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The infant, a human female, was fast asleep in Michael’s arms, a Starfleet issue dark blue blanket swaddling her small body. Michael had been literally left holding the baby.
~
The USS Shenzhou had been sent to evacuate a small group of scientists from a science station on an M class moon. The moon orbited the second planet of a system in an unexplored sector of Federation space. Atmospheric interference made transporting to the surface and vice versa infeasible.
Philippa and four of her crew, Michael included, had taken the larger shuttle to the surface. An old colleague of Philippa’s was amongst the group of scientists and on a whim, she had joined the away mission.
The station had become precariously placed on the edge of an active volcanic system. The Shenzhou’s crew and the scientists had evacuated most of their equipment and belongings when the building had started to collapse. Philippa has been injured - a few broken ribs, cuts and bruises.
Philippa, her crew and the scientists had returned to the shuttle, to regroup and treat Philippa’s and other’s injuries. The shuttle’s med kit was the only assistance available. The others had only suffered cuts and bruises, but Philippa’s condition required more attention than some antiseptic wipes and silicone patches. Michael administered a hypospray containing a combination of pain killers and a sedative to Philippa. As Michael did, so the scientists sifted through the equipment taken from the station, and planned a salvage mission.
The infant had been rescued along with her mother, the group’s equipment expert. And in the flurry of activity before the group left to return to the station, the child’s mother had handed her daughter to Michael. The child took to Michael instantly and the mother, smiling, asked Michael to look after her.
Michael reluctantly felt she could not refuse, her human side suddenly more dominant than her vulcan side. She would have much preferred to have joined the rest of the crew, but her concern for her Captain, and the sudden burden of the child, had caused her to stay behind in the shuttle.
~
Michael, sitting next to Philippa, held the sleeping child in her arms. She looked uncomfortable. Philippa let out a short breathless laugh at the sight.
“You look............ uncomfortable,” Philippa said.
“Yes, I am,” Michael replied, “But I am sure I am not as uncomfortable as you are Captain. Has the pain subsided?”
The pain killer had started to take effect, but it was only dulling, not erasing the pain.
“It’s ok.” Philippa replied stoically, “Children are not your thing are they Michael?”
There was a slight smile on Philippa’s full lips, her eyes brightening against the pain. The bruise on the side of her face suddenly evident.
“No, they are not. I have no desire to procreate and I have not spent a lot of time with children.” Michael replied matter of factly.
“But they like you..........” Even in her sedated state, Philippa was toying with Michael.
Children was a topic that they had not discussed before.
“Have you ever wanted to have a child Philippa?” Michael asked.
“Once..........” Philippa’s words trailed off.
Yes, she had thought about it, wanted it, once. When she was younger and madly in love with Lise, her oldest friend, her Starfleet colleague, the love of her life. They had discussed having children, perhaps when their careers were more established. And then Lise had been killed in a Romulan attack on Starbase 19.
Philippa continued candidly, “I thought about it when I was younger, when I had a partner. But after she was killed, I never thought about it again.”
Philippa winced as she moved to make herself more comfortable. She was starting to feel sleepy.
“Philippa, I’m sorry.” Michael said softly.
“Don’t be,” Philippa replied as she lay down on the shuttle bench seat.
Philippa bought her knees up towards her chest in a foetal like position and closed her eyes. Michael looked down at Philippa, touching a hand to Philippa’s calf in an intimate and caring gesture. The infant stretched in her sleep and cooed. How long would she have to wait until the group returned she wondered.