Kael finally caught to Snowflake on the Freight-Lock overlook on Shalmiraine's east side. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "What is HELL is wrong? This isn't about some reckless mouthing about some porno movie! Snowy! Don't shut me out." She whirled on him and glared angrily. "Leave me alone. I have a lot on my mind." He blinked in confusion and asked, "Why? Why did we come over here to Narchi and Neblae's to watch movies and have some laughs when you are acting so hostile? Snowy... what's wrong?" She turned and stared out at the incoming vessels heading to the accelerator at the core of Shalmiraine to shoot them into space. She clenched her fists, and pouted. He said conversationally, "I had read that HUMAN women suffer mood swings from their hormones, and that makes them moody." She turned and pointed at him, "WHAT do YOU know about women of ANY ILK, HUMAN or otherwise?" He waved a hand, "NOT a DAMNED thing! I grew up in a radioactive hell-hole filled with mutants and disease. You were the first 'Machine-life' I ever saw, and you were kind and decent to me. It didn't hurt that you were cute and funny,too. Even when that Scourge Bastard had you possessed... I believed you. Everyone else thought you were crazy." "Why? Why did you believe me? Were you crazy,too? Were you in love with me? What is love?" He blinked and smiled, "You don't want much ,do you? Let's see...You gave me the benefit of the doubt. We fought together against a ravaging devil. You pulled his eyes out, while I plunged a spear tied into the high-voltage lines into his back. We forged a bond that can't be explained. We're comrades and then some. Was I in love?" He paused and looked at the line of ships filing under them and whispered, "I guess. I don't know what love is. You became the center of my life after we got to Balaam. You NEEDED me. No one in my WHOLE LIFE ever needed me. I wish I could communicate with you like your brother and sister Machine-lives can. All I have are lame words that I have to put my heart into. I'm just a lame human guy. Sorry if If I'm not up to the standard of the Cyclops..." She grabbed him by the ears and kissed him. She wasn't sure why. It was a point in time she could never explain to anyone. She simply needed to kiss him. It lasted for an eternity of thirty seven seconds. He looked stunned or drugged. He smiled and said, "Wow. That was heart-stopping. That was NOT like kissing a sex-doll android!" She said, "I'm not that practiced! That almost crashed my system! I... need to tell you something. You said, you couldn't get me pregnant? Well... Bluebell is pregnant by Jano Rajjaf." Kael paused in shock and asked, "How is that possible? You guys do NOT even HAVE genes! Your cell structure is like a nano-machine ... STEM-CELL! How could any human genes link up with anything Cyclops? Is it because of Bluebell being changed while dead with Toxic? Or is it something about Toxic being so much of the Ancient Druaga species?" Snowflake shrugged. "We don't know as yet. The Naga are looking at her right now. Hawkwing is there with here. As soon as she knows, she'll tell the family. NO ONE outside the family knows, other than the Captain." He hugged her. She lost herself in the warm feeling. He whispered, "Thank you for telling me. This is major stuff! This really complicates things. Since that religious nut-job, the Madjulla, claimed the whole 'world change' as a miracle, we could claim Bluebell's state as a miracle and divine will, that would elevate that nut to a dangerous level." "If we tell the truth, every religious person in system will howl for Bluebell's head and her baby!" Snowflake looked up and looked at him. He smiled. "EVERY problem has a solution. We just have to come up with something creative. Do you think we can make Bluebell into a holy woman?" She punched him and giggled. --TO BE CONTINUED!--