After a vigorous bout of calorie burning and a nice shower that helped burn more calories. Joanna and Claire found themselves in the launch prep locker room. “One of these days I'm going to make sure you can't sit after a good shower.” Claire said as she pulled on her flight suit pants. “Oh you have dear heart, you have.” Joanna said as she tentatively ran her hand over Claire's bottom. “Hopefully I didn't leave something behind.” She added with a wicked grin. Joanna then gently rubbed Claire's slightly distended stomach. “You do know what the doc said about carrying while piloting right?”

Claire nodded placing her own hand on her little bump. “Don't worry, flight like this won't effect anything even with FTLs involved. I rechecked everything before hand with medical.” Claire moved her own hand over Joanna's lacing her fingers with Joanna's. “It's a little scary not knowing how many took. But it's only been two weeks. I don't mind a big family hun. We should get some leave when everything starts in.”

“Oh we will take some leave right after the testing. I just don't want anything to happen to the little sprouts with the FTL test. That's all, besides I will neither confirm nor deny that the next six to nine months of leave we are taking has been logged and noted for are return to campus.” Joanna said as she leaned down to kiss Claire's stomach. Claire smiled at Joanna as the little redhead stood back up. “If you keep that up we may not be on time for launch. Also the morning issues I thought would happen, have not started. I wonder if that's a side effect of being bonded?” She asked after trying to zip up the first layer of protection for her flight suit. “Also next time your dealing with carrying the sprouts.”

“But what if all six took, then you wouldn't need me to carry anymore we would have a large family already.” Joanna said while helping Claire zip up. “I mean, not that I wouldn't help but Claire I'm rather small for that to work.” Claire smiled gently at Joanna then whispered in her ear, “Sweet heart, oh

dearest one to my soul. You do know that I wanted a large family. When you agreed with me, large implied double digits. I'm thinking twelve to sixteen sprouts. Surely you wouldn't deny me that dream of surrounding us with beautiful little saplings running around playing together?”

Joanna's eyes got really wide at that thought. She looked down first at Claire's little bump. It being all the more prominent with the skin tight flight suit. She then placed a hand over her own stomach and rubbed it. “Sixteen…Claire that's …a lot of little ones. Can we even afford to take care of them all?

Not that sixteen is not doable just worried we may have to go beyond are means.”Claire placed her own hand over Joanna's stomach. Gently rubbing her hand with Joanna's laced with it. “Oh we should be just fine.” Claire reassured her. “Besides between you and I those saplings will never know what hit them.”

“Claire I know we kept things quiet but what about when the little ones are here. We have a fair amount saved and some of the family would be more than willing to help…but we can't exactly head back to work and be the pilots that we are while raising them. Can we?” Joanna asked quietly as she helped Claire with the second layer of her flight suit. “Joanna we talked about this remember? We can both get instructor jobs after are hiatus. Alex even said this should be the last run he is making after the testing is done. The pilots school that we would be sent to has a very good daycare facility. Hell general scholarship and schooling is actually handled by Saia Prime. They take care of all the enlisted sprouts. We will want for nothing. Even looked like Alex might try to have that other little mage come with him by the looks of things.” Claire said as she pulled Joanna to her helping get her wings

into the second layer of the flight suit.

“Yeah, it's good to know Alex would be coming with us on this last run. Getting FTL for the smaller ships will help exploration. That tho sounds like something to do. Us four could get assigned to an explorer. They have good education and daycare facility's as well.” Joanna countered. The two ladies had this same discussion for over a year now. Instead of what if they wanted children tho one night Claire had come home from her shift with the campus to see Joanna sobbing into a letter. A few minutes later with Claire picking up the little redhead and getting her to calm her down. “What happened?” She ask as she sat down with Joanna in her lap.

Joanna just held up the letter. It read with a lot of official sounding documentation about how she was being asked to take part in another program off world. The program was asking her to be involved with child rearing. “Joe what's so bad about us going to some out of the way planet and investigating the way they raise sprouts?” Claire asked only to read more. “Okay fuck taking kids…nevertheless we can get around that part. It says only if exceptional ones are documented and easily picked up. We don't have to do that!” Claire stated firmly.

“That's not the only option… breeding with the indigenous people was preferable. I know they are just asking and it is not something that is entirely possible. The company wants to see about cross breeding. I don't want to do that with anyone but you. Damnit I don't want someone's random kid! I want yours.” Joanna stopped herself after that. Joanna had wanted to keep that to her self. Children with bonded was something of a miracle for the federation due to some of the processes that bonded went through. Joanna knew Claire wouldn't object to the idea either. Same sex breeding was something that could happen now-a-days due to the techno-magi being able to help the process along. The federation even encouraged it after a fashion. All the federation asked in return for helping with the process was a blood sample once ever two or three years to check on development and see if any new abilities came from it. Most families didn't mind and seemed to enjoy some of the little ones running around. Claire for her part smiled at Joanna as she stated her feelings on the matter. “Then I guess we will have to tell them that we cannot go on this one. Might be stuck at home making some saplings for a few weeks… although Alex did mention the other day about what we wanted to do if we wanted sprouts of are own.” Claire nonchalantly mentioned while rubbing Joanna's back.

Joanna looked Claire in the eye. “He did? But I thought you wanted to wait until after are service was over?” Joanna asked as she started purring when Claire's fingers start to rub a tense bundle of nerves in her back. “No fair Claire, I can't concentrate when you find those.” Joanna mumbled as Claire started to work the knots of Joanna's back out. “Well we could have a few while still in service. You know I'm more than up for carrying for the first go. Heck knowing my luck I'll have quintuplets.” She whispered in Joanna's ear. This thought made Claire shiver in excitement. She had wanted a big family to raise after her service time was up. Being bonded like Joanna slowed down the aging process by a couple hundred years. The trees that they had bonded took in a lot of the problems from getting older. It also made having any offspring all the more easier. Due to allowing for much easier

gestation periods.

“But I thought I would go first. Didn't want to push that on you.” Joanna mumbled into Claire's neck after she shifted around so Claire could get at her leaf wings. “Would need to arrange with Alex a time for that. Oh Clair that feels good.” Joanna stated as she started to go limp in Claire's arms.

“Then I guess that can be arranged as well. Alex said that he could probably just get the sample he needed to make things with tomorrow morning. Also get a few eggs when one of us is ready to try. Although I may or may not have been prepping for if the time came when you would want to.” Claire quietly said into Joanna's ear only to nibble lightly at it.

“You froze some of your eggs already? That's rather fortunate. I might have done the same thing.” Joanna quietly said into Claire's neck right before nibbling on an exposed patch of skin. “We could both go and get the process started if you want to?” She asked after looking up at Claire.

“Alex said one at a time would be wiser. Multiple samples from the ‘father’ would be needed throughout the process. Also not having extra things to filter out would be a boon.” Claire answered as she worked her hands along Joanna's second set of wings. “I have about three dozen eggs set aside for when we wanted to start.”

“Good plan…”Joanna mumbled against Claire's neck feeling delicious as Claire worked her hand over a few of the joints in her wings. She knew about some of the rates needed for even one sprout to come into the world. “I only have two dozen set aside.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Think we should try then? Are you going to be okay waiting? If they all take, I know I want a large family but what if they do?” Claire asked a little quietly as she looked Joanna in the eye again. “A couple kids at first then let service end and we can settle where we want after. Might conceivably be able to have Alex come with us.” Joanna said after a moment of thinking about the possibility of saplings. “Let's see where six eggs gets us just to play the odds fairly.” Claire raised an eyebrow at that statement. “Six… Okay, but if they all take then your holding my hair in the morning.” She said grinning at the idea.

“If all six take then I'll rub your feet everyday until D day.” Joanna said pressing herself into Claire. “Anyways I would hold your hair for you even without asking.” That weekend Joanna and Claire headed in for preliminary exams to see who would be the better choice in carrying there first space cadets. Unsurprisingly, Alex tested both of them only to find Claire was the better choice due to her build. Joanna tho was a little disappointed that she could not carry as well. Alex explained that she could and do well but that Claire would be a better choice. If she wanted to have the second season of sprouts there was nothing stopping her aside from waiting for Claire to have the first one. With that in mind Claire was given the first round of treatment so things could go better. Then five months later Alex told the expecting couple that they would need a nursery before then next year.

That was also why the three were on the S.P.F. 40 in the first place. Alex, so he could monitor not just Joanna and Claire's ships but to make sure Claire would be alright through the entire process.

Claire and Joanna on the other hand were doing what they could for some extra pay to help with the sprouts that were on the way. After getting the third layer on Claire kissed Joanna. “I wonder if Alex will tell us how many took after this.” Joanna wondered aloud as the two picked up there

helmets. “He said that he would when we got back from testing the mini FTLs. If all six took, I'm going to look like a beach ball.” Claire said gently rubbing her stomach one more time before pulling on her helmet. Joanna helped Claire latch the helmet into place before visually checking the

seals. “Sweetheart you will look beautiful enough to eat no matter what.” Joanna said rubbing Claire's stomach as well. “You know very well I would love you no matter what shape you are.”

Claire smiled before swatting Joanna's bottom. “When I turn into a watermelon you get to rub my feet. Won't get to see those after the testing is done either.” Claire said as she started toward the launch bay. “You will be my watermelon tho. I'll rub your feet down for you everyday.”

Joanna said as she squeezed Claire to her before she got to far. “I'll also get you back for that butt slap you know.” Claire smiled down at Joanna squeezing her back. “I look forward to that.” She said as the two headed into the launch bay.

“Okay Werner is here. Adele is everything strapped down and ready for the test flight?” Commander Dominion asked as he approached the command deck of the S.P.F. 40. A round of yes sir came back from the comms link as lights and displays started to go through the launch sequence for all five ships. “Alright crewmen, today is are first functionality test for the mini FTL drives. Let it be noted that two of are techno-magi, an engineer and two of are bonded are headed out for this first test run. If everything checks out we should find them, after they run the second phase of the test, about one light year ahead of us. When the H.A.B.T.R. makes her second jump pulling the other four ships along we will meet them at the scheduled randevú in two months where we will receive them after the flight plan is complete. Any last minute questions? No? Good then Godspeed ladies and gentlemen. See you on the other side.” With those words of encouragement Joanna launched Bupsie into the vastness of space. She knew Claire was next and then Alex would be behind her. Alan and Alicia were the last two out.

“Kay Bupsie, let the others catch up and start scanning. Everything they get helps okay?” Joanna said to her ship tree. The tree of even a stealth ship was more than just a plant to a bonded pilot. The tree was how they controlled everything. The ship tree grew a certain way to protect its pilot to the best of the trees abilities. A H.A.B.T.R. ship tree grew to the point that all the techno-magi had to add was extra plating and more firepower. That also depended on what the pilots saw from the tree. Bupsie or rather B.P.S.1-E was also, at the time of bonding, a multi heavy armorment speed deployment unit. The techs liked to call her Bupsie because that was what it did. Pop into range, fire multiple rounds off then pop back out. This all being done with a stealth system that covered most of the noise her engines made while flying. Not that Bupsie needed the stealth. The ship also sported a

few heavyweight proton torpedo launchers for those occasions that you needed a big hole for parking. Oddly Bupsie had four long range cannons facing the rear. Nothing says bye like a hole in the other ship you could fly through. But for this testing mission the techno-magi fitted Bupsie with four mini FTL engines, two of her rear long range cannons and her complement of multi heavy lasers. They left the torpedo launchers off and only had her store about thirty shouts for the front facing torpedo launcher.

“At least we are carrying spare parts incase of repairs.” Joanna said as she went over her weapons and grouped them the way she liked. “Bee bop boo.” Tachi said as he looked up from the command console. “Yeah lasers will help incase of pirates but it's the lack of torpedos I don't like. Don't get me wrong pirates do not run thick shields. But I just don't want any trouble while we are out here.” Joanna mussed as she rechecked her telemetry for the direction she was to go. Flipping on the comms Joanna piped up into it. “Systems are green for phase one jump. Go, no go for test?”

“Scanner complete Bupsie start jump sequence, go in thirty seconds. Say hey when you stop, turn and ready to burn.” Joanna heard Alicia say over the comms.

“10-4, FTL launch t-minus 30 seconds and counting. Will turn and burn if problems with signal.” Joanna said into her comm-link.

“10-4, Bupsie be safe or make them sorry.” Joanna heard Claire say. She knew why tho. The outer layer of space may not be the most ideal place to test the FTL but it was the quieter part of controlled space. Good for testing and sometimes finding pirates. Oddly no one knew where the pirates kept coming from. The majority of the pirates looked like any other people the S.P.F. ran into.

"10-4, Queenly, t-minus ten…nine…eight…seven…” the FTLs started to spin up. “Six… five…four…” Bupsie started to vibrate gently as she moved forward with just FTLs. “Three…two…” Joanna had a sudden urge to tell Claire she loved her. “One…igni-” Bupsie disappeared in a large flash of light that left a trailblazer of sparkles along the direction she went.

“Looks like the FTLs worked.” Alan said over the comms to the other three ships. “That was a fast way to get away at least.”

“Scans show the FTL systems worked. Also shows a zero disturbance of anything in the direction P.S. Werner went. That might be due to the size of the ship too.” Alex commented as he kept scanning and logging everything.

“Joanna I swear to all that is holy you better come back. The sprouts need two to raise them and not just me.” Claire said to herself as she watched and listened to the comms.

About three years that fit into three minutes, for Claire, later. The crackle of a voice was heard. “S.P.F. 40 this is Bupsie. Radio check, S.P.F. 40 this is Bupsie. Anyone reading me?” Claire almost popped out a sapling when she heard Joanna.

“Bupsie this is Queenly we read you. Any issues, come back?” Claire asked as she sighed in relief.

“Everything is green Queenly. Slight jolt after take off and re-entry. Tell the techs four might actually be to slow. Took longer than expected to get here.”

Joanna noted as she checked her clocks. “Time says one and a half minutes transpired during test flight. Update clock says three minutes.”

Alex piped up at that. “Considering how far you went, that can be attributed to Einstein, Bupsie. Otherwise, turn and burn let's get phase two started and see what we get.”

“10-4 magi national. Turn and burn in t-minus 30 seconds and counting.” Joanna responded pointing Bupsie back the way she came.

Claire sighed after the next three minute wait as Bupsie appeared on her sensors. “Status check Bupsie.” Claire said into the comms. “Go, no go for docking?”

“Go for docking process. By the numbers so far for tow along with the four additions.” Joanna responded after a moment as she brought her ship near the other four.

About twenty minutes later with a seal check for everyone to be able to exit there own ships. Joanna brought Bupsie back around to point in the direction she had previously came from. “Systems check for FTL tow along. T-minus 30 minutes until departure. Please put your tray tables in the upright position and strap in for the ride.” Joanna said over the ship comms link.

About fifteen minutes later Claire, Alex, Alan and Alicia sounded off that the four of them were strapped in. Alex had went through the last of the systems check. “Bupsie, everyt’ing looks green ‘ere dearie.” He said as Joanna started Bupsie in the direction of her previous jump.

“Roger that Magi National. S.P.F. 40 proceeding with tow along testing.“ Joanna said as she went over her displays. ’Okay Bupsie, let us see if we can do the harder part.’ She thought at her ship. Bupsie hummed back reassurances and pride for Joanna. Calming Joe as she started the count down again for the FTL drives. “T-minus 30 seconds until FTL flight.”