Much to think on

Dustin paused outside the medbay a short time later. Meli had been quite clear as to what the Feliax woman meant by her comment - the redhead was eager to be next in line. That would require her to come off her contraceptive, and at a point in the future take time off from work. How much time, Meli had suggested Bleu might be able to predict, although Dustin was confident that it would be less than his counsellor and chief scientist would need after they gave birth - his little fox could handle talking to people equally well from a bed or nursery as she could from her console on the bridge.

The other thing going through his mind as he straightened his shoulders before entering the medbay to speak with the Queri medic was something Meli had said in passing as he’d been about to leave. “I suggest you reward her by ordering her off her contraceptive. She really wants to have a child with you, and we all know how much she loves losing control unlike most women of her species. I don’t think there’s anything you could do that would be more of a show of dominance over her, husband.”

Having his wife suggest that he order their mutual lover to risk getting pregnant had sent rather a lot of Dustin’s blood to his crotch; he was still of two minds as to whether it would be as well received by Emely as Meli seemed to think though. Surely, even for someone as deeply submissive as his fox girl there should be an amount of mutual discussion before the possibility of offspring was put on the table?

Opening the door, he was unsurprised to find Bleu at her desk - she was in the process of giving a physical to one of Sammie’s pilots, and so Dustin leaned against the wall watching through the glass as the slime woman moved with professional efficiency. The medbay’s scanner slid neatly up the torso of the junior officer lying on the bed, lights gently humming as Bleu took readings. Eventually, the medic gave a nod and helped other woman upright, letting her go with a reminder that her next physical would be in three months, assuming there was no major combat in between.

Stepping into the room as the pilot left, Dustin smiled at his lover as Blue typed up her notes. “Dustin, you could have come in. As long as the privacy glass isn’t on, if it’s important you don’t need to wait.” She said, eyes fixed on the screen in front of her.

Dustin sat on the recently vacated bed and shook his head. “It’s nothing important. Well, actually, it is important, but nothing that needed immediate action. I want to talk to you about Emely…” he trailed off, the effort of trying to find the words to explain what he wanted to know making him blush.

Bleu glanced up from her tablet and sighed. “Meli showed you the spreadsheet, didn’t she? Fine, fine. So, you’ll want to know how to turn off her contraceptive and how quick it’ll take effect. Given our little fox’s temperament…” she crossed to a medical dispenser and tapped a few commands before holding out a medspray. “Put it on the back of her neck, expect her to be very needy immediately after. It’s geared to turn off her birth control as swiftly as possible, but the side effects of this particular blend on a Feliax can include intense arousal.”

Taking the offered spray, Dustin frowned. “Anything I should tell her to watch out for before she uses it?” he asked, at which Bleu gave him a look of surprise as she flowed back into her chair.

“Dustin, you’re not going to make the poor girl use it herself are you?” the slime woman bit her lip, then shook her head before continuing. “I may or may not have had a discussion with a certain redhead while we were… occupied, helping Trea’k with an… art installation. Or at least, while our counsellor was busily trussing Rye up to suspend her next to Emely, but that’s not important right now. We were discussing other things beyond the silkwork, and Emely let slip that she’s been rather enjoying a certain fantasy about you ordering her around of late…”

Bleu’s eyes dropped to the spray in Dustin’s hand before flicking back up to meet his gaze. “Please tell me I don’t need to go into more depth than that? I’m skirting a request by her not to tell you all the details as it is.”

Dustin blinked, then pocketed the spray. “That’s both you and Meli suggesting the same thing. I actually didn’t come here for the spray, though thank you anyway. What I wanted was to ask you a question about how long you felt Emely would likely be pregnant for based on Feliax norms as well as how soon she could return to active duty afterward? While I’d love to give her… a reward, in the middle of the crisis we’re currently dealing with I need my comms officer available for as long as possible.”

The medic drummed her fingers on the desk. “Honestly, much like Trea’k and Meli I won’t know for sure until she’s pregnant. Feliax pregnancies tend to be erratic in length as well - the males develop much slower than the females; it’s part of the reason for their gender imbalance, having a longer pregnancy increases a whole number of risk factors. My best guess based on what your fertilization did for Meli and Trea’k, we’d be looking at a range…” she tapped a calculator on her tablet before continuing “…a daughter if conceived now would be born around one to four months after your first children arrive. A son could potentially be another six to eight months on top of that, so in just under a year and a half.”

She paused, pulling files on Feliax biology up to double check before nodding to herself. “As to her time off - she’ll go into a nesting phase about a month or two before birth depending on the gender, with boys again taking longer. During that time, she won’t want to leave her bedding if at all possible, and medically I’d advise against her working. After the birth, assuming no hybrid-related complications she should be able to resume light work in her field in a about week from her bed and be back to full capabilities within a fortnight or so if she takes it carefully.”

Dustin’s stunned expression must have been obvious, as the Queri woman gave a gently hum before continuing “…of course, most of that is due to her work being dependent on her voice and typing skills. If she were engaged in anything more strenuous physically you could add a month or two to that easily, and given the nature of new hybrids I’d advise planning on having a substitute comms officer for around a month and a half to be safe.”

Giving his slime girl a grateful smile, Dustin’s fingers traced the outline of the medspray in his pocket. “So… order her to let me use the spray, and then plan for a loss of around two to three months in between nine to fourteen months time?” he asked, hoping he’d gotten all the details right.

Bleu nodded, returning the smile, then gestured vaguely at Dustin. “If you intend to give Emely her reward as soon as we jump to the weave later, shall I contact Meli and between the two of us quietly let the other ladies know you’ll be busy tonight? We all want Emely to be properly thanked, and if you’re planning on doing this the least we can do is give her a monopoly on you for a little bit.”

Dustin nodded thankfully. He really was lucky to have so many amazing women that cared so deeply for both him and each other in his life. Leaving Bleu to make the arrangements, he wandered up to the gardens; Emely would be busy for the time being, and he wanted somewhere nice to sit and think while he planned out the perfect way to reward his redheaded submissive.

Emely stretched, working the kinks out of her back as her tails fluttered behind her. She’d been working flat out all day, and while she wasn’t tired endless hours of discussions with various embassies, council members and planetary governors alongside reports back to EarthGov which was acting as the hub for their attempts at reuniting the galaxy had left her in dire need of a walk away from her console on the bridge.

Standing up and handing over to a hovering junior officer, she was about to leave when the chime of a message on her tablet made her pause. She only used that sound for one person, her Sir… pulling up the tablet and glancing at it, she smiled to herself. Dustin’s message was simple enough. “All of us want to reward you for your hard work, so the ladies have cleared this evening for me to spend time with just you… well, mostly. Meet me in the gardens, Naera’s got one of the portable cookers and is making us a special dinner.”