"What is going on?" Darius asked, looking around the Captain's Quarters, "We usually have meetings in Ops."
"I know," she nodded, "but due to the nature of this announcement I thought it might be better to meet in a more private setting."
"Are you okay?" Sumire asked with concern.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Riana lifted one corner of her lips slightly. It seemed every woman aboard knew about her condition before she did.
"You've had everyone scared shitless, boss," Yang rubbed at his chin thoughtfully, "acting odd, disappearing like that, and there's a pretty nasty rumor swirling around."
"About that," Riana sighed. 'Nasty?' she thought before continuing, "I... I don't know how to say this so I just will; I'm pregnant."
At her confession Darius' jaw dropped open and Yang's eyes widened significantly. Sumire's face was unchanged; either she already suspected or she was being her usual, unflappable self. "P..pregnant?" Yang blubbered, "It's true?"
"It's true," Riana nodded, "Kru's the father."
"That son of a..." Yang's face began to twist.
"Riana," Darius interrupted, "We're two days out from Guldra. The end of the war is in sight! How, how are you pregnant?"
"Well, when a boy and a girl like each other," she began.
"Be serious!" he snapped at her, raising his voice, "If this intel is legit then the Taurians will be out of the war! That will open a path directly to Coromodir. Do you think Espinosa will just lay down and submit?? The fighting will be furious, heavier than anything we've seen before!"
"Darius, please," Riana's eyes were pleading, "it's taking everything I have to try and face this head on. If you think I haven't thought about that..."
"She knows what's at stake," Dr. Murad stepped forward, "and she remains devoted to this company and the Arano Restoration."
"Well, that's good," Yang said with some exasperation, "so what's next?"
Sumire started tapping at her datapad, "We're already committed to the operation at Guldra. With any luck we can extract Lord Madeira quietly and without incident. The closest friendly planet with the necessary medical facilities is on Itrom but it will be at least two weeks before we can make it there. I can go ahead and schedule you an appointment but I need to know how far along you are, we may be cutting it close." She turned and looked at Darius. "We should consult Dr. Foster and see if maybe he can perform the procedure. I know it's a little outside what he's accustomed to, but if he can..."
"I'm keeping it," Riana said quietly, causing a gasp to ripple around the room.
"Excuse me, you're what?" Yang leaned in closer, thinking that perhaps he misheard her.
"I've decided to keep it," Riana said, a little stronger now, despite the stares, "I am going to keep my baby."
"Riana..." Glitch was clearly surprised, as was everyone in the room save for Farah, "you do know what that means, right?"
"I do," Riana nodded, "it won't be easy, but since when have I ever decided to do things the easy way?"
"Hysteria, this won't just be difficult," Darius began, "it's gonna be near-impossible. You can't raise a baby on a mercenary ship in the middle of a war."
"Well, we'd better win this war quickly," she said resolutely.
"You can't raise a baby on a mercenary ship," Yang added, "period!"
"Watch me," she glared at him, "my mind is made up."
"Commander," Su began with a diplomatic tone, "I think the concern here is not just for the complexities of raising a baby and being a MechWarrior at the same time, but also about your health," she hugged her datapad close to her chest, subconsciously, as she spoke, "there have been many times when you've sustained life-threatening injuries. You even died once! If you're going through with this pregnancy then we'll have to take you off of rotation."
"Jess or Duncan can take the lead on the missions," Darius rubbed at the stubble on his chin thoughtfully, "and you could still run the ops through the command interface module, though I recommend we hire a new alternate."
"Somebody needs to contact Kru," Yang rested his head in his hand, overwhelmed with everything that was happening, "I suppose he could come back and..."
"I am still the Commander of Revenge," Hysteria reminded them, "and I will be the one to decide when it's best for me to pass operational command."
"But, if you keep piloting the risk of a miscarriage shoots up," Farah sounded concerned for the first time, "even if you manage to come through the missions without injuries just the impact of battle could..."
"That's also my decision to make," Riana turned and looked her in the eyes, "none of this was planned. None of this was supposed to happen, but it did." She let her gaze sweep around the room to meet all the stunned eyes of her comrades, "most of my life has been rudderless. Ever since St. Regis, I just haven't really felt like I was in control. I didn't want to go to a boarding school, but there I was. I didn't want to get disowned, or join a band of pirates, or wind up in jail. I never planned to join Kamea's guard, or even this company. I certainly never asked to lead it! All of these things just happened to me. This pregnancy just happened to me. Gods, as much of a slut as I was at St. Regis you'd think this would have happened before now!" She took a small step backwards but bumped into Dr. Murad, who put an arm around her. Then Jessica slid in on the other side and also put her arm around her. "I know what I should do," she continued, looking down as she did, "I mean, it's a no-brainer, right? I should either abort this pregnancy and keep being a MechWarrior or I should commit to motherhood and stay aboard the Argo, but if I do either of those things then I feel like I am still letting fate just guide me around by the nose." She looked back up, determination in her eyes, "so this time I am making the choice. I choose to keep this baby, and yet I also choose to keep taking the field. I understand the risks involved in this. I fully realize that if I do this then I may miscarry and lose the baby, but this is still my choice. I wasn't ready for this, and I spent a few days coming to terms with what all of this means. So I choose to be Mother and MechWarrior and if it's not meant to be... so be it. It's my decision and I stand by it, and another thing; nobody contacts Kru until this baby is either born or I get too pregnant to fit in my Mech," she looked down at the floor again, "there's no reason for two of us to live with this uncertainty."
Everyone just stood in silence for a moment, unsure of what to say. Glitch and Dr. Murad flanked her, supporting her, but Darius, Yang, and Sumire looked less convinced. "I... don't know what to say," Darius began, "I don't think I agree with your decision, but I agree it is yours to make.
"I think it is reckless and stupid," Su's eyes hardened, "it is also selfish, immature, and more than a little arrogant." Then she flashed a mischievous smile, "So, you know, typical Hysteria."
"Well, I don't think this is funny," Yang looked deflated, "Su was absolutely right when she talked about your injuries. Do you have any idea how much cloned tissue and bone you have in you now? Not even considering a miscarriage, I don't think you realize what pregnancy can do to your body. You're not just at risk of losing the baby, you're at higher risk of injury and death in this state!" He looked around the room at the others with a scolding glare, "I realize the general consensus here is that this is all your decision but you know what else is a personal decision? Suicide. Because that's akin to what you're talking about!" He pointed his cybernetic thumb at his chest as he spoke. "Commander, it is my job to keep my MechWarriors alive! I work my ass off to do just that, but a complication like pregnancy I can't prepare for!"
"I know, Chief," Riana said somberly, "and I'm sorry to put you in that position," she swept forward, first placing a hand on his chest and then melting into his reluctant embrace, "You've been there for me so many times and I've always been able to rely on your strength. I know what I'm asking of you, and what I've done, has hurt you and I'm so sorry for that. I understand if you do not approve of my decision and I won't be offended if you choose not to work on my Mech."
"Goddammit, Riana," Chief Virtanen's eyes filled with tears as he gave in to her embrace and returned it fully, "You know I can't do that!"
"I know," Riana said, tears streaming down her cheeks as well, "and I'm sorry, for everything." Their embrace lingered as the other crew members inched forwards. "I love you, Chief," Riana said as the others joined the embrace, "I love all of you. You're all my family."
