Finally, here is chapter 5. Yes, again we had setbacks to publish this chapter, but better late than never.

This chapter picks up right where the previous chapter left off.

We hope you like it.

Chapter 5: Concerns Part 2

"And then it all went FWOOOOFFFF" Bridge Carson grossly exaggerated, making a gesture of an explosion above his head, to explain just how… explosively their latest mission had gone.

"Naaah I think it went more like FWEEEFFFF" Z chimed in, with a whistle, using her hands, in a car-like motion, to indicate how the explosion had been from her perspective.

"She actually took a freaking STOP sign, and swung it at the criminal when he knocked the Saber out of her hand" Sky chimed in, pointing at the brunette, who just beamed in pride.

"WAIT, that's so badass!" Jack laughed, leaning back in his seat, listening to his four best friends narrate their advenTures at SPD, since the time he had left.

"You know what, we DID miss you after all" Syd laughed, punching the ex-red ranger in his shoulder, "Especially when we were watching that Sixteen Nights in Moscow marathon?! We ACTUALLY binged the entire season! RIC behaved wonderfully! Did you know they announced the next season!"

"It's called Sixteen Nights in Petrograd! Apparently they're diving into Nikolai's backstory in the early 1900s!" Z added, taking a bite of her sushi.

They were all sitting in a… not so fancy restaurant, because budget restraints, but the overall vibe felt nice, warm and cozy, and just what the five of them needed to unwind after a week full of drama and stress.

This had almost become the B-Squad's weekly ritual, the five of them meeting every Saturday evening, holding true to Sky's promise to Jack, that they weren't gonna let him leave their lives, and they would gossip about anything and everything that was going on in their lives, he is Syd's boyfriends, or Z's music, or Sky's overly hectic training schedule, or Bridge's new solar powered toaster, or Jack's new girlfriend.

Oh and whatever the heck they had going on with Piggy.

Because that alien was literally lurking around them all the time. Sky had once upon a time beaten the dude up for eavesdropping on their conversations, and randomly adding his own remarks. That hadn't stopped the eavesdropping, but it HAD stopped the remarks.

"I can't believe you guys are going to watch the next season WITHOUT ME!" Jack made an annoyed face and looked the other way.

Z pulled at his cheek and grinned, "you're an idiot, Of course we won't watch it without you!"

"We'll watch it on one of the Saturday nights" Sky suggested helpfully, "don't you worry, another binge marathon and it'll be done!"

"Unless if they bring out a third season" Bridge giggled from his corner of the seat, and if he'd have stopped there, without 'bridging out' as his friends called it, the B-Squad would've called a doctor; thankfully, he continued, making the others laugh, at his rant, as usual, "I mean if they're re-doing Nikolai's backstory, that means they'll probably end up re-doing Aleksander and Alina's backstories too… I mean it's not necessary but it just sounds so perfect that they would re-do their backstory because they are re-making Nikolai because Nikolai is a fan favorite, or maybe he's not, but maybe he is, but you know what we're saying, Aleksander is evil, and the fans would love that, but Alina fell in love with him and—"

"BRIDGE BREATHE!" The entire team cried out in exasperation, together, then burst into laughter.

"Well since I speak very, very fluent Bridge" Syd proudly announced, making the others chuckle, "I know this much, he's right. We're going to get Tzar Aleksander back, and something with Alina as the Tzarina because… well they ARE fan favorites"

There were murmurs of agreement, after which, suddenly, Z piped up, "you know, something interesting happened today"

"OH YESS!" Bridge also chirped in excitedly, and Jack leaned in, waiting for further gossip, from the SPD deltabase.

"It was nothing, these idiots are making a mountain out of a molehill" Sky said, groaning, as he understood once more where the conversation had landed up at.

"Come on! You were worried big reddo" Z said, teasing him, Syd joined in, "yessss you were! Whether you admit it or not!"

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Jack asked, turning all eyes on him again, Z poked at his shoulder with a fork, before answering, "Z was the one who ended up answering, "Kat fainted" she said, without any emotion, knowing that it would frustrate him more, and Jack took a second to process the information, "she WHAT?!"

"She fainted" Sky confirmed, "as simple as that, she was overworked, stressed, some new update she's working on, and she fainted. That's all" he huffed.

Syd groaned, "buzzkill. What these two aromantics aren't telling you, Jack, is that Kat fainted in the command center…" and her voice rose by an octave, As she narrated, what she believed to be the most romantic event of the century, "and Cruger was there! And he got worried, probably and he carried her to the infirmary in his arms! Like a bride!"

"It was SPECTACULAR!" Bridge added, "it was sweet, cute, we know Cruger was very worried, and it showed, and we know this is kinda wrong to be like, saying him and Dr Manx we're looking kind of cute because he's got a wife and all of that but really THEY WERE SO CUTE TOGETHER!"

"Wait wait, was it like that time he became the shadow ranger?" Jack asked, excitedly, "like when he rescued her from General Benaag?"

"YESS!" Syd said, grinning, "exactly like that! He was striding like a knight, carrying his damsel in distress towards the infirmary!" Jack could swear he could see Syd melting in a pile of fluff after witnessing something so romantic.

"But I agree with Bridge," Sky said, suddenly, and they all turned to look at him, "shipping is fine, as long as it's contained to Aleksander, Nikolai and Alina, and the like. These are real people, with real lives, who we know and respect. Cruger has a wife who he loves very much. We shouldn't talk about things like this"

Z groaned, "here we go with the grandpa lecture!" Syd picked up, "Sky we're not trying to SHIP them, or get them together or break apart Cruger's marriage. We're just saying that they looked cute, that's all"

"Bridge used the word Ship" Jack pointed out, taking Sky's side.

"Are you on OUR side, or his?" Z asked, eyeing Sky suspiciously, and he shook his head, "all I'm saying is tha—"

Jack didn't let him complete his statement, "your side. Definitely your side. I totally agree, they'd have looked super cute together!"

"Ship?" Syd asked, and they all nodded, drowning Sky's tired whimper in their chant, "SHIP!"

…

While the B-Squad unwinded from their week, Commander Cruger found himself entering his own room, the lights darkened, and a figure sleeping on his bed. Her chest heaved up and down, in time with her breath, and he just watched her, for a few seconds, feeling tormented for reasons he could not comprehend. Then, almost impulsively, he bent forward and gave her forehead a soft kiss, out of nothing but sheer affection for his wife.

Her eyes flew open, almost scaring him. She had been a very light sleeper, these days, he'd known that, he should've been more careful.

"I'm sorry I woke you up!" He quickly apologised, and moved away from her. Isinia sleepily rubbed her eyes, and then sat up on the bed.

"How are you doing Doggie?"

"I'm good, were you well rested?"

"Yes, yes I am, very well indeed, thanks" she said, nervously, really not knowing what else to say to him; the two of them had been having some problems in their marriage for quite a while, and being awkward in conversations had become something almost routine.

"You look sad, Doggie, what is it?" He felt surprise, when she asked that question, because it was hard to believe that he was so visibly upset that even Isinia could sense it.

"I am fine…" he said, brushing her off, but she poked a bit further, knowing when she could stop.

"I know you, Doggie, I've spent so, so many years with you… and while we were separated for so long, I never forgot you. I know what you look like when something is troubling you. And I know, for sure, that something is troubling you right now"

He sighed, "do you think I am a bad Commander?" He asked, all of a sudden. She was surprised by the question, but then shook her head, soothing him.

"No, not at all, quite the contrary, actually, I think you're one of the best! Why even ask this question?!"

"Well, you see, Kat fainted in the command centre today… Dr Felix said that it had something to do with her overworking herself… I can't help but feel, for some reason, some reason I can't exactly pinpoint, that it was my fault… Do you think I put too much of a workload on her?" He stated his worries, to his wife, still sitting six feet away from her.

"Kat is a very hardworking woman, it's not your fault, Doggie, you're a very good commander… maybe she got so engrossed in her work that she forgot to eat? Any number of reasons could've resulted in her fainting. I'm sure it had nothing to do with you, and that it's nothing major and to worry about either" she came slightly closer to him, while uttering these words, and gently caressed his back.

"I hope you're right, Isinia, I hope you're right" he said, quietly, letting her hand stay on her back, feeling peaceful about it… but that feeling, the feeling like some big chain of events had already been set in motion and that today was only the beginning of a lot more that was to come, didn't leave, that feeling kept coming back at him…

…

Meanwhile in the infirmary, Kat was very nervous. She didn't know how to explain to Dr. Felix the situation that had happened two months ago. And she knew that things were going to get more and more complicated from that moment on. What's more, when everyone on the base will find out what had happened, (it was going to be that way, one day or the other) the rumors would be taken a lot out of context as they would be passed from ear to ear. Things would get difficult, and not only for her, but also for Doggie, everyone would think that he had cheated on his own wife with his best friend and she didn't even want to imagine what could happen next. She was afraid to think about it.

Felix on the other hand, was quite thoughtful. He didn't imagine that Kat to be in a relationship with anyone, as she didn't seem to show any interest in anyone he knew. But it seemed like she was with someone… she was pregnant, it obviously meant something; and Felix had questions about the father's identity, since she hardly ever left the base long enough to form a relationship with someone outside.

Of course, there was the possibility that the father of her baby was someone from the base, and they had a secret relationship that they had managed to hide until now.

But who could it be out of everyone Kat interacted with?

Only 5 people came to mind, at first, five people important enough, who could be: Jack, Sky, Bridge, Boom, and Commander Cruger. He didn't know how many differences Kat's species had with his— because they were slightly related, being from the same galaxy, and neighbouring planets— so he didn't know if she was capable of having offspring with beings of species other than her own, but if there was the slightest chance that she could, then, one of those 5 could be the father of her baby.

But there were some factors that made him doubt that any of those five was the father: Jack was now in a relationship with a girl, if he had been in a relationship with Kat he wouldn't have left with someone else; Sky, due to his nature, would not have any type of intimate contact with someone until after they were married; Bridge and Boom with the kind of interests they had at the moment didn't seem interested in looking for a girl at the moment; and Commander Cruger already had his wife again, although they still hadn't been able to resume their relationship properly.

What's more, from what little he had seen so far, it seemed that Kat's relationship with Boom was more like that of siblings, with Kat acting as his older sister, in more places than one; her relationship with Jack, Sky and Bridge seemed about the same as Boom's, though not as close. Kat's relationship with Cruger was one of best friendships on the base, and no one on the base could deny that, especially with the number of years they had known each other, it didn't seem like anything had changed from day one, even after Doggie's wife appeared, although he did notice that they hadn't interacted much since then either.

He knew Kat was nervous, but he still needed an answer to run a test on what kind of symptoms Kat might have from having a mixed-gene baby.

"Dr. Manx, do you have an idea of who the father may be?" Dr. Felix said the same way he said it the first time.

Kat lowered her head. She couldn't tell the good doctor, who the father was, as this would create more problems. She didn't want to cause Doggie any more worries than he was already going through. It would be better to hide it as much as she could.

"I'm sorry Dr. Felix, but I can't tell you who it is."

"Dr. Manx, it is important for me to know, how do you think I can help you during these months with the vitamins you need, because it is certain that the offspring you are carrying will be a hybrid, unless I am wrong".

Kat knew the consequences of what Felix was saying, he was absolutely right, medical advice was utmost necessary, but still she didn't want to reveal anything. "You were right, the baby is a hybrid, but I can't tell you what the father's species is, I just can't tell you."

"You can trust me, I won't tell anyone. It is part of the doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Yes. I know. But I can not, I'm sorry, it's... It's complicated" she sighed.

Seeing that Kat wasn't going to respond, Felix decided to drop the subject. The only thing he decided to tell her was to get some rest, and that later he could leave the infirmary. While Kat decided to take another nap, Felix left the infirmary. Although he did not like to get into the private life of those who lived there on the base, he knew that on this occasion he should make an exception. It was for the sake of Kat's health and the baby she was expecting.

…

Doggie was in the main room of the command center, he was alone at that moment sitting in his chair. He told all the cadets and other workers on the base that he wanted some time alone, also told his wife to have a little privacy for himself so she shouldn't worry if he didn't keep her company, the way he usually did, as he had a lot on his mind. He was still worried about Kat's health and could not stop thinking about what had happened to her; he had his suspicions that it was just due to exhaustion. He could sense that it was something else, but he did not know what it was and still the idea that he was responsible for her had not left his mind.

But before he could think of anything else, he received a call, he saw that it was from Zentor. He guessed it to be his old friend Sergeant Silverback, and although he wanted to decline the call, he knew he shouldn't, as it could be an emergency. So he pressed a button and the Zentorian appeared on the screen. He explained the reason for his call from him, but the Sirian was so absorbed in his thoughts that he hardly heard anything that his old friend said.

"Cruger, did you hear what I just told you?" Silverback asked in his gruff, military tone, but with genuine concern for Doggie.

"Oh, sorry, I was a little lost in my thoughts. Could you repeat what you told me" said the Sirian with a bit of embarrassment.

"As I was saying, there has just been a prison break where the most dangerous criminals on our planet are being held, and we need reinforcements to capture them again."

"I understand. The B-Squad is busy at the moment, but I'll send the C-Squad for reinforcements."

"It's fine. We will be waiting for them."

Doggie nodded.

"By the way, Cruger, I have noticed that you were quite worried. I know it's not the time to talk, but if you have any problems, don't hesitate to tell me, that's why we're friends." Silverback offered, kindly, "And now, I have to go, I'll call you later to let you know how things turned out."

After that the communication ended.

The Sirian was surprised that even Silverback realized how worried he was, since he wasn't the only person who had noticed that all day, someone or the other had told him the same three more times. But he quickly stopped thinking about it, due to the emergency on Zentor, so he contacted C-Squad, who upon receiving the mission left on one of the SPD ships to that planet.

This is where the chapter goes. We hope you liked it.