Logic by Viola Grace Page B

dibs on me?” Beryl shrieked and lunged at her mate again.
    He winced as her fist cracked the stone next to his head. “I meant it as flattery. We all caught your scent that first night and decided that the first one to win you could have you without challenge.”
    She slammed her other fist down, but he moved out of the way of the crushing blow.
    Panting, she pursued him across the glorified gym. She analyzed the way he moved and struck where he was going to be. He went spinning along the floor.
    Rand called out, “Bebe, enough.”
    She snarled and followed her mate. “And what if I had taken up with Rand? Or Drovin or Loesh?”
    Toyo got to his feet and lunged for her. He spun her around and lifted her off her feet by flying a few feet from the floor. He bit down on her shoulder and the seething fury calmed.
    He lifted his head. “And if you had taken up with them, I would have broken my word and pursued you anyway.”
    She leaned back with her head against his shoulder, “Right answer.”
    He sighed and set her back on her feet. “It is getting harder and harder not to provoke your temper.”
    The other three came in and started to straighten out the wreck that they had made in the room.
    Beryl sighed and rubbed her neck where the skin had already healed. “I know. I wish I knew what was causing these fits of fury.”
    Loesh called out, “Maybe you are pregnant.”
    Everyone turned and stared at him as if he had grown a second head.
    Beryl said, “But Toyo is sterile, and as far as I know, I haven’t had sex with anyone off this base. Of course, I could have nocturnally piloted a skimmer into the city and strangled the first citizen I found until they screwed me, but I think I would have had a stain or a record or something.”
    “Bebe, you are also the only Terran on W’lyn, and your blood has strange effects on our physiology. Not only are we faster and stronger, but we have no idea what alterations are going on in Toyo’s systems. Of course, we can just run scans on both of you.” Loesh shrugged.
    Bebe narrowed her eyes. “Him first.”
    Toyo tightened his arms. “Better move fast, Loesh. She is cycling up again.”
    With that warning, they made their way to the medical chamber with speed.
    Loesh ran the scans on Toyo, and he raised his eyes in surprise. “I should be less shocked, but yes, the chemical sterilization that you underwent has been removed from your system, and your sperm have been altered to survive longer periods of time.” He turned to Bebe. “Your turn.”
    Toyo raised his hand. “Wait, wait. Are you saying that Beryl could be pregnant?”
    “I am saying that if you and she had sex once in the last two weeks, then yes, you could have gotten her pregnant.” Loesh rolled his eyes. “And since you have been going at it three times a day since you mated, the likelihood has risen exponentially.”
    Beryl looked at her mate and nodded. “My turn.” She was braced for whatever came up on the scans.
    Loesh ran the scanner and Beryl watched the screen. When the scan moved over her abdomen and a small, bright light flickered where there should be empty space, her knees shook.
    “Remain still, Bebe.”
    The scan went down to her feet and then reversed direction. The little ball of life was still where it shouldn’t be.
    “Well, it looks like the extension to the base to give you privacy cannot come soon enough.” Loesh grinned. “Do you want to know the sex?”
    Beryl felt Toyo’s arms come around her as everything went dark.
     
    She woke to find four very concerned sets of eyes looking at her. “What? Did my shirt fall off again? Geez, it happens once and no one will let you live it down.”
    They all smiled at her, but the concern was still there.
    Toyo took her hand. “I want you to see a specialist.”
    “In pregnancy involving two races that have never collided before? Sure.” She smiled. “Make the appointment and I will fly myself there in case you are on