And being pregnant increased her sex drive about as much as her appetite. It would not be long before her eyes began to naturally glow and smoke a soft evergreen with her insatiable craving for Beast brain essence.
It also wasn’t long before not only Callier was pregnant, but so were all nine Ligers with three very satisfied males who almost strutted in their walks.
Each morning and evening Renee was on the com with her close family detailing every change no matter how small of the little bundle of joy she carried. No word was spoken of their visiting friends who told many of their many years worth of stories. Not once did Oliver learn more about Mantiv and it wasn’t surprising. It was rather relaxing day after day. The only change to the pleasant atmosphere was when Salamanders and other Beasts came too close and Oliver with the three Liger men took care of any threat. The females stayed with Renee and Callier with Netul acting as another defensive line if anything could cross through the barrier surrounding the outpost that had been touched by Solarian and Creelin hands. Not going to happen easily.
The only bad spot was a single time when Callier accidently stumbled and bumped into Oliver. Renee lost it and had gathered enough to blow Zerika to dust, but Netul was faster and put her to sleep. When she woke up she apologized, but from then on Callier and Oliver never came within five meters of each other. Never.
The only discomfort Renee had to deal with were her breasts gradually engorging with milk and her nipples were getting smaller. Her body readying itself for feeding tiny new life. When she wasn’t fucking, eating or having conversation with good friends she was upstairs with Callier as an assistant working hard on solving life’s mysteries.
Chapter 12
And for once there was three whole months were not one bad interruption to their lives occurred. Sure there were Beasts coming relentlessly day in and out, but there was nearly no chance they would get in with Oliver when he’s defending his family alongside paternal Ligers also as ferocious against all enemies.
Renee was in bed one night rubbing the tiny bump in her belly. The land was dark, but now she had reached her Psionic peak and her eyes glowed and smoked. She now knew why Oliver had such difficulty controlling power enough to make stars and break them. Her hair turned green at half gathering and no matter how much spray she put on, her hair lifts straight. What she did like though was closing the gap in strength between herself and her lover. He was still stronger, but only by five percent when twenty Creelin Archivers in their ceremonial robes stopped by the day after she stopped ruthlessly craving brain matter. They told her where to fire a kinetic stream and disguised it from anyone to measure or see.
She smiled as she continued to rub her baby bump. She continued thinking last week when the Archivers were dumbfounded after her display. If there was any chance Renee was genetically created using Reten’s DNA, it was put to rest. Renee was fifteen percent stronger than Reten had ever been. Renee was without a doubt different. Only in appearance was she the same. Power and personality was better. The Archivers definitely showed her more deference when she too was stronger than Archiver Tammat, their strongest individual user. They left soon after the test, but Renee was happy.
“Your Ma is happy. And your Papa is too. You are our little treasure.” She crooned gently, caressing the proof of their love.
Whether it was time or her words, Renee felt a sharp pain down below. It was enough to make her gasp and jerk the slumbering giant next to her. He was unnerving, jerking to the faintest sounds, each time grabbing his sword. He looked around, tilting his head. “Red? What did you hear?”
“Olly… Izzy is coming.”
“Huh?” he looked down to find Renee had pulled the sheet away from her legs and soaking the bed was the telltale sign that her water broke. It wasn’t much, but the wetness and scent of the birth fluid told him. “Isabella’s coming?”
Proof came as Sparky crashed through the bedroom door from across the hall. The rebounding door slammed on the wall. As soon as Rose followed there was a bright blue Psi Blade as Netul came around, scanning for danger.
Finding Renee naked, he spun around and put away the long blade.
Callier had no such qualms as she came in and turned on the lighting. Her nostril holes flared. “The time has arrived.” She said, holding her own swollen belly as if she was already five months pregnant. And she wore a traditional white cloak to signify she was with child or that the child was still dependant on her. Callier’s expected date would be in six more weeks. And when Creelin are pregnant, they grow a pair of breasts much like a human. Rather than milk, they produce a special kind of silicone, though no human knows how they feed their young. Not human anyway.
It was Renee’s genius mind that uncovered the Creelin secret after Callier agreed to give a fresh sample of her Creelin breast milk. That and observing two of them over a long period of time. Enough time to learn their working biology outside what she had read. She had uncovered how their race took in nourishment. And it boggled her mind. They feed independently by breathing after the first two years. They eat minute quantities of nitrogen and oxygen, but process it so subtle, humans do not understand how. And not just through their nose. Their skin breathes too. Callier’s specialized milk would be squeezed by her own hands and rubbed like lotion on her child. That was an interesting conversation when Renee told them her own observation.
Renee’s wandering mind quickly turned back to the task after seeing her friend approaching calmly and comfortably.
Oliver put on some pants and moved away as Callier approached. Unable to get close when Callier was needed and Renee’s stability need precedence. And as she did approach, Renee gave herself a mild painkiller with her bracelet. Callier helped a naked Renee stand and bend her knees while Creelin fingers held her shoulders firm in event her knees went weak. “Just as practiced. You’ve done it many times as a medic.”
Renee tried slowing her racing heart. It didn’t help. Since it didn’t she looked down and released the tiniest and most sensitive form of telekinesis trough her skin, abdominal wall and into the womb where the premature baby readied to greet the word. Renee felt her maternal instincts kick in and made the grab much more careful. Very gently, and without feeling pain of contractions, the sedative dilated her birth canal for a smooth as possible race to freedom.
Going slow she felt Isabella travel down and gently exited her body. No more than the size of her palm was the premature child. And Renee burst in tears as she held her newborn for the first time. Isabella had barely grown limbs and a deformed head. It was too soon for fingers and vocal cords. But the barest of movements showed she was alive. “She is so tiny!” she whispered. Heard Sparky hiss and looked up to see Oliver’s burning gold eyes at their daughter in her hand and out of the corner of the eye saw Oliver must have thrown Sparky out of the way. “Olly?” he was too still.
“Fear not. His is a normal reaction. Soon he will recover. He is merely learning his child’s scent, but you must place her on your warm breast soon or the cold will kill her.” Warned Callier.
Renee wanted her daughter to live a long, full life. So she tenderly placed the tiny mouth over her reduced left nipple and Isabella’s barely formed mouth fit properly. Carefully she willed her armor to make the pouch and the protection warmed Isabella’s tiny pink body right up. And the new mother threw on clothes, but turned her left breast pouch translucent so her lover could see their firstborn and marvel at the new life she just brought into the universe.
When she was clothed Oliver at last moved and stared almost vacantly as his child, sniffing loudly and closely, almost like an animal. An animal that took great care not to do harm to something so fragile and barely alive that had been started by his seed.
“Isabella Void…” He at last spoke in undeniable awe. The placid and vacant expression turned jubilant. He dropped to a knee, placed his large hands on Renee’s round hips covered in jeans to hold her still as his eyes were fixed on her breast. “My daughter…”
“We’re first time parents, Olly.” More happy tears fell down Renee’s soft and flushed cheeks. She kept one hand on his shoulder and the other moved gently to use her pinky finger to caress her translucent covered breast. The barest sensation on her nipple had her say “She’s suckling. I feel her drawing my milk.”
“Then she is strong.” Rose crooned and leaned her neck over. “Already taking from her parents.”
Out of reflex, but in control enough to know Rose was no danger, he placed a hand on her snout. “Please go no closer. I feel I’ll kill you if you try touching Renee. More than that, I know it. You aren’t a herbivore and…”
“No need to explain. I feel the nature you have inside to protect your young.” Rose said and retracted her long neck. “I shall not tempt your wrath.”
“Thank you.” He turned back and leaned forward, placing a kiss over his child. “Hello, Little One… I’m your father.”
Due to the intimate connection between Renee and Sparky, Oliver didn’t react as the Drake got closer than anyone. Nudging Renee’s cheek with the side of his hard head.
It was a time for celebration, but no one was loud. In fact they were all very quiet, all staring at Renee’s breast she didn’t bother hiding. She felt it was natural and a bit of pride to show off she was caring for a child. Conversations were minimal, but a change happened. When Callier placed a hand on Oliver’s shoulder, Renee didn’t snap or lose sanity. They congratulated him with hugs and brotherly pats, all but Renee who only got physical affection by Sparky with her lover on edge.
But it wasn’t over as at first light all the female Ligers all went into labor within minutes of each other. The nine ancient cats had a range of cubs from two to six. In a span of six hours twenty two new Liger cubs came out complete with fur. Each one born the full size of an adult housecat, each snow white. Lacking the telltale black stripes of their parents. Callier assisted one female that struggled with her litter of three, using telekinesis to safely extract them and unravel umbilical cords.
Excitement filled Renee’s words as she called everyone in the family and friends telling Isabella had finally arrived. The most vocal was Jessica, but Jake took up a fair share of the conversation and made the decision that now all the young were born, they were to head back to the Dorgenox forthwith as soon as possible. As soon as all the mothers were physically able.
Something Oliver agreed to when the Salamander filled range had grown restless and he sensed they had all seemed to catch the scent of Isabella and he didn’t want to destroy the mountains as he was sure to do if they got closer.
It was the next morning when all was packed up and all the new mothers carried their young safely attached to a nipple via their warm armor, that Callier and Netul arrived in the communal room dressed in armor. Callier’s armor breastplate sat in her shield as she still wore pregnancy robes. It was she who said “This is where we separate.”
“What? Why?” Renee expressed sadness at this sudden revelation.
Callier’s eyes turned a soft blue that signified she was grateful for the concern. “Because I must ready my own family and all the thousands of my children for their new brother. It will be six weeks before he arrives, but I was hoping to request you be there for his arrival?”
“Olly turn around.” He did and quickly Renee came over to embrace her new friend. “Of course I’ll be there!” she backed away before her man could do something bad to Callier. “You spent so much time with me and even helped me with Izzy. I’d like to be your Caliiev if you’ll let me.” Caliiev being the Creelin version of a midwife.
“I would be honored, but my firstborn daughter has already requested it when I told her I was ready for another. I already approved. But I want you to be at my side when he arrives.” Callier rubbed her swollen belly beneath the loose robe. “You will be one of the rare people to witness our traditions of birth… But Oliver must be with Netul during it.”
“It’ll depend on how long I can be separate from Renee, but I’ll do my best. It is not easy being away, but it is simpler now that Isabella has arrived. I’ve calmed considerably. Yesterday I would have hurt you since Renee hugged you moments ago… or tried.” He corrected after Netul gave him a level look. It said he was just as overprotective of his family. And would die defending before letting any harm come near them. “But we will be there barring unforeseen circumstances.
“Since I had plenty of time to tinker, I haven’t told anyone yet, but I’ve unlocked the secrets of teleportation.” He tapped his vambrace.
“You… what?” Renee asked in genuine surprise.
“Yeah, took the past month to unlock the secrets to biological teleportation via the connection to this. It was harder to figure out than the micro-drones, but after we were attacked daily, this past month I considered the fastest way to make sure I got you out of danger.” Oliver told her. “Running for weeks across a Beast planet was not an option I would consider. Flight is faster, but not fast enough in my opinion. As long as someone touches me with a bare hand or natural living body part, I can teleport them at the cost of their mass in my stored energy. Any place I’ve seen in short distances I can instantly go to. But crossing solar systems requires me to calculate stellar drift as when we look up, we stare into the literal past since starlight is slower than FTL and FTL is slower than instantaneous teleportation. The calculations are precise and have to be when crossing, otherwise the system won’t activate.”
“Be warned, do not teleport directly to our colony. You will be detained for illegal transportation…”
“But, Netul, the Archivers gave me the open access I integrated into my suit.”
“Planet. I mean teleport to the planet. If you arrive in space and ask for permission you won’t violate our laws. Believe me, you weren’t given the level of clearance to our homes. For teleportation can be used dishonorably. Adhere to proper decorum. In time you may gain access and arrive in our home, but for the near future you must understand…”
“I got it. Didn’t think about how it could upset them. I promise. Our blood oath remains. Thank you for the warning. I didn’t know about it.” Netul inclined his head. “Unless there is a pressing matter, we will be there for the birth of your boy. And thank you for the additional company these months. It was enjoyable.”
“Much for us as well. Thank you for allowing us the privilege.” Netul again inclined his ridged forehead.
Oliver shook his hand and then Callier’s. He turned around when asked and Renee gave them both swift hugs and kissed their cheeks. “We’ll miss you. And if you just wish to talk, don’t hesitate. Olly and I are grateful for all you’ve done for us.”
“Same applies to you.” Callier motioned casually and her shield and breastplate levitated over. Both she and Netul bid one final farewell, closed their eyes, turned their head upwards and vanished in a bright light.
“So you can do that too?” Renee asked as soon as they were gone.
“Same principal, but their way is different.”
“How so?”
“Well we can teleport by our Valek at any moment and go where we please, but I’ve noticed how they do it and back when your father was talking to Davan, I think he figure it out too. Each time I’ve noticed a Creelin vanish they always look up and keep their eyes closed. They probably link telepathically to something that takes them from their location. Like reaching for a fixed point that is simply waiting to be activated. They don’t need to calculate stellar drift like me. It’s the principal Davan is figuring out. Our fixed point is literally portable because it is attached and integrated to our nervous systems. You yourself proved they are by how they react by concentration and not random thoughts.” He showed his right forearm and she looked at her bracelet. “There are pros and cons with both systems, but ours are always close and we do not require becoming vulnerable to move. We can travel short distances instantly, which is handy since…”
“We can go straight to our bedroom.”
&n
bsp; “Sorry, but the Dorgenox isn’t fixed in place. If it moves even slightly we can teleport inside a wall and kill ourselves. We can displace liquids, not solids. Atmosphere and water in my calculations to unlock teleportation will displace around our bodies. Physical matter will not. One safety feature I found is when teleporting, a type of energy bridge is made through hyperspace. If on the exit side there is solid matter in the vicinity, the link will not establish. It is the only thing that will keep us from blindly appearing in a place we cannot safely exit. We can arrive above the village as it doesn’t move. Its fixed and is less of a risk. Your bracelet can teleport too, but only short distances. Short meaning anywhere on the current planet. I found that out the night before Isabella decided to come out by touching mine to yours. You can find it. I’ll show you how, but I cannot unlock it. You must figure out how to do it yourself. My mental calculations are above yours, but until I tell you all the risks, you won’t be able to unlock your bracelet’s teleporting function.”
“So this was to be a surprise? How long would we need to run and fly before you whipped it out?”
“Actually I was going to show you once we all got outside. I had been practicing the a few hours in private before we went to bed and Izzy decided to grace us.” He touched her leftmost clear bosom, looking at his darling daughter safe and warm.
“I would have preferred she gestate like a human baby, but she is still very beautiful.” She placed her hand over his. “Well I’m glad you figured out how to get us out of here safely. I’ve been worried for not just our little hellion, but for the cubs too.” Renee glanced over to all the watching females in full armor, their undersides a little bumpy as the cubs suckled in safety too. “Running flat out as we did getting here would not be good for the newborns. Jarring would not be beneficial for day old young.”
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