HeartStorm (HeartFast Series Book 3) (5 page)

            "You're doing fine, Terrin. Keep breathing. Keep oxygenating yourself. Fire, what's the water temp?"

            "Ninety-three degrees."

            "Excellent."

            "Doctor Perlakian!" Hunter shouted. He had no way of knowing if they could hear him. His inner viewscreen was black, but at least he could hear them.

            "Who is that?" Devorah asked, either of someone in the room, or directly to him.

            However, StarLight immediately recognized his voice. "Udo! Udo, where are you?"

            "I'm still on Sigma Vialla," he called back. "We're unable to leave until this storm lessens in intensity. Forgive me for not being there with you. What happened? Did something happen? I thought you weren't due for another few weeks."

            "Babies have their own timetable, Hunter," Perlakian commented with a very discernable dry wit.

            Another cry punctuated the airwave. This time Hunter knew Star was the one making the sounds.

            "Terrin, are you all right? Is the baby all right? Doctor Perlakian, what's her status?"

            "My status is I'm having a baby!" Star yelled back with agitation.

            Unexpectedly, his viewscreen began to brighten, gradually clearing up as Commander back at base worked his magic. Slowly, Hunter made out the form of his wife as she reclined in the birthing tub. Devorah Perlakian was in the tub with her, sitting between Star's spread legs. Both of them were shoulder-deep in the warm, swirling waters.

            He stared at his wife's face. At the paleness, the pinched expression. She was in pain, and it reflected in her deep violet eyes. Her long, thick, black hair was pinned on top of her head, and she rested her neck on the small pillowed rim of the tub.

            Morning Fire stood outside the tub, near StarLight. Had he been there, it was where he would have been, supporting his wife. Hunter watched as the petite woman dabbed Star's forehead and cheeks with a towel.

            From his angle, he had a good view of the top of the tub. Bubbles bounced across the top of Star's breasts, hiding them and the drama going on underwater. Doctor Perlakian, on the other hand, was still in her medical jumpsuit, which now clung wetly to her.

            Star suddenly clenched her teeth, and her face contorted with agony. Her fingers gripped the sides of the tub so hard, Hunter wondered if she would leave impressions.

            "Come on, Star. You're doing good. It won't be long now," the doctor soothingly remarked.

            "Oh, gods, I never thought it would hurt like this!" Star cast a scathing glance at the monitor hanging from the ceiling. "All I can see is your helmet."

            "The trawler has no life support," he explained. "This communication is jury rigged. I can't promise it'll hold."

            "I wish you were here!" Her surly mood had vanished, leaving her weak with longing. Hunter automatically tried to reach out to her, when he realized he was the only person seeing this miracle occur. Unfortunately, the same didn't go for his speaker. Although no one else could hear what was coming from Guardian Command, they could definitely hear his replies.

            He swallowed noisily. Should he try to keep face with Sender and the crew? Or dismiss them and concentrate solely on the woman he loved more than life itself, and their child they had prayed would survive?

            It was a decision made without reservation.

            "Doctor Perlakian, how far along is she?"

            "Her water broke approximately..." The physician glanced at a timepiece off-camera. "Two hours ago. She went into labor less than a quarter hour later. At this precise moment she's fully dilated, and her pains are coming less than two minutes apart. Breathe, Star. Keep the oxygen flowing to the baby."

            Hunter felt his nose tickle. He was on the verge of shedding tears, and there wasn't any damn way he could wipe his face or nose. Sniffing, he pressed a hand to his throat, feeling the HeartCrystal where it lay in the hollow of his throat, and pleaded with the stone.

           
Emma, please send her my love.

           
A tiny chirped response echoed in his head. Hunter watched the screen as he mentally ticked off the seconds in the back of his mind.

            Star cried out again, this time arching her back. It was then Hunter noticed she wasn't so much clutching the rim of the tub as she was gripping it because her wrists were restrained in wide, flesh-colored cuffs.

            "Come on, Terrin. Push. Push. I can feel the baby's head. Time to push, Terrin!" the doctor urged.

            Star gritted her teeth, her eyes focusing on Hunter's image on the small monitor. She grunted, panting for air between efforts. Her hands released the tub rim and balled into fists.

            "Push, Terrin! We have shoulders!"

            Fire knelt by the tub and took one of Star's hands in hers. Hunter watched as the woman placed a kiss on his wife's temple, and a surge of jealousy streaked through him. The emotion was as unexpected as it was strange. Jealousy had never been part of his makeup. Yet, at this beautiful moment, if he could, he would have risked anything to be with Star.

            The physician suddenly shifted, and she gave a little cry of joy. Raising her arms, she lifted the newborn infant from the waters and into the air. The umbilical cord stretched from the baby, down under the water's surface.

            "Congratulations, Udo, Terrin! You have a daughter! Fire, bring me a towel. Quickly!"

            Morning Fire got to her feet and hurried off-screen to fetch the towel. Hunter kept his eyes on the tiny child now shivering in Perlakian's hands. Deftly, the physician flipped the baby onto its stomach on the towel, and briskly began rubbing its back with the material. A thin wail drifted through the connection.

            "Oh, come on, little one! You can do better than that!" Perlakian gently admonished.

            In the next instant, a more lusty yell filled the room, and Hunter saw Star weakly grin. Fire released the straps holding Star's wrists, and his wife reached up to take the baby, which she brought back into the tub. Letting the warm waters surround the infant as she placed the newborn on her chest, under her chin.

            Hunter saw Star's reaction the same moment a light twinkled at her throat. Star touched the crystal with her fingertips, and the look she cast up at the monitor was filled with love.

            "Emma, tell your father we have been blessed."

            "Do you have a name yet for the child?" Perlakian inquired.

            "Callaura," Hunter answered in unison with Star.

            A series of four musical notes sounded. Surprised, Hunter realized the HeartCrystal had chirped simultaneously at his throat and at his wife's. The four notes came again, and this time he could almost swear he heard the word
Call-lee-lah-rah.

            No, Emma. Callaura. Not Callielaura.

           
But the crystal remained insistent, chirping the short motif a third time. Hunter smiled to himself.

            He leaned back in his seat. He was exhausted, but he couldn't take his eyes off the mother and child lightly dozing in the birthing tub.

            Hunter frowned. Why was the water taking on a reddish tinge? In fact, the color appeared to be getting stronger. Redder. Darker. It took him another moment before the truth slammed into him. Rising to his feet, he leaned over the comm board and yelled, "Doctor Perlakian! There's blood in the water! Look at the blood in the water! She's bleeding out! Star's bleeding out!"

Chapter Six

Miracle

            "Doctor Perlakian!"

            "Shhh! Calm down, Hunter." The physician gave him a warm smile. She rose from the tub as she wiped herself down with the towel she'd used to clean Callaura. She was too damn calm about the situation, and Hunter protested.

            "Don't you see the blood?"

            "It's the afterbirth, Hunter. Star's fine. Tired, but fine. Fire, is the bed ready?"

            "Udo."

            Star's weary voice diverted his attention. His eyes locked onto the mother and child still in the tub. This time he could see the water level slowly lowering.

            "Star, I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

            "It's all right, my love," she sleepily told him. Hunter watched as she nuzzled the infant sleeping on her chest. "Look, Udo. She has your hair."

            She did. A mat of short brown curls. Unfortunately, the baby's face was turned away from him, depriving him of his first glimpse. Regardless, the warmth of love swelled inside him as he watched the tiny rise and fall of the miniature back. The incredibly tiny hand moved slightly where it rested on Star's breast. Their daughter.

           
My daughter.

            I'm a father.

            It was difficult to grasp this truth at the moment. The full impact had yet to hit him. Life would no longer be the same as it had been. First, he'd had to adjust to sharing his heart with Star. Now, together, they would share their combined love with the child they'd created. He could feel his mouth spreading into a wide smile.

            "Terrin."

            "She needs to rest," Devorah whispered. "It's time to close the connection, Hunter."

            "How long will they need to stay in the clinic?"

            The physician and Morning Fire lifted Star from the tub. Fire took the baby while Perlakian helped the exhausted mother onto the stasis bed. Once a blanket was placed over Star, the doctor gathered the newborn into her arms to transfer the infant to the incubator she'd had Commander build.

            "Unless there are complications, they'll be released tomorrow, but I don't foresee any problems," the doctor replied. Having made sure the baby was tucked in, she looked up at the monitor. "Before I send Star and the baby home, I'll need to run a series of tests on Callaura."

            "What kind of tests?"

            "The usual. I promise they're non-evasive. A basic map of her DNA, among other things. Don't worry, Hunter. We're fine here. It was a nice, uncomplicated birth, for which I'm grateful." Perlakian gave a breathy laugh.

            "Something funny?"

            "Well, considering how most of the time nothing about the Guardians is ever uncomplicated and normal."

            Hunter chuckled. "I get the picture."

            Nodding, the doctor resumed her usual stern self. "You're the one who has to be careful. Make sure you don't take another detour through a wormhole on your way home." She added a wink to her remark, then reached for something off-camera.

            The monitor went dark.

            He sat back, feeling drained. Bowing his head, Hunter tried to calm himself.
Think about the mission. Concentrate on completing the mission. Stay safe, take precautions, and I'll soon be able to hold my daughter in my arms.

           
A hand pressed down on his shoulder. Glancing up, he saw Sender's hopeful smile. "Well?" the young woman asked.

            "It's a girl. We named her Callaura."

            "Congratulations!" Wooly exclaimed. "Uhh, if you don't mind giving me back my seat, I'll resume keeping an eye on that storm. But first..." Reaching over, he jerked the connector from Hunter's helmet.

            After taking another moment to collect himself, Hunter released the chair. For the first time in his life, he wished he hadn't taken the mission. He wished he'd requested permission to be replaced. He wanted to be with Star and the baby. But how was he to know Star would give birth during his absence? The irony was too funny.
We might as well resign ourselves to the fact that our lives will never be ordinary,
he admitted to himself. Best to do the job he'd dedicated his life to do, and then he could enjoy the reward of going home.

            He turned to Wooly. "Let me know when you see it start to lessen. I need a window of less than five hundred urgs before I can return us to our ship. At least sixty seconds' worth, if you can manage it."

            The little man nodded in reply, a look of determination evident on his face.

            Sender was near the doorway, waiting for him. Giving her a little wave of his hand, Hunter said, "Let's get back to the survivors. I want to be ready the instant Wooly tells us we have a window." He paused slightly, then added. "I need to get home to see my family."

* * *

            The little incubator floated an arm's length from her bed. Star gazed at the tiny life sleeping within the warm confines of the transparent container.

           
Except for her hair, she looks like me,
she noted silently.
Wonder what color her eyes are.

           
"You should be sleeping," a voice whispered behind her.

            "I will. I just want to..." She yawned. Devorah finished her thought for her.

            "You want the last thing you see before you drift off is to be the sight of your daughter."

            A smile lifted the corners of her lips. "I'm still in wonder at her. She's our miracle, Dev. She's something I never believed would happen, especially after we lost Emma."

            The crystal in her throat vibrated slightly at the mention of her name. She and Hunter had come to terms with the fact that the first child she'd carried and lost in the Ombitra attack had somehow, miraculously, been reincarnated into the HeartCrystal. A crystal that was forever adhered to their bodies and connected to them in ways they couldn't explain. Star kissed the tip of a forefinger, then pressed it to the stone.

            "Well, enjoy this moment while you can, Terrin."