know." she grumiply responded and had another dry heave.

"Do me a favour, cancel that meeting and come with me." she suggested. "If im wrong I'll buy you a steak at next layover."

Ktak figured that if that was what it took to get Stella over the silly idea that she was pregnant, it was worth it and did as she asked.

Stella took her to the human doctor on deck 5. She quietly entered first and explained the situation to the doctor. She also considered it rather improabable that a Tamare hybrid could get pregnant and stay pregnant to reach second trimester, but also agreed that doing an ultrasound would not hurt.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Stella invited Ktak in. About 15 minutes later totally breathless Ames arrived and rushed in. Stella had paged her to come to the doctors office, because Ktak needed him.

The doctor knew Ames well from the time he spent there after Mtak incident and couldnt help commenting, "You seem to find interesting sort of trouble, Ames. Sit down." she pointed to a chair next to Ktak who was getting scanned. He did taking her hand.

Ames slowly went quite wide eyed as doctor pointed out one little scull and a heartbeat and then another.

"Congradulations, you are expecting twins!" she said as Ktak and Ames turned to stare at each other.

"Do you want a printed scan?" Her question went clearly unheard by the two.

Stella responded instead, "They do, or they will be back here in five minutes insiting you double check."

She printed the picture, gave Ktak some ginger pills to ease the nausea and booked the next checkup. Then she politely ushered all three of them out of the door. By the scans and her period history Ktak was due before they would reach the half way station. This meant that she would need to deliver those babies. She sighed. Interesting life was not bad, but she longed for the boring cargo runs these had been before Ames had joined.

Ktak had canceled her rest of the days meetings and was laying down in her compartment. Ames was pacing the room occasionally shaking his head. The picture was on his work desk and occasionally Ames would pick it up, look at it, put it back down and continue pacing.

"Love, I'm getting sick from your pacing now", Ktak grumbled.

Ames went to sit next to her. "Arent you happy?" she asked wearily.

Ames did not know what to say. He had always wanted a family, but had given up that dream when he married Ktak. And now this...

He was happy, but he was also very very scared. For Ktak, for the babies and for himself.

He had been a man with nothing to lose and liked it that way. Over the past few years all that had changed. He had everything to lose now.

He kissed her and gently touched her tummy instead. Ktak accepted it as an adequate answer.