Determine by Viola Grace Page B

looked and sighed in relief. “Much more sensible.”
    Warp looked at her, “What did I miss?” Breaker grinned, “Eighty percent of her on display, and what was hidden was easily accessible.”
    Warp looked disappointed. “Damn it. Breaker, you are on the next maintenance round for the shuttle. I miss so much when I have to do it.” Starburn chuckled and even Hydra had to crack a smile. “Fine. Only polite clothing from now on. I thought the Nyal clothing sense was a little more adventurous.”
    Breaker shook her head. “Only during mating season. Will this be your first?” Hydra was surprised. “My first mating season? Oh. Oestrus. No. I have had… ” She paused and counted, using her fingers. “One hundred and twenty cycles so far. I haven’t had any for the last two years. I was thought to be a little hard to manage once I entered Nyal space.” The four Guardians stared at her in shock.
    Starburn asked, “One hundred and twenty?”
    “Sure. That is the reason for the suppressor shot. Terrans can breed every three hundred days or so if conditions are right. I mean, our bodies aren’t up to it, but it is theoretically possible.” She slowly moved into the kitchen and got a pitcher of water, a set of glasses and a tray.
    Her legs were still a little uncoordinated as she took tiny steps back to the conversation pit and winced as she stepped down. The tray wobbled alarmingly, and Starburn got to his feet, taking it from her.
    She poured a glass and sat back, noting that they were all still staring at her. “What?” They blinked as one, and she laughed. “You are looking at me like I am growing another head.” Starburn wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back against the couch. “So, there is a likelihood that one day I might be a father.” She shrugged. “If we are genetically compatible. Just because we fit doesn’t mean that we can reproduce. I can stick a carrot in the toaster, but it doesn’t mean I can have heated vegetables anytime I want.”
    “I think a reproductive specialist can probably move things in our favour.” He stroked her cheek with a smile. “That happens to be my mother’s speciality.”
    Hydra’s eyes widened. “Oh. Right. Well, that would explain it.”
    The others just shrugged and left it alone.
    They watched the newscast and sighed in relief at the quiet day.
    Warp asked, “So, Hydra, did you ever watch all the past newsreels of our exploits on Deyfell 4?” She shook her head, and they all began to rifle through their recordings of their favourite rescues and heroic efforts. They were showing off.
    They watched the vids as a group, booing and cheering, reheating leftovers and munching on cookies late into the night. By the time it was over, Hydra had a much better idea of why they were so close and why they had accepted her in their group. They needed someone to break the tension that occasionally cropped up when they risked their lives over and over for folks who could not and would not understand them.
    She was a combination of mom, the little sister, and the girl next door.
    She dozed, leaning on Starburn while Warp showed a compilation of his greatest hits.
    The chime that alerted them to the call to duty rang, and Starburn set her gently down on the couch, kissing her softly before he left to don his uniform.
    The Guardians tiptoed around her as she drifted in and out on the couch. She smiled and had her nap, secure in the knowledge that she would be safe and that they would be back before she knew it.
     
    Someone lifted her and carried her to bed, removing her clothing before tucking her in. She smelled dirt and seaweed as she turned to watch Starburn stripping off his uniform.
    “Bad night?” She sat up and held the sheet to her breasts.
    “Not bad. Tangle had to do most of the work.” He pulled off his mask and stalked into the lav while the bots scurried out of their panels in the walls and absconded with the dirty uniform, leaving a clean one on