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Running a nation was hard. Max wasn’t honestly prepared for this situation. Granted, between Alec, Felix and Dix, she had command running smoother than most nations, but the fact remained, on the diplomacy side, Chimerica was failing. And as far as she could tell, they had done nothing wrong! This week’s complaints were transgenics boarder hopping. Every known transgenic had ample room in what was the former Capital of Washington state; they had no reason to venture out of the annexed portion of the state. This entire thing didn’t make sense; and coupled with the tryptophan scare a few months back, it was looking like someone was trying to sabotage them.
“Babe?”
She looked up, grinning at the nickname. Despite whatever was on his mind, Alec burst into a matching grin, closing the distance between the doorway and her desk, leaning over it to plant a soft kiss on her lips. Max smiled against his lips. “What a lovely way to start the day.”
Alec winced. “Yeah, you won’t think that in two seconds.” To his credit, he didn’t wither under her glare. “Don’t shoot the messenger. Seriously. Uh…the United States wants their land back.”
Max stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking (and if he was, he was so getting it!). “The United States…”
“Wants their land back. Yeah. We’ve been handed notice to evacuate the land or face invasion. I have no idea how they got the United Nations to agree considering England is one of our biggest supporters, but they do have Iraq in there now, and if we’ve made enemies, it’s certainly there.” He rubbed at his barcode, looking awkward. “We have no evacuation location, Maxie. I just needed permission from you to call the draft and set up battle stations.”
Battle stations. Max had honestly hoped that they were over this, past this. But, if there was one thing Man did well, it was make War. Too bad they were designed for it, and had perfected the art. It was kind of sad, really; between Alec’s surprisingly tactical mind and the field commanders, including Felix MacGyver, the humans had no chance. She met Alec’s gaze and held it. “Get it done.”
He snapped a salute; by the look on his face, he hadn’t even meant to. “They won’t know what hit them.” He promised, a familiar, predatory grin sliding across his features.
Max shuddered, and forced herself back to her paperwork. Now was not the time to be distracted by her mate’s fuckability.
It was another eighteen hours before Max saw her mate again. To his credit, Alec had set up a perimeter of X3s and transhumans armed to the teeth that was daunting. And it freed the other X series to… “Alec, why did we need all of the X5s and 6s free?”
Alec finished writing down something on his tactical map, and flashed her the predatory grin. “Max, I have the people designed for active war zones out there. The X6s I want to hold back until we see exactly what they’re throwing at us; those kids do us proud.”
“And the rest of the X5s?”
“Most of them will be joining the X6s when we have better data.”
“Alec.”
He winced. “Uh, we—Felix and I—came up with this plan after the first siege two years ago. We figured the US wouldn’t honor their agreements for long; I mean, they lost a state!”
“What did you do.”
“The remaining X5Rs and X5s from alpha and beta companies are deployed undercover. When we give the word, they’ll take the government officials, corporate heads, basically, the guys with the power, hostage. Our ransom is an internationally recognized contract for the land, though we’re open for relocation. If they deny that, we are in place for a hostile take-over. Max, stop seething, it’s only if they launch the assault on us. Backup plan.”
“Makes us look like monsters!”
He fit her with a very even look. “This is war, Max; we’re just waiting for them to officially declare it. And it proves who is better. All of my operatives are under no-kill orders.” He gave a weak smile. “Trust me, it’s better than trying to fight them entirely head on. They may not breed as fast as we do, but they sure out-populate us. Theoretically, they could wipe us out by sheer numbers. After a while, our ability to fight ten people at once and win gets dragged down, while they’re sending in fresh blood. We need this to be tactical and swift; we can’t afford a prolonged battle.”
“And you didn’t tell me because…?”
“Plausible deniability.” He said, straightening up his papers. “You’re our president. It would look sort of bad if you had authorized this prior to America’s backing us into a corner.” He smiled.
Max couldn’t help but smile too.
***
The entirely of Seattle had fallen under an eerie silence; everything was holding its breath in anticipation, waiting for the humans to make the first move. Despite the emptiness of the streets, Max found herself walking briskly back to the mansion she shared with Alec, Felix and Felix’s daughter, Chloe. She knew Alec was on the front, but Felix was home; there was no one else to watch Chloe. Sometimes, when she felt this much doubt, she went to her niece. It hurt to do so; Chloe was looking ever more like her mother, Keegan, who had been lost in the siege two years ago. Keegan, who had given up everything to help win them their freedom, and was executed for her trouble. The thought burned within her, mixing with the pain of losing Biggs all those years ago, and watching Alec lose some of the light that always danced in his eyes.
“Lurking in doorways, aside from being rude, is really not advisable when there could be an air-raid.” Felix said, breaking her from her thoughts and she realized she was standing in front of the door, just staring. Felix flashed her a smile, sniffing as he started another sentence—only pause and gently grab Max by the shoulders, pulling her closer to him.
“Uh, Felix? What the fuck?” She asked, more amused than anything by his behavior. At least until he knelt so he was eye-level with her stomach. “Ok, Whoa now.”
Felix ignored her. “When was your last heat?”
Max colored. “What? Felix!” He stood, looking like he was calculating something. “I am not in heat!”
“No, you’re not.” Felix agreed, giving her a patronizing look. “You’re pregnant.”
“I am not—wait, what?”
Felix rolled his eyes, and gestured for her to enter the abode completely, closing the door, and locking it behind her. “You’re scent’s been different since last month; not unusual, you were in heat hence why I got Chloe and myself scarce, but your scent never shifted completely back. And now, well,” He gave her a look like he knew she was going to hate what he had to say, “you smell like milk. And that soft, kinda sweet smell of newborns.”
She stared at him, only able to say, “Sometimes, I really hate your nose.”
Felix shrugged. “I’m surprised Alec didn’t notice it. I knew Keegan was pregnant within a week.” He glanced away, obviously annoyed with how his voice caught when he said his late-mate’s name. Then an odd look crossed his face. “Else I have to have some serious words with my clone.”
Max held up her hand, still trying to absorb the fact that, after four years of being mated, she was pregnant. Somehow, between the domestication and trying to run a fledgling nation, she had sort of forgotten that was the primary instinctual reason for heat and mating. Her hand slid to her still flat stomach, and a smile brushed across her lips.
She caught Felix mirror it as he came to some sort of decision in his head. “Well, that’s settled then.”
Max looked at him, startled. “What?”
“Hey, Nix, come in here!” Felix turned back to Max, chuckling to himself. “Max, I’m sure you’ve seen Nixie around.”
Nixie, as it turned out, was another X5—Alpha platoon, if Max remembered correctly—and rather hard to forget once you saw her. She shared Keegan’s contempt for what humans would consider ‘normal’, and had her long, sandy hair in neat dreadlocks, some dyed bright colors. She got her name, as it were, from the slightly webbed hands and feet that had caused her hell in Manticore; X5s were supposed to be superficially human after all.
Max also had the sneaky suspicion this was the female Felix had been spending time with recently; the ease which she held Chloe, and the fact Felix’s hair wasn’t on end suggested there was more to it. “Yeah, Alpha platoon, right?”
Nixie grinned in response, shifting Chloe to her left so her right hand was free. “Yep. And it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her grip was warm and firm, the webbing in her fingers was more like a dog’s. Nixie’s attention turned back to Felix. “I thought you wanted me to put Chloe down for a nap.”
“You’re going to have another charge this evening. Nix, Max is pregnant.” He smiled a little at Nix’s sudden broad grin, and excited ‘congratulations!’ to Max. “Alec will murder me if I don’t make sure she’s safe.” He paused. “Can you put Chloe down for her nap now ? I want to talk to you. As soon as I’ve made sure to smooth our Commander in Chief’s ruffled feathers.” He said, smirking at Max’s rather affronted face.
“I don’t see how.” Max announced, watching Nixie snicker to herself as she cradled the gently snoozing Chloe against her. “Alec needs more people on lookout. I’m heading there tonight—”
“No.” His voice was tight, hard. Max stared at him in shock. “Peanut, you’re like my little sister, and sometimes you’re just as pig-headed about things as one ought to be…But I am not allowing you on the front lines when you have your child growing inside you. Alec’s child. Besides, I was already heading out there anyway; just wanted to make sure Nix could take Chloe…”
Max saw the bald pain in his eyes, and gave him a hug. “Are you seeing Nixie?”
Felix chuckled, his entire body shaking hers. “As much as a single parent can. Chloe likes her.” His voice took on a whimper, as if he didn’t want to think about it.
“She would have wanted you to be happy.” Max said, tears burning her eyes. “You don’t need me to tell you that.”
“I know. But, if I lose her too…”
There were some things a woman just knew, and Max knew this: Felix may be in denial about his feelings, but he cared enough for Nix to place Chloe in her care should something happen to him. That spoke more about their relationship then anything he could say. “I could lose Alec. You can’t live by ‘ifs’, Felix, you taught me that.”
With a watery grin, he pat her shoulder, giving it a squeeze of thanks.
***
The air in Seattle had grown stiff, and felt like there was a lightning storm on the way. Dix’s radar beeped. Noise exploded through Seattle like a bomb, orders being called, phones ringing, and the one call that started it all: “They’ve launched missiles!”
Across the country, in Washington, D.C., the general in charge found himself in a choke-hold, his assistant snarling at him in an in-human way.
The president called for his secret service, only to find them unconscious but one—the rookie—who was grinning at him, saying “It’ll probably be best if you don’t try to fight, sir. I really don’t fancy knocking you out too.”
Secretaries and aides were suddenly barricading offices, trapping influential CEOs in their cushy glass walls. And behind it all, was Alec, calling commands to wireless radios, networking the entire strike.
Back in Washington, D.C., the general watched in horror as the transgenics launched their surface to air missiles, not aiming for outside cities, but detonating the missiles launched at them. “Yeah, it’s over. We’re too good for you.” His aide said, pulling down his collar to reveal a barcode appearing on his skin, obviously having been lasered off at some point recently.
The president found himself being presented with a cell phone, and hesitantly answered it. “Hello?”
“I’m sorry we have to speak this way for the first time.” Said the voice on the other line, “We’ll keep it simple. I’m X5R-494.”
“Alec McDowell.” The president breathed, and there was a laugh from the other side.
“Damn! Wasn’t expecting you to know my name. You treat us like numbers, like freaks, and yet we’ve consistently handed your asses to you every time you try to invade. Note that we have never initiated an attack against you, not that you don’t try to say we do…”
The president swallowed hard, eyeing the transgenic in his office with apprehension. “What do you want?”
There was a long pause before Alec spoke. “To be free, really free. To live, to have families, to grow old and die…We want our rights, damnit. We’re part human too, you made us. We’re not robots, or pets that you can discard when they haven’t acted the way you want them to. We’re living, intelligent beings. Fuck, we’re more intelligent than ninety percent of the humans populating this planet, and you still think you’re top of the food chain.”
“We’re…civilized.”
“So are we. More so then you, it seems. Tell me, Mr. President, since you’re so civilized, where was our warning of attack?” There was silence. “Yeah, your creations are more civilized then you. Do I have your attention now, or do I have to do quantum physics to prove my point?”
The president swallowed hard. “I’m listening.”
Steel unload , final blow
We, the Animals, take control.
Hear us now, clear and true.
Wretches and kings we come for you!
Steel unload, fire blow.
Filthy animals, beat them low!
Skin and bone; black and blue;
No more this sun shall beat onto you!
“My fellow Americans. Today, I do not speak to you as a victorious man; I do not even speak as a man who is your equal. Today, I speak to you in regret, in remorse, as I realize now what we as a people have become. Yesterday, we launched an all-out attack on Washington State, hoping to wipe out the transgenics and transhumans living there, to take back ‘our’ land. No mercy was ordered. Yet, despite our attack, the transgenics were prepared enough to repel our forces for a third time, and made us a peace offer. Yes, the very people even myself has called ‘filthy animals’ showed more mercy then we were willing. And I was reminded, by one of them, that wiping out another race because they are different is wrong. That we, the United States Government, ordered these people created, designed them to be instruments of war, designed them to be smarter, faster, stronger…and we designed them to be our slaves. We thought that since they were only partially human, they would not feel, would not think, would not understand.
“We out did ourselves, my fellow Americans. And in our rush for science and war we overlooked the fact that, essentially, they are all human too. They are our children, perhaps even our successors. One thing they are not, America, is a threat to ourselves, and our way of life. They show more compassion and mercy then many humans do, and we call them savages, animals, because of how they were brought up. It is time to own up to the fact we made them that way, and despite that, they are still fundamentally human.
“In a year’s time we will open the boarders to the Former State of Washington, just as we open our borders to Canada and Mexico. It’s time for America to relearn tolerance. We’re making mistakes we made before; is going backwards really progress?”
The President’s speech was replayed much through the next few weeks. Every Max heard it, she couldn’t help but smile. General public opinion of them was still low, but they were gaining ground. Every day they were seeing signs of progress.
“We’ve still got a long way to go.” Alec reminded her, gently rubbing her ankles with a care that she was still surprised he had. “There were more burning ‘xs outside the boarder this morning. They really lack originality, don’t they, babe?” He grinned, digging his thumbs into the hollow around her Achilles tendon, eliciting a groan of relief from her.
“Why are my ankles hurting now? I’ve barely put on five pounds!”
Alec shrugged, and continued his ministrations…until a wail sounded from the other room. With a sheepish grin, he kissed her ankle and blurred towards the sound, coming back with a sobbing Chloe, who was chanting “I want my daddy!” between her tears.
“I swear, we give him a night off…” Alec rolled his eyes, and gently bounced Chloe on his hip, eventually bringing a smile through the tears. “So…you think he’s going to mate with Nixie?”
“I like Nixie. Daddy asked if I would like her as a mommy. Why can’t I stay with Nixie?” Chloe whined, pulling at her uncle’s shirt.
Alec shared a look with Max, and barely muffled his laughter. “The same reason you can’t stay with your poppa.” Alec snickered. “You want to watch some tv with Aunt Max and me? I’ll even make some pop-corn.” Chloe bounced in his arms, struggling to make it to the ground so she could clamber onto the couch next to Max. Alec watched her go, chuckling. Max, despite her joints protesting the toddler’s movements, pulled the little one next to her, laughing as she demanded to be between Alec and Max.
“So…this is kids.” Max whispered when Alec had joined them on the couch, wrapping an arm around Max to keep her close despite the toddler in the middle.
Alec got a soppy look on his face, grinning down at Chloe (absorbed in the tv) and then to Max’s growing belly. “I think I can get used to it. And Felix so owes us babysitting.”
We can think about things like babysitters, and jobs…and not who’s going to attack us now. Max watched Alec as he became absorbed in the tv. And if he hadn’t had the foresight, we’d still be fighting. She was comfortable in who she was, what she was, and where she was. She couldn’t think of a better way to start the rest of her life.
"There’s a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part; you can’t even passively take part, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop. And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all." (Mario Savio)
End
Song: Linkin Park, Wretches and Kings