DMHFV8

=Chapter 8=
==Dead Man's Hand: Family Values==
Dinh Ngo Medical Center
Hue, Kowloon
Bucklands Province
Lyran Commonwealth
October 25th, 3057
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"Shit!" Joker hissed, "Does it have to be so cold?"
"I get pulled out of bed in the middle of the night to perform an ultrasound on a patient who doesn't exist, and the behest of a woman who never takes my medical advice, and this is the thanks I get?" Dr Trinh Wah ignored the obvious discomfort she was causing as she applied a liberal amount of gel to the mercenaries abdomen, "Maybe if you'd attended your other opponents, you'd be better prepared?"
"My usual doctor is a Clan trained combat medic." Joker protested, "She's better at settling bones then prenatal care."
"Figures. It was the same when I was doing my tour." Wah shrugged as she prepared the rest of the equipment, "All too fixated on breaking things, not building them." She paused, "Are you sure you don't want anyone here with you?"
"The father is dead and buried, my friends are busy elsewhere, and I don't have any family." Joker laid back, "Let's get this over with."
"As you wish." the doctor started running the transducer across her patient, "Fetal heart rate is good... no signs of any abnormalities...would you like to know the sex?"
"You can tell?" Joker looked at the small screen, seeing nothing but a confusing mass of shapes.
"It takes some practice, I'll admit, but you eventually learn to tell the difference."
"I...I guess it wouldn't hurt to know." Joker swallowed, "Least then I know what names to call it when it's keeping me up all night, sitting on my bladder."
"She obviously takes after her mother then." Wan nodded, "Congratulations: it's a girl."
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Beta Galaxy Command DropShip, Snow Lair
Inbound, Twycross
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
27 October 3057
Khan Natasha Kerensky looked at the piece of paper in her hands with a completely blank expression on her face. The completely unofficial and illegal to the point of treason back channel between her and Jamie Wolf was only ever supposed to be used in the most dire of emergencies, a final link between two friends to warn of potentially existential threats. Even during the so-called Dragoon Civil War, he had kept silent, allowing her to discover the truth through the interception of civilian news broadcasts.
But, perhaps, this had been what the channel had truly been set up for, even if neither of them had been willing to admit it.
Reading the short, convince message again, she could almost hear her former commander laughing as he wrote it, no doubt finding the macabre humor in it all. History, after all, had a way of repeating itself, it is often said.
<<Your daughter is pregnant. Father unknown. Congratulations.>>
Oh how she wished he was standing before her, just so she could wipe to no doubt smug expression off his face!
For decades, she had struggled with the secret known only to a handful of her closest comrades, many of whom had died at her side. For years, she had hoped that it would never return to haunt her, but then came the word that her daughter was unknowingly following in her parents footsteps and taking up the life of a MechWarrior. Even then, there had seemed little chance of their paths ever crossing... were it not for the strange tides of fate that seemed intent on bringing them ever closer, but never meeting.
Once, she had allowed herself to imagine what it may have been like if she had given her daughter over to the Dragoons to be raised. There were always children around, be they the offspring of the Freeborn members or foundlings taken from the countless worlds they visited. She would have been raised not to know her parentage, but Natasha would have kept a discreet eye on her, following her development as she grew to become a MechWarrior. And, just perhaps, she would have gone to her, invited her to join her when they were recalled to the Clans at the beginning of the Great Crusade.
After all, she had already been met with scorn, being far older than most solahma troops. What would it have really mattered if she had brought her Freeborn daughter with her? Especially one who was so obviously an exceptional warrior?
It started with a chuckle, but quickly grew into a deep, resounding belly laugh that echoed far beyond her quarters, startling many of the crew and those under her command.
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Category:Dead Man's Hand: Family Values
Category:Works by JA Baker