caught in the verbal crossfire. The last thing she wanted was for her men to get hurt because of her. She eased her way out from between her men and dressed in her spacesuit. She took one last look at her men and left the house.
All the way up the tunnel, she prepared herself for the speech she was about to give. This wasn’t a life-or-death situation, but it certainly felt like it to Sandi. She knew if she couldn’t convince her colleagues to leave her behind where she was happy and had made a life for herself with her two mates, her heart was going to be ripped from her chest.
Sandi pushed her thoughts away and began a cautious descent down the mountainside. She could see the tents her colleagues had erected in the distance and knew they would have enough supplies to survive for six long months if necessary. She just hoped she could get them to see reason and leave.
Sandi was nearly at the tents when she heard a shout echo across the air. She turned to see two specks standing up on the rocky outcrop and knew Dreab and Erup were watching her. She turned back and moved faster. The last thing she wanted was for her mates to be in danger. She was at the largest tent just as the flap opened. Her eyes connected with her commander, and she gave him the prerequisite salute.
“Sandi, thank God, you’re alive,” her commanding officer said then hugged her to him. She didn’t hug him back. She was too surprised by the show of emotion.
She looked up at him curiously and saw the concern in his eyes. She had never seen that look before and didn’t know what to make of it, so she ignored it.
“Sir,” Sandi greeted.
“You’re looking well, Sandi. You skin is glowing,” Commander Tim Schneider said.
“I am well. In fact, I’ve never been better.” Sandi watched as his eyes slid over her body once more and snagged on her large belly. He looked up at her again.
“Are you pregnant, Sandi?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, hell. How did this happen?” Sandi saw him blush when he realized what he’d said. “You don’t need to answer that.”
“No, sir.”
“Come and sit in my tent out of the sun, and you can tell me what’s been going on.” Tim held the tent flap open for her.
Sandi entered and took a seat. She watched her commanding officer get them some drinks, and he handed her a cup. She took a sip of water and eyed Tim cautiously as he sat beside her.
“Where do you want me to begin, sir?”
“At the start would be appropriate, don’t you think?”
“Okay. The electronics on the ship began to go haywire not far from this planet. I tried everything I could to get it back on line, but nothing seemed to work. I even shut everything down and tried to reboot, but still nothing. I called in a Mayday, but had no idea if the call got out. The only control I had over the ship was the flight stick. I glided into this planet’s atmosphere and crash-landed. One of the wings had sheared off, and the ship was a mess. I knew there was no way I would be able to get back home without any of the appropriate parts and equipment needed to fix the ship.
“I was lucky enough to meet two native males of this planet, and they were kind enough to take me into their home. We fell in love, and I got pregnant. It seems the contraceptive does not work against these people.”
“You have been missing for nearly three months now, yet you look like you are six months pregnant. What sort of beings have you been with, Sandi? How could you let strangers touch you?”
“What sort of question is that? I already told you I fell in love. How can you sit there in judgment of me when you have no idea what you’re talking about, sir?”
“Look, I’m sorry if I have insulted you. It’s just, you’re the last person I expected to find in this predicament. You don’t want to go back, do you?”
“No. I can’t go back, sir. I have made a life for myself here. The men I love are here. I can’t leave them behind. I won’t,” Sandi
All the way up the tunnel, she prepared herself for the speech she was about to give. This wasn’t a life-or-death situation, but it certainly felt like it to Sandi. She knew if she couldn’t convince her colleagues to leave her behind where she was happy and had made a life for herself with her two mates, her heart was going to be ripped from her chest.
Sandi pushed her thoughts away and began a cautious descent down the mountainside. She could see the tents her colleagues had erected in the distance and knew they would have enough supplies to survive for six long months if necessary. She just hoped she could get them to see reason and leave.
Sandi was nearly at the tents when she heard a shout echo across the air. She turned to see two specks standing up on the rocky outcrop and knew Dreab and Erup were watching her. She turned back and moved faster. The last thing she wanted was for her mates to be in danger. She was at the largest tent just as the flap opened. Her eyes connected with her commander, and she gave him the prerequisite salute.
“Sandi, thank God, you’re alive,” her commanding officer said then hugged her to him. She didn’t hug him back. She was too surprised by the show of emotion.
She looked up at him curiously and saw the concern in his eyes. She had never seen that look before and didn’t know what to make of it, so she ignored it.
“Sir,” Sandi greeted.
“You’re looking well, Sandi. You skin is glowing,” Commander Tim Schneider said.
“I am well. In fact, I’ve never been better.” Sandi watched as his eyes slid over her body once more and snagged on her large belly. He looked up at her again.
“Are you pregnant, Sandi?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, hell. How did this happen?” Sandi saw him blush when he realized what he’d said. “You don’t need to answer that.”
“No, sir.”
“Come and sit in my tent out of the sun, and you can tell me what’s been going on.” Tim held the tent flap open for her.
Sandi entered and took a seat. She watched her commanding officer get them some drinks, and he handed her a cup. She took a sip of water and eyed Tim cautiously as he sat beside her.
“Where do you want me to begin, sir?”
“At the start would be appropriate, don’t you think?”
“Okay. The electronics on the ship began to go haywire not far from this planet. I tried everything I could to get it back on line, but nothing seemed to work. I even shut everything down and tried to reboot, but still nothing. I called in a Mayday, but had no idea if the call got out. The only control I had over the ship was the flight stick. I glided into this planet’s atmosphere and crash-landed. One of the wings had sheared off, and the ship was a mess. I knew there was no way I would be able to get back home without any of the appropriate parts and equipment needed to fix the ship.
“I was lucky enough to meet two native males of this planet, and they were kind enough to take me into their home. We fell in love, and I got pregnant. It seems the contraceptive does not work against these people.”
“You have been missing for nearly three months now, yet you look like you are six months pregnant. What sort of beings have you been with, Sandi? How could you let strangers touch you?”
“What sort of question is that? I already told you I fell in love. How can you sit there in judgment of me when you have no idea what you’re talking about, sir?”
“Look, I’m sorry if I have insulted you. It’s just, you’re the last person I expected to find in this predicament. You don’t want to go back, do you?”
“No. I can’t go back, sir. I have made a life for myself here. The men I love are here. I can’t leave them behind. I won’t,” Sandi
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