A loving family, in whatever its form, is a wonderful thing.

- Writings of the Sol Empress, Words of Faith

[Celeste]

Bee-bot buzzed about in the garden from flower to flower, oblivious in its botanical task to the visitors seated around a small table. Moon babbled soft sounds to the bundle in his arms, gently rocking Gabriel. The baby boy, only just seven days old, looked up at his father's face in apparent wonder. His sisters napped, Faith on Celeste's lap and Hope against Mihra's shoulder.

Celeste gazed at the babies, one-by-one, filling her with a joyful warmth. So peaceful, so innocent.

Already they exhibited subtle differences in behavior. Gabriel did not sleep as much as his sisters and expressed himself more with motions than voice. Hope fussed more than the others, becoming more demanding when hungry or in need of a diaper change. Faith was the calmest of the three and the most attentive to her surroundings.

Moon stood up from his chair, giving up the attempt to get Gabriel to fall asleep. He announced, "Us boys are going out for a while."

Celeste tilted her head. "And do what?"

"We're gonna check out the neighborhood. And do, you know... man stuff. We can't just hang around with girls all day."

She smirked. "Okay, just don't get into trouble."

Moon dropped his jaw, putting a mock shocked expression on his face. "Us get in trouble? Never!" The baby in his arms squirmed, kicking his legs and flexing his arms. "You tell her, Gabriel. We don't do trouble."

Celeste's eyes tracked Moon as he walked out the door, turning down the hallway. A broad grin came to her face. She turned her eyes up. "Sai, Moon excels at trouble. Watch after them and make sure they don't actually find it."

"Of course, Priestess. Captain Moon has demonstrated a tendency for placing himself in difficult situations."

"Well, Sai, I am fairly sure I qualify as one of his difficult situations." Celeste turned to Mihra, grinning. "The boys will be back to us girls fairly soon, especially when the youngest one gets hungry."

Hope squirmed in Mihra's lap, letting out a faint squeak, then settled back into her nap. Mihra tilted her head. "I have always wondered what little babies dream about."

"They are trying to process this strange new existence, I imagine. And maybe wishing they could go back into the womb." Celeste became pensive as fears for the children passed over her like a dark cloud. "I am afraid for their future, Mihra."

"Of that, I have come to a most vivid understanding. Regardless of their genetics, Celeste, you are their mother. And do not all good mothers fear for their children?"

Celeste took a deep breath. "And I put Moon's life in danger without his consent."

Mihra jerked her head up. "Girl, he could have easily turned you in or dumped you off along the way! He made his choice! He chose you, these little ones, and the Line of the Empress."

Celeste shook her head. "But he has little regard for rules or tradition..."

"...But he does what be right and honorable."

"And he keeps saying 'no worries' when we should worry..."

"...But then he saves the day."

"He has a reputation for getting drunk and disorderly..."

"...But now a gentleman to you and a good father to the babies."

"He is a loner and an introvert..."

"...But he likes to spend time with you and the children."

"He still has this tendency to find trouble..."

Mihra paused. "That one I grant you."

Celeste smiled and shook her head. "And here we are. What am I to do with him?"

Mihra gazed directly into Celeste's eyes. "What do you feel about Moon?"

Good question. What do I feel about him?

Celeste paused in thought. "I am so confused, Mihra. I owe him my life and I do admit to an attraction. But I am a Priestess, pledged to the Sol Empress!" She dropped her head. "Or I was."

"Girl, no one should ever doubt your devotion to the Empress! Difficult times these be. The Empress heirs be in peril and on the run. And for the first time in nearly a millennium, a father and a brother she has. They be tied to her destiny. You must break with tradition and plot your own way." A grin flickered across Mihra's face. "Besides, a Priestess be human. And Moon be a fine specimen of a man."

Celeste dropped her jaw. "Mihra! I have not been intimate with him!"

"Phfft," Mihra scoffed. "Girl, you bore his children and you sleep with him! That be plenty intimate."

"But it was necessary for the line of the Empress. And I just sleep with him because he keeps away the night terrors."

Mihra shook her head. "You might fool yourself, but not your old mentor. I have seen how you look at him. There be more than that."

"There is something else..." Celeste turned down her head as her voice trailed off. "I don't want to give up the babies."

Mihra narrowed her eyes. "Who says you have to?"

"By tradition, the Empress heirs are raised by--"

"Forget tradition, girl! Nothing about this is traditional." Mihra laid a comforting hand on Celeste's shoulder. "Regardless of genetics, you are their mother. Never forget that."

Hope stirred in Mihra's lap and let out a high-pitched cry. Mihra said to the baby, "What be it, little on? Hungry or wet diaper?" She pulled back the edge of the diaper and checked inside. "Hmm, perhaps both."

As Mihra changed Hope's diaper, Faith woke up in Celeste's lap with a squirm and a whimper. Celeste checked the diaper. "You too, little one?"

With fresh diapers, Celeste collected both little babies in her arms, supported with two pillows. She lifted her t-shirt. "Let's do a tandem." The babies each latched on to a nipple simultaneously. "Ow! Easy now, girls." Celeste let out a sigh. "I feel like an all day and all night milk dispenser. My nipples are getting sore and I am so tired."

Mihra giggled. "I brought a crate of milk supplement. Thought you might need it with triplets. Let Moon and Nanny-bot take some feedings so you can get more rest." She took a more serious demeanor. "Celeste, I cannot tell you what to do with your relationship with Moon. Ultimately, circumstance may dictate that. But ask of yourself, what do you really feel about him?"

Celeste sat in thought while cuddling the babies as they nursed. When I am with him, I feel safe, protected, and cared for. But would we ever have a chance together?

Memories of her vivid dreams came back. The nightmare where the monster takes the children. I am in that dream, but Moon is not. And the pleasant dream where the children are happy. Moon is in that dream, but I am not.

What do they mean?

Moon interrupted her contemplation when he strolled back into the garden, holding a squirming baby in one arm and two brown bottles in the other, one of them open. He set the bottles down and turned his gaze to Celeste. "I think someone is hungry." Celeste and Mihra cast each other knowing smirks. Moon looked back and forth between the women and wrinkled his brow. "What?"

Celeste tilted her head. "Oh, nothing."

He tightened his lips as he noticed the baby girls nursing, then turned to the baby boy in his arms. "Sorry, Gabriel, but the cafe is full right now. You might as well learn this now, sometimes you have to wait."

Moon held little Gabriel at arm's length, belly down while supporting the baby's head with his hand. With an exaggerated motion, Gabriel swooped back and forth above Celeste. Sensing his mother was near, the baby boy kicked his legs and waved his arms.

Moon mimicked both sides of a radio communication using a strained voice:

     "Mothership, this is Starship Gabriel. Request permission to dock and refuel.

     "Permission denied, Starship Gabriel. The fueling ports are presently full with Starship Hope and Starship Faith. Maintain present orbit. We will inform you when a port becomes available.

     "Confirmed, Mothership."

'Starship Gabriel' flew around the garden, stopping now and then to observe the plants or following bee-bot from flower to flower. The motion distracted Gabriel from a higher priority only for a moment. He squirmed and whined.

Finally, Hope had her fill and released a nipple. Mihra took the little girl and burped her.

     "Starship Gabriel, this is Mothership. Proceed to the port side fueling port.

     "Thank you, Mothership. Initiating docking sequence now."

Gabriel swooped down from above. Celeste put on a wide smile as she collected the squirming boy in one arm. She winced as he latched on to her left nipple. "Oh, you are hungry, little boy." She looked up at Moon. "Okay, so what were you men doing?"

"Oh, we went to check on the cargo holds, then stopped in for a drink. Turns out Gabriel likes ale."

Celeste's mouth dropped. "You gave him ale?"

Moon put on a blank expression and shrugged. "I limited him to only half a bottle." A smug grin rose on his face as Celeste's eyes went wide. "Oh no, of course not. I just let him taste it off my finger."

"Well, he does have your genetics. But let's not introduce alcoholic beverages to the children yet, shall we?" She put on a sweet smile, but then narrowed her eyes to a pointed glare.

"Umm, okay." Moon turned to Mihra. "I brought you an ale, if you would like."

Mihra smiled, shifting Hope to the other shoulder to accept a bottle. "Don't mind if I do."

Moon shrugged to Celeste. "Sai wouldn't let me bring you one. Would you like something else to drink?"

"Some water would be nice. Oh, and maybe one of those protein bars. I am hungry too."

He turned around at the door. "Not surprising, considering you are fueling three baby starships."

A tiny but audible burp came from Mihra's shoulder. A tiny foot kicked out from underneath the blanket wrap.

Moon bent down to the little girl and picked her up. She squirmed as he cradled her in his arms. "Did you vent excess gas from your fuel tank, little Starship Hope? Did the Mothership give you enough fuel?"

Celeste rolled her eyes. "I think she is fully fueled."

Another burp erupted and the baby immediately stopped squirming and gazed up into his eyes. Moon smiled. "There we go. You want some time with the Fathership? Well, let's go get some supplies for the Mothership and then I'll show you how to calibrate the fusion reactor containment field."

Celeste called out as he stepped through the door, swinging Hope gently in his arms. "Don't give her any ale!"