Copyright: This story is copyrighted to the author Ó 1999 by T.Novan. Do not use any part of this story without my written permission. I may be contacted at TNOVAN@aol.com

Sex: This story contains scenes of two women making love. <smile> If this offends you, please don’t read my story. There are plenty of other wonderful stories out there.

Violence: There are scenes of violence in this piece. If that offends please move on.

By T.Novan

LOG FORTY-THREE

The young officer looked to the chair that held the Garron. He wasn’t sure he wanted to deliver this news. "Sir a medical shuttle is taking off from bay three. The tech on board states she is on a humanitarian rescue mission to search for members of Kurrathian’s ship that may be hurt or injured as a result of abandoning ship."

Garron Beagin glanced down at the pad in his hands with the communication from the home world. "It doesn’t matter." He looked up and watched as the shuttle made a turn for Ford’s ship. "None of it matters now. Let them go."

"Them?"

"Scan the ship young man. How many people on that shuttle?"

"I read three life signs."

The Garron nodded. "Let them go. They’ll die before they ever reach that dead space anyhow. Even if they do make it, there’s nothing there."

* * *

Ford lifted the baby from the bed where it was crying loudly. A knot settled in her stomach when she realized she had no idea what to do to help the child’s distressed state. She tried settling it in the crook of her arm and holding it close to her body. She was tense and she just knew that the baby could feel it as well. "Little one I wish I knew how to help you." She whispered.

The tech put the shuttle on auto and moved to the back of the ship where the Ambassador stood with what remained of her family, the body of her wife and a sickly child that would most likely die in a few hours. She chewed on the inside of her lip for a moment then moved to the cabinet that held the medical supplies for the ship. She readied a tray and returned to Marra’s side.

Ford caught her hand as she raised an injection device. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"If you’re very lucky I’m saving her life."

"She’s dead. Leave her alone. You’ve done enough. If you want to help me, help me by figuring out what I need to do for this child."

"You need to let me tend to it’s mother. There maybe a chance I can save her. She may be heavily dosed with sedatives. I’ll give her this and we’ll see if it works." She looked down at the blonde on the table then back to Ford who continued to cuddle the mewing infant. "What do you have to lose?"

"Nothing and everything." Ford nodded her consent. "Go ahead."

The Ambassador looked down at her daughter. Tiny hands lifted listlessly and Ford knew the baby probably wouldn’t survive. It hurt far more than she thought it would. In the few hours that she had found this child, something had come to life in her and she was terrified at the prospect of loosing both Marra and the baby. She offered the infant her finger and little fingers made a vain attempt to curl around it. The little one succeeded in the effort and for the first time Ford felt as if the child had decided to try and fight to live.

"That’s right little one. You fight. You come from good fighting stock. Come on." She encouraged the baby as the tech continued to work over Marra. Very soon Ford’s head snapped up from the impossibly blue eyes of her daughter when she heard a sound from Marra. The low moan made her heart skip a beat. It was the sweetest sound she had ever heard. "Marra?"

Her head turned slightly and her eyes opened slowly. "Ford?"

"Oh my love." Ford felt near collapse with relief. "Welcome back." She leaned over placing a very tender kiss to her wife’s lips.

"Baby…" Marra felt tears creeping down her cheeks. She was sure their baby was dead. She had tried so hard to save it.

Ford smiled and tried to hold the child so she could see. "She’s here. She’s small and she needs you very much, but she’s here."

"Thank Capri…" Marra’s eyes closed as the medicine continued to work it’s way through her body. She licked dry lips and cleared her throat. "She…she needs to be fed. You’ll need a bottle with milk."

The room brightened suddenly, Ford and the tech had to shield their eyes. The Ambassador automatically guarded the face of her daughter.

Capri stepped from the light, moving slowly toward the bed that held Marra she extended her hand and gave a simple command. "Take it."

Marra’s hand lifted sluggishly until she finally held the hand of the deity. Very slowly she was pulled upright and regained her senses. She let go of a deep breath and look to Ford. "Hi." She grinned even as her eyes traveled straight to the baby in the crook of Ford’s arm.

"Ford. Give the child to Marra."

Without a moments hesitation Ford handed the child over. Tears flowed down Marra’s cheeks as she cuddled their daughter in her arms. She had been afraid that this moment would never come. She raised her eyes to Capri. "Will she live? She’s so small."

"With that which you give her, the child will grow, strong and healthy. But you must see to that. Allow the child to suckle from your own breast. I have seen to it that you have that which is required to sustain her life." The deity palmed Marra’s cheek for a brief moment, then was gone.

Marra needed no further instruction. She shrugged out of the gown that she had been changed into and brought the baby to her breast. She sucked in a deep breath at first at the sensation, then she smiled when she realized her daughter was eating and taking nourishment. "She’s doing it." She smiled at Ford who watched in amazement as the scene unfolded before her.

"So she is." Ford reached out to touch her daughter’s cheek, but pulled her hand back, realizing that Marra might not want this moment interrupted.

The blonde took the Ambassador’s hand and returned it to its destination. She watched as long, trembling fingers gently stroked a very small face. "What should we name her?" Marra looked to her spouse, lifting a questioning brow.

"I…I…don’t know. I hadn’t thought about that. It never occurred to me she would need a name." Ford was embarrassed at the admission, but smiled when she realized this was indeed an important moment in their lives.

"Of course she’s going to need a name Ford. We can’t call her ‘hey you’."

The tall woman actually laughed a bit. "True." She watched her daughter for a moment, then she whispered softly, "Mary."

"Mary? It’s a beautiful name. Where is it from?"

"From an Earth text called The Bible. Mary is the mother of Jesus. He was the savior of man. He gave them a new beginning." Ford’s gaze became more intent as she continued to let her fingertips stroke soft pink cheeks. "This is a new beginning for us Marra. It’s only fitting she should have a name that celebrates that."

"Mary it is then."

Ford looked at the tech with a very silly grin. "My daughter, Mary Kurrathian, First Daughter of the Second House. Isn’t she beautiful?"

"She is indeed." The tech agreed. She couldn’t help it. The women before her were her enemies and two of the most wanted in the sector, but right now they were just new parents. And these two were enjoying the birth of a child in a way she had never experience before and it filled her heart with a joy she had never really experienced before. "You’re a very fortunate woman."

Ford stood up very straight and looked adoringly at her family. "I am indeed." Then she remembered their surroundings. "And I need to get my family back to my ship. If you help me I’ll allow you to return to your own ship."

"I’ve already helped you. I’m sure they know it. My life is forfeit there. Either you kill me or they do. It doesn’t matter now. I’m dead for sure."

Ford shook her head. "No, no the killing stops right here, right now. If you wish, you may stay aboard my ship and continue with us on our journey." Ford watched as Marra rocked their little one. She couldn’t even be bothered to wipe the silly grin from her face. "I’m not sure what the future hold for us, but I intend to make it the best that I can." She looked to the young woman. "For my family and anyone willing to follow me."

"I’ll follow you." She extended her hand. "My name is Lytle."

Ford chuckled and the woman tilted her head in question. "Your name, it means ‘to free’. You most certainly are that." She took the woman’s hand. "And so are we thanks to you."

"Ford," Marra coaxed gently. "I’m growing rather tired, I need…"

The two women assisted the blonde with returning to bed, making sure that both mother and child were warm and content. Then they secured the bed for the rest of the flight. Lytle returned to the flight controls, while Ford remained behind until she was sure that both Marra and Mary were sleeping peacefully. Once she was certain they were comfortable she joined the other woman, taking the co-pilot’s seat.

"Do we have any idea where my ship is?"

Lytle’s fingers glided over the touch pad. "Scanning now. Trying to locate it. We had a visual when we left the ship but I’ve lost it now. I’m looking for an engine signature."

"I told Garron Richards to continue without us. I can always count on him following orders."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Lytle gave a small grin to the tall woman next to her.

"In this instance I’m not sure." Ford drummed her fingers on the control panel and glanced back over her should to the compartment that held her wife and daughter.

"There’s nothing you can do here." The tech said casually. "Why don’t you go back and sit with them."

With a nod, the tall woman moved to the back of the shuttle and pulled a chair up next to Marra’s bed. Marra was sleeping again, but Mary was awake, lying quietly in her mother’s arms.

Ford reached out slowly and gently stroked a very small hand and stared in amazement as once again tiny, fragile fingers curled around her own finger. She took in every detail of the little hand, from the fine lines in pink skin to the little fingernails. As she watched her daughter she couldn’t help but smile when the child yawned and a pink tongue poked out for just a moment before disappearing behind ruby lips.

The Ambassador gave serious consideration to her child and had to take a second glance when she realized that her daughter’s hair was blonde like Marra’s. "That’s not possible." Her hand slowly, carefully ran over the child’s head. "Without a miracle from Capri that’s just not possible."

* * *

"They’re looking for us." A young security offer told Garron Richards.

Richards stood, his arms crossing his chest. "I would have expected as much. How many fighters?"

"Not fighters sir. Just one ship. A medical shuttle is scanning for us."

"A medical shuttle?"

"Yes sir. And sending out a coded message stating that the Ambassador and the First wife are aboard and safe and sound."

"Could be a trick."

"The authorization code on the message matches the Ambassador’s."

Richards scrubbed his hand over his face. He knew there’d be days like theses and he hated them with a passion. "Bring them aboard, but make sure a full security detail meets the shuttle in the docking bay."

"As you wish Garron. The transmission also requests a medical team for Lady Kurrathian and her child."

Richards eyebrows crawled up his forehead. He knew she was with child, but also knew she was several months from delivery. He chewed on his lip for a moment. "Send one as well."

* * *

When the shuttle finally docked and the doors opened Ford was not surprised to find the security detail. As a matter of fact she was delighted that Richards had taken no chances. The moment her identity become clear weapons were dropped and the medical team rushed forward to take Marra and the baby to the med lab.

Lytle, stepped off slowly, with her hands in the air just slightly to show she was unarmed. She just waited to be taken in to custody.

Ford turned to her and offered her her own hand. "I told you. You won’t be a prisoner here. Go with the med team and let one of my doctors look you over and make sure you’re all right."

"Yes Amabassador Kurrathian." The woman smiled. "Thank you."

Ford nodded slightly, watching the woman follow the team out. She turned to find Richards standing among the remaining member of the security team. "Hi Honey, I’m home." She gave him a grin.

He laughed as he moved forward to take her hand. "I don’t know how you do it Ambassador. You’re luck continues to amaze me."

"Yes well, you can imagine how I feel. I just hope it holds out until we reach Earth space. Are we still on course?"

"We are. Following the flight plan you gave me. We are trying to round up the escape shuttles that were launched when we had our encounter. It’s not going to be an easy task. There will no doubt be some souls lost. Some shuttles may make it to Earth space because those coordinates were fed into the data banks before they left the ship. It’s going to be entirely hit and miss Ambassador."

"Then we must hope and pray they make it or we find them along the way. Keep me posted. Right now I need to be with my wife and child."

"Yes, congratulations. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A beautiful baby girl named Mary. After we are resettled you will need to come see my daughter."

"It will be my honor." Richards cleared his throat, then looked to Ford. "We intercepted a message to the cruiser Ambassador. It seems that Lord Hadrin is dead."

"That explains it then. I wondered how our escape was so easy. What is the cruiser doing?"

"They seemed to have turned back. Apparently they are unwilling to follow us into unknown space."

"It seems my life is truly blessed by Capri this day. Continue on course and let me know when we reacquire any shuttles. How many to be picked up?"

"Just over fifty Ambassador. With approximately five hundred on board among them."

She took the information in and stored it away. She would deal with it later. "Keep me posted. I’ll be in the med lab."

"As you wish Ambassador. It’s good to have you home."

"We’re not home yet Rick. But if we are very lucky we will find a new one soon."