' I'm tired.'
Ever since joining LD and escaping from my father's grasp, I haven't been able to relax for a single moment... Nah, I can't be that harsh.
There was the Citadel vacation and now the Omega one, but still, I had to act as CEO of LD and now of Cerberus.
It is safe to say that things have been chaotic for me. Thank the heavens for Jack, as while she was a little dumb, she compensated for that by being hot. I admit, at first she was a little too skinny, but now, thanks to the crew's care, she is even better in appearance and personality—at least for me.
So, like any sane person, I used her ideas on Cerberus to make the group better. Now we just have to wait to see if there will be any results from that front.
The ideas she had were in line with what the other test subjects we saved asked for. I used LD influence to make Cerberus brighter and to shed the old it from within. I only had the job for a week or so, but I can say that on that front, things have been okay.
I was doing my best to make sure we undone the damage the old Cerberus had done to others while showing a new side of our new company.
But... there's one problem that's been pestering me for some time now.
'' Mother-in-law, you know we can't possibly do that!'' I shouted at Natasha as she asked for a grandson once more in less than a day.
'' Honey, I don't know how much time I have left, so please, give one grandbaby... or two... or three! I can settle with four if necessary.'' Natasha shamelessly proposed to Miranda.
I almost collapsed right there and then. I looked for Jack's support, but she was just smiling at the situation. So, I involved her too. '' You know, I would only accept it if you also carried one of the babies.''
Jack paused. She looked at Natasha and sighed, "Sorry Mother, it seems we lost.''
Natasha, on the other hand, was ecstatic, '' We accept it!''
'''' What?''''
Jack and I were pretty shocked by Natasha's statement. She was forceful before, but not this much.
I finally connected the dots, seeing her so desperate.
''... How much time do you have?'' I asked, not wanting to hear the answer.
Jack seemed to notice the implication of my question and looked at Natasha with worry in her eyes. Even if their time was short, her mom made sure she got all the love she hadn't received for the past 18 years, and both grew attached to each other.
Natasha just smiled and said, I made peace with it long ago.''
'' You didn't answer my question.''
Natasha sighed. '' The doctors gave me three years, five years ago.''
Jack went to her mom's side and grabbed her hand. From her expression, the worry was clearly visible, '' Why didn't you tell us sooner? Maybe we-''
'' Honey, I accepted death long ago, your existence was the only thing left for me to live for. Now, imagine what a grandchild would do to me...''
I sighed. Things got a lot more complicated.
' We have the Reapers arriving in less than 10 years, the Council, how the galaxy will react to the news, LD, Cerberus, business opportunities... If I or Jack introduce a baby into the mix....'
I had a headache just thinking about it all. Besides, we are too young to be parents, for fuck sake!
But... Natasha is dying.
We are in a dilemma now. Jack was now on board with getting a baby, but we would lose her for 9 months or me for 9 months. I don't want to brag, but we are a good asset to the crew.
There's also the fact that we will need a sperm donor, someone we trust, and then take time to collect 'it'.
Also, the fact that we just recently started dating...
For the first time in a while, I don't know what to do.
' Let's ask others.'
Miranda first asked RR and EDI, the AIs who lived together in a safe place in the SSV Phoenix.
'' In what part do you need help? I can't help with the sperm, but with the rest, count me in.'' RR was in her android form there, looking after EDI, who still didn't have a body.
'' I would not ask for sperm from you... I'm just curious if you think it's a good idea to have a baby when the galaxy is on the verge of a war of gigantic magnitude.''
RR looked deeply into Miranda's eyes and asked, When the galaxy wasn't at war?''
'' Sorry?''
'' The Rachni War, The First Contact War, and a lot of other minor and big wars here and there. The galaxy is NOT a safe place, period. You or Jack carrying a baby in your bellies would change almost nothing in the bigger picture. I say go for it.''
EDI chimed in, '' If you need help with the donor, just tell us. We can arrange one for you in a heartbeat.''
'' Thanks, I guess?'' Miradan left the place feeling confused, but what the AI said was true. There's war everywhere in the galaxy, and there's still time.
Besides, they just had to win. Simply as that.
With new vigor, Miranda went to see Jack once more.
--
' I know we are rushing things by a lot, as we started dating not so long ago. But, I feel this is the right thing to do. Besides, not only Natasha is on limited time.'
If things didn't go the way LD wanted and the Reapers won, everyone was doomed anyway. Making a rash choice to have a baby with the person she was in a relationship with didn't seem too rushed when thinking from this point of view.
With that in mind, Miranda looked at Jack in front of her.
'' Ok, we have to decide who will carry the baby.'' Miranda dropped a bomb, and Jack was dumbfounded.
'' You accepted it?'' That was the part where she was surprised the most.
'' Of course. Natasha is dying, we can give this gift to her before she passes... Did she tell you what she has?''
Jack looked a mixture of sadness and hopefulness, '' She said it's cancer. Normal, because even though I was born as a powerful biotic, imagine what happened to her.''
Exposure to element Zero is what gave Jack her powers, but it also gave Natasha cancer.
Miranda hugged Jack and comforted her, '' We will deal with that too. Now, I'm excited to see you with a big belly.''
'' I'm sorry?'' Jack broke the hug and looked at Miranda with surprise, '' I thought you would be the one to get pregnant?''
'' I have so much on my plate with LD, Cerberus, and the crew, while you... Dear, I'm sorry, but you're a bun! You just spar with others all day long!''
Jack looked offended, '' I train hard, okay?''
'' I didn't say you didn't, I just said you just do that all day. You can stop for 9 months, I can't.''
Jack was huffing, but she knew Miranda was right. She just didn't like losing.
'' ... Fine.''
Miranda gloated, thinking about the pregnant Jack, '' I'm sorry, I didn't hear. Can you repeat that?''
'' I said, fine, I'll get pregnant with your baby.''
Everyone in the area looked at the duo with surprise. Miranda immediately blushed a little but said nothing in return.
Jack took advantage of that, '' What about the donor? Who are we choosing?''
The duo could, in fact, try to grab an anonymous donor, but they didn't want that. They wanted a person who they both knew and who was a good person too.
'' I have an idea.''
'' Say it.''
'' What about Samael?''
'' Do you think he would agree?''
'' If we ask nicely, I'm sure he will.''
Jack nodded at that, and the duo now had their target in mind. Now, the only things left for them to do were get his sperm, go to a lab, mix both of their genomes with the seed, and voila.
A baby.
If the duo achieves their goal, only time will tell.