Gentle Warning

Month 17 Day 6

12:27 Hours

Drake MacGregor

Drake and Jane disposed of their lunch trays and headed for the mess hall’s exit when Drake noticed Smitty and Mac sitting down at a corner table, ready to start their lunch. “Excuse me, Jane, I’ve got to explain something to MacDowell.”

“Remind Smitty that the girl has friends who will miss her once she’s gone, so he might not monopolize her for every meal.” There was a hint of disapproval in the captain’s voice. “He hasn’t even left yet, and I already miss him at our meals.”

“I’ll try to get that inserted at some point,” Drake promised, and walked over to the couple at the corner table. “Having lunch a little late?” He asked as he approached them.

“We prefer to eat alone, Drake,” Smitty stated flatly.

“I’m not staying,” Drake stated, but pulled a chair from another table to sit down. “Captain says you both have friends who will miss you when you’re gone. And you’ve got your entire rest of your lives to be together, so could you please consider spending some time with those other friends?”

Mac’s face went pink, while Smitty frowned at his lunch tray. He sighed and looked up at his fiancée. “Yes, alright, we’ll make time for them. There’s just so much to do, to… get ready to go.”

“Good. Now for the reason I’m here.”

“You mean, that wasn’t it?” Mac asked in surprised.

“I was feeling rather forgotten,” Drake admitted, “but I probably wouldn’t have said anything if Jane hadn’t instructed me to.”

“Then why are you here, Drake?” Smitty sounded genuinely interested.

“I have some instructions for Mac, concerning her pregnancy.” Mac looked up from her salad, looking almost alarmed. “Nothing too awful, but I haven’t seen you in the gym recently.” Not since before the St Elmo, in fact.

“It’s hard to fit in everything, Mac stated. “Just the paperwork to get all my projects submitted…”

“We can work on that during my days off,” Smitty promised her, and turned his attention to the doctor. “So what are your instructions, Drake? Surely you aren’t telling her to work out with Tall Bear and Ferguson again.”

“Actually, I am,” Drake stated. “And to spend time on treadmill C as well. They don’t have to be hard workouts, just enough to keep your Gaelund muscles toned. If you don’t keep your muscles toned to Gaelund gravity, childbirth could be much more difficult. It’s probably a good idea that you’ve got Gaelund gravity installed on your bed.”

“Oh,” Mac said flatly, and her face went pink again. “I haven’t been sleeping in my bed. Much.”

“As I suggested, I can install variable gravity in my bed,” Smitty said softly.

So my suspicions are confirmed. Drake accepted the import of that simple statement, and then he thought about what that suggestion would mean to Smitty’s body. But I can't let him do that. “Smitty, I can’t recommend that. Tall Bear and Ferguson spend a few minutes every 2nd day in Gaelund gravity in order to spot for Mac’s weight-lifting. They’re younger than you, and they’re weight lifters, so they can handle it. If you tried to sleep under Gaelund gravity, your system would be working harder while you were sleeping than during the day under regular gravity. That wouldn't be good for you.”

Smitty stopped chewing his food for a moment, then finished chewing and swallowed. “Are you telling me we can’t sleep together? Ever?”

“No,” Drake answered. “I assume you’ve figured out that Mac can sleep fairly well under Earth gravity as long as she’s got an ‘anchor’ of some sort, and I also assume you work as that anchor. I’m not trying to put a damper on your love life, but I think she should be spending the vast majority of her sleep time in her own bed, under Gaelund gravity. And any other spare moments she can find during her time remaining aboard. The closer she gets to full term, the more time she should spend under Gaelund gravity. That will get in the way of you 2 being together eventually, but not now. Adjust your time together, save sleeping together to once a week.”

“That’s hardly ever!” Mac exclaimed in protest.

Smitty frowned at the cup of coffee he had raised, and put it back on his tray. “This is to help her have an uncomplicated delivery?”

“To help her have a healthy baby as well,” Drake stated. “Delivery is a complicated process, and certain muscles will have atrophied in the years since she was last home for any length of time. She can exercise all she wants, but it’s unlikely she’d actually work the internal muscles that are used during childbirth. Actually being under Gaelund gravity more and more as she progresses through this pregnancy is the only way I can see to get those internal muscles ready to do an effective job during childbirth.”

“That’s not fair,” Mac murmured, her meal forgotten.

“No, life isn’t fair,” Smitty whispered and sighed. “Alright, Drake, we’ll see how much time we can get her under Gaelund gravity.” He patted Mac’s hand and suggested, “Perhaps we can install variable gravity on your desk chair, for when you work on your projects.”

“Where do I find time for those?”

“We’ll ask for help,” Smitty told her. “Abdulla could help with your Yukosk dictionary, and submitting it. Wilson could help prepare the paperwork for the Yukosk transportation beam, both to announce our findings so far, and to submit for a patent.”

“Oh! I never thought of a patent! It was all of us together that built the thing, with some input by Takor, and based on a technual from the Yukosk people!”

“Which makes it complicated, but not impossible,” Smitty told her. “I’ll work with Wilson on that.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Was that all, Drake?”

“The only other thing is I want to see Mac in sick bay, to make sure everything is progressing normally.”

“Already?” Mac asked, and paused before nodding. “When?”

“As soon as possible,” he answered. “Now, if you can manage it.”

“Yes,” Smitty answered before Mac could respond. When Mac gave him a questioning look, he told her, “It’s for the baby. And you. Run along with MacGregor, and I’ll see you in engineering when you’re done.”

Mac sighed, tossed her napkin atop her tray and stood up. “You might as well head for sick bay, MacG. I’ll take a couple Jeffries tubes and probably beat you there.” She turned and headed for the disposal area.

Drake started to stand, but Smitty grabbed his hand so he couldn’t move off. “If you’re trying to drive us apart, Drake, it won’t work. Whatever I have to do to make this work, I’ll do it.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. But given your track record so far, I can’t help wondering how you’re going to feel next week. Or the week after that.” He pulled his hand free.

“The same as I feel now.”

“I sincerely hope so,” Drake told him, and moved off.