Star Side

Chapter 47

Back in the Present—Post Eggy Birthday

Stellar date (Earth Time): 08-22-2914

I woke up after an unwelcome nap on my bed in the observatory, though bed seemed to be a very loose term for what it had become over the past month. The blankets I'd gathered and the extra futon made it more like a mound...or a nest, now that there were four eggs bundled up there with me.

I was too exhausted to be anything more than awake. I couldn't see the eggs since they were under the covers, but I could feel them: four warm round rocks the size of two man's fists each, except the fourth, which was only one manly fist. I worried about that one. And my worry confused me a bit. But it didn't matter that they didn't look like babies, they were mine, they had come out of me, and something like me would eventually come out. Something innocent and small and needed me.

The tightness in my chest returned, making my stomach turn, and I curled about them instinctually. Who doesn't like hugging warm things for comfort? Sadly, just that little movement made my stomach muscles twang like out of tune guitar strings and I couldn't help but whine.

Through the clear glass of the dome above me I could see just the edge of the planet Vetas. We were at the position in our orbit we called a 'crescent moon. Past the turquoise of the planet were my stars and galaxies, distant, clear, and steady, with no atmosphere between us to make them flicker.

I felt about my neck, but Gilrack had helped me dress in my pajamas, which meant no collar and no coms button. Levi and Naomi were bound to have noticed something by now. They never left me alone for long and it had been a whole day. I'd gotten the cramps—no, contractions—sometime in the evening when I'd gone to take a shower. Impeccable timing, if I do say so myself, though I'd been crampy all day. I'd just thought it the laxatives Naomi had given me getting to work. Though I'd also pooped plenty—not that you needed to know that, but, here we are. At least I'd seemingly gotten everything out before the eggs came. Would have been several more degrees of worse to have to pluck eggs out of poop water.

Oh crap...Levi...

Nope, not going there. I'm in my dome, under the stars, this is my happy place. Stress can wait outside the door.

Said door hissed open to allow entry of big, red, winged demon alien. The tray of food looked like a toy in his hands. He swiped the lock button before making his way towards me, steps unnaturally quiet as only he could make them and tail held out still behind him.

He greeted me in his own language, a brief triplet of clicks and hum which ended with a brief brush of his finger against the little bit of my face I'd left uncovered by blankets to breathe. I closed my eyes and let myself find comfort in the touch. Now that the anger had drained out of me, all I wanted to do was cry.

Of course, he must have felt it all through his weird telepathy, for his hum turned to a low, soothing crone.

"Food, Jo."

I did not feel like eating. My insides wanted nothing to do with me or their job.

I took a sniff anyway and didn't smell much, but I could already tell what it was. It was the protein porridge we had fed him when he'd tried to starve himself to death. It was a good choice on his hand. I could say what I want about Gilrack, but stupid wouldn't be one of them. Naomi had pointed out more than once that the average human wouldn't have been as observant and learned as fast as he had about living with us.

Perhaps, however, he had been very strongly motivated.

"I'm sorry for..." Okay, no, I wasn't really sorry for yelling. That was a perfectly yell-worthy incident. "You can explain now. About the eggs. And why you didn't tell me."