Deanna noted with some satisfaction that the Lumbuan facilities included a birthing chair, which was her preference, although it would be a bit snug for her. However, for the moment, Ree insisted she lie down in one of the ward’s smallish beds and rest. Ogawa moved to her bedside and ran a scan on the baby’s vitals. But her eyes darted to the window as the sound of alien sirens came from outside, drawing nearer. “They’ve called in the police,” she said sotto voce. “I hope they’re as nonviolent as Ree says.”

“That’s what our survey last month suggested. They’re a philosophical people, preferring debate over physical conflict.” Still, Deanna reflected silently, even a normally peaceful species could be dangerous when terrified. And Titanhad not been able to survey this society as thoroughly as she would have liked; Vidra Tabyr, the new Ithenite petty officer from engineering, had been the only one small and humanoid enough to go among the Lumbuans in disguise. Tabyr had done her best, but she had not been trained for the task. Most of what the crew had learned about Lumbu had come from orbital scans, stealth probes, and monitoring of their radio-band communications, which were still in an early, audio-only stage. Deanna took some comfort in their limited telecommunications and crude motor vehicles, hoping that it would minimize the exposure of this culture to the knowledge of alien life—and delay the response of this nation’s military, which was rarely used but currently on high alert due to ongoing tensions with a neighboring state.

“Ree, think about this,” Deanna said when the doctor came back from securing the doors. “Peaceful or not, those police officers out there see us as a threat, and they will do what they feel they must to defend their people. My baby and I are not safe here. You must take us away from here.”

“There is no time. You are too close to term. You could deliver at any time. As for the authorities, I will not allow them to harm the child.” The fierce gleam in his eye intimidated her, and her throat constricted.

But she calmed herself and found her voice again. “If you inflict violence on them, matters will only escalate. Hostage situations rarely work out well for the captors. And they will see me as a captor, as a threat.”

Ree whirled to the Lumbuan ward nurses who cowered in a corner. “You! If you would please tell me what you see here,” he said, pointing to Deanna.

“A…a pregnant giantess?” one of the male nurses managed to say.

The doctor smiled. “Very good. And pray tell, how do your people feel about babies?”

“They…are precious to us. Please, I have a young son at home, he needs me!”

Ree strode closer and spoke in a low growl. “Is this true?”

“Yes! I swear! His mother died last year!”

The Pahkwa-thanh lifted the nurse by his collar and carried him to the exit. “Then go. Make sure the police understand there is an unborn child in this room…and that I will devour anyone who brings the slightest harm to it. Then go to your son and keep him safe.”

He unsealed the door long enough to toss out the nurse. One of the younger female nurses straightened up and said, “I—I have a son too! And two daughters! Just babies!”

Ree’s head whirled to transfix her in his gaze. “You’ve never been pregnant in your life,” he told her after a moment. His head lunged forward, jaws gaping, and Deanna almost screamed. But in a second, it was over—the doctor’s jaws were clamped shut just in front of the nurse’s nose, and her own scream trailed off as she sank to the floor, wetting herself. “Be grateful I need a staff familiar with your equipment,” he told her. “But keep in mind that your value is contingent on your cooperation. I trust my…point…is made?” The nurse nodded, unable to speak. “Very good.” He turned to the other nurses. “Help her clean up, will you, please? This isa hospital.”

Deanna’s fear had triggered a surge of adrenaline, which she chose to use by getting angry; maybe confrontation would help where reason had failed. “This whole situation is ridiculous! Look at yourself, Ree! What do you expect to accomplish here? What kind of caregiver leads an expectant mother into a hostage situation where the people you depend on for help have to be terrorized into compliance? Is this really your idea of how a Pahkwa-thanh male cares for a child?” Alyssa looked at her in shock, subtly shaking her head. But Deanna knew that she was the one person Ree would not harm, so long as the child was still inside her.

But her words had no effect. “Calm yourself, Counselor. We don’t want to place the dear child under any stress.”

“You’re creating the stress, Ree! Why can’t you see that?”

Ree came closer, taking her hand. He was suddenly in full Reassuring Doctor mode. “Have faith, Deanna. I have decades of experience as a specialist in obstetrics. Your child is in safe hands with me.”

She studied him. Was there more motivating him than an instinctive response to her projected fears? “It’s important to you to believe that, isn’t it?”

“Nothing matters more to me than the wellbeing of a child.”

“You have so much devotion to children.”

“Profoundly.”

“Then why have you never had any of your own?”

His hand twitched atop hers; luckily he filed his claws, or the mild scratches she sustained would have been far worse. He looked away. “My…professional commitments have not allowed me the time.”

“But you have had offers?” He remained silent. “No, you haven’t, have you? Come to think of it, don’t Pahkwathanh females generally prefer their males somewhat larger and more robust than you?”

He fidgeted. “My strengths are in the mind,” he declared. “They are just as valuable.”

“But are they as valued?” She softened her voice. “It’s not your fault if they never appreciated you. Never gave you the chance to prove what a devoted father you’d be.

“But now you have that chance. Your chance to be the strong, aggressive, masculine one. Your chance to be the father figure you’ve wanted to be all your life. It must be a very rewarding feeling.”