“Yes,” I say, not mincing words. “You would be financially rewarded.”

“Of course, I want the money,” he says. “But I will also do it for scientific research as I would learn something too. Maybe the Imperials are on to something with these Water people we haven’t realized.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s how they are diversifying their gene pool. Maybe there’s something the Water people have that is advantageous to introduce to our own population.”

This is news to me. “But I thought….” I trail off. I do not know what I thought before, but it does not matter. It’s none of my business. What concerns me is getting a child to keep my wife. “Can you please send me the requirements of what would need to be done from our side?”

“I will do it this afternoon.”

I leave sickbay feeling a little better about the whole situation because I am at least trying.

* * *

Two days later, I am in my prep room off the bridge with my wife out of sight so that I can talk with the Imperial doctor I have set up a meeting with.

“Doctor,” I say when his grey Imperial face appears.

“May the gods guide us with their light,” he says in typical Imperial fashion. The Empire is a very religious place.

“Have you received my request?”

“I have,” he says, looking down at what I suppose is a medical tablet with my requests.

“Would you be able to perform the procedure?”

“I can,” he says confidently. “That’s not the issue.”

“What’s the problem then?” I ask, thinking it must be money.

“Your wife is human. How can I explain helping a Silver have a baby with a human? Humans are our Lost People.”

“Name your price,” I say. I know very well that the Imperial laws and GC are very grey when it comes to mating with Water people.

“I will take the money you offer but also when we help your wife to conceive that she also gifts us with some of her viable eggs.”

“I would rather pay you in UCs,” I reply.

“Unfortunately, I won’t do it for only UCs.”

“What would you use those eggs for?”

“To create children with Imperials or with other humans. I promise you they will all go to safe homes.”

“Would they be pets?” I ask disgustedly.

“They would all be well taken care of.”

“Can you pause?” I ask, and when he nods, I push the button and then ask my wife what she thinks.

“I can’t understand him at all. I don’t have a translator,” she reminds me. We had decided the night before we would do almost anything to have our own children. Together we scanned the GC database researching genetically mixed alien children; most doctors were either Imperial or Dulu. And as much as I hate working with Imperials, I despise Dulus. They are the most untrustworthy species in the galaxy.

“The Imperial doctor says that he can do it without a problem, but he wants more than money; he wants some of your eggs as payment to create other children with humans and or Imperials. He promises they will have a good life.”