assignment.”
The four grew wide-eyed in concert.
Toyo rubbed his thumb along her fingers. “If you get dressed, we will all go now.”
“All of us? Why?”
Drovin smiled softly, “Because whether you like it or not, we are family.”
That was good enough for her.
“Everybody out. I am going to get dressed, and I don’t need an audience.” She waited with her brows raised, and they didn’t move fast enough. “Fine. Audience it is.”
She swung out of the bed, whipped off her shirt and shucked her pants without looking at them. Beryl stalked across the room and opened the closet, reaching for a long tunic and contrasting trousers. When she finished tying the sash around her waist, she turned to find Toyo smiling at her.
“You know how to clear a room.”
She laughed. “Well, it isn’t the belching contest of last week, but I have found it to be effective.”
Toyo sighed and walked with her to the skimmer launch. “You shouldn’t be so proud of winning that.”
She giggled and joined the others for a family road trip.
Doctor Yumara was positively gleeful. “We surmised that Terrans could breed with W’lyn, but this is delightful. The baby is strong, healthy and the reason for most of your biological changes. It will have its father’s strength from birth, and you had to toughen up to manage it to term. It is amazing. The child reworked your entire body to be the perfect host.”
The doctor was in the pale-silver range, but his delight with her transformation irked her.
Toyo sensed her mood. “Doctor, perhaps you could be a little less delighted that Beryl lost her Terran characteristics. She might just slam you through the wall.”
Yumara looked at the scan display and winced. “Of course. It was insensitive of me. If you like, there are supplements available to help with the mood swings.”
The Guardians spoke as one. “Yes, please.”
Beryl snorted. “Pussies.”
Loesh sighed, “You can now punch your way through marble if you are so inclined. Having you throw a tantrum because you didn’t cut your sandwich at a right angle again could be devastating if Toyo is not there.”
She slumped back on the scanning bed. “It was round bread. The angle was everything.”
She realised what she said and lifted her head. She smiled at the doctor. “You mentioned supplements?”
He prepared an injector under Loesh’s and Toyo’s watchful gazes, and he pressed it to her skin. “This is going to be difficult as your skin has thickened.”
She gave him an arch look. “Do you have anything I can swallow? My internal organs are still designed to absorb nutrients.”
Yumara stepped back. “That would work, but it won’t taste good.”
“You can work on the flavour later. Right now, I am fixated on the fact that you were going to punch a hole in my arm to give me a vitamin. It is making me a little angry.”
Yumara took action and had a cocktail ready for her in two minutes. He handed it to Toyo, which showed that doctors can still learn after they leave school.
Beryl sat up and took the small cup. She tossed it back and gagged for a few seconds before the urge faded. Her body hummed happily, and she could almost feel the cocktail entering her system.
Toyo looked at her expression and sighed. “How much and how often?”
Beryl looked at the other Guardians, who had all shocked the doctor by trooping in to her scan, and noted that they were all paying strict attention. A flicker of remorse went through her and then she smiled. It wasn’t just like family; it was family. She was just going to have to get used to it.
Jim was staring at her. “Well, I can’t say that it isn’t a little weird.”
“I know. The shine takes some getting used to.”
He snorted. “Not that. You look great. The thing I need to get used to is you being married with a baby on the way, and I am just working my way up to the third date.”
She chuckled. “Toyo is here; did you want to meet
The four grew wide-eyed in concert.
Toyo rubbed his thumb along her fingers. “If you get dressed, we will all go now.”
“All of us? Why?”
Drovin smiled softly, “Because whether you like it or not, we are family.”
That was good enough for her.
“Everybody out. I am going to get dressed, and I don’t need an audience.” She waited with her brows raised, and they didn’t move fast enough. “Fine. Audience it is.”
She swung out of the bed, whipped off her shirt and shucked her pants without looking at them. Beryl stalked across the room and opened the closet, reaching for a long tunic and contrasting trousers. When she finished tying the sash around her waist, she turned to find Toyo smiling at her.
“You know how to clear a room.”
She laughed. “Well, it isn’t the belching contest of last week, but I have found it to be effective.”
Toyo sighed and walked with her to the skimmer launch. “You shouldn’t be so proud of winning that.”
She giggled and joined the others for a family road trip.
Doctor Yumara was positively gleeful. “We surmised that Terrans could breed with W’lyn, but this is delightful. The baby is strong, healthy and the reason for most of your biological changes. It will have its father’s strength from birth, and you had to toughen up to manage it to term. It is amazing. The child reworked your entire body to be the perfect host.”
The doctor was in the pale-silver range, but his delight with her transformation irked her.
Toyo sensed her mood. “Doctor, perhaps you could be a little less delighted that Beryl lost her Terran characteristics. She might just slam you through the wall.”
Yumara looked at the scan display and winced. “Of course. It was insensitive of me. If you like, there are supplements available to help with the mood swings.”
The Guardians spoke as one. “Yes, please.”
Beryl snorted. “Pussies.”
Loesh sighed, “You can now punch your way through marble if you are so inclined. Having you throw a tantrum because you didn’t cut your sandwich at a right angle again could be devastating if Toyo is not there.”
She slumped back on the scanning bed. “It was round bread. The angle was everything.”
She realised what she said and lifted her head. She smiled at the doctor. “You mentioned supplements?”
He prepared an injector under Loesh’s and Toyo’s watchful gazes, and he pressed it to her skin. “This is going to be difficult as your skin has thickened.”
She gave him an arch look. “Do you have anything I can swallow? My internal organs are still designed to absorb nutrients.”
Yumara stepped back. “That would work, but it won’t taste good.”
“You can work on the flavour later. Right now, I am fixated on the fact that you were going to punch a hole in my arm to give me a vitamin. It is making me a little angry.”
Yumara took action and had a cocktail ready for her in two minutes. He handed it to Toyo, which showed that doctors can still learn after they leave school.
Beryl sat up and took the small cup. She tossed it back and gagged for a few seconds before the urge faded. Her body hummed happily, and she could almost feel the cocktail entering her system.
Toyo looked at her expression and sighed. “How much and how often?”
Beryl looked at the other Guardians, who had all shocked the doctor by trooping in to her scan, and noted that they were all paying strict attention. A flicker of remorse went through her and then she smiled. It wasn’t just like family; it was family. She was just going to have to get used to it.
Jim was staring at her. “Well, I can’t say that it isn’t a little weird.”
“I know. The shine takes some getting used to.”
He snorted. “Not that. You look great. The thing I need to get used to is you being married with a baby on the way, and I am just working my way up to the third date.”
She chuckled. “Toyo is here; did you want to meet
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