This story is set during the new CGI version of Captain Scarlet ©. Captain Ochre and Lieutenant Green are now female characters, Captain Grey is Scottish and Captain Magenta is now Italian. Doctor Fawn has been replaced with a new character called doctor Gold and is now Austrian. Symphony and Harmony have also swapped nationalities, so Symphony is now the Asian member of the Angels. You can find out more information on the new series at the following web site: http://www.spectrum-headquarters.com/skybase_central/index.htm.

A ‘New Captain Scarlet’ story

By Kelly Winkworth

No matter how much Lieutenant Green tried to ignore it, the stomach pains and nausea just wouldn’t go away. The symptoms had been plaguing her for a little while but she had been trying to put them to the back of her mind. But in the past couple of days they had been getting worse. As she stood up from her communications console, she was suddenly hit by a wave of dizziness. Staggering slightly, the lieutenant grabbed the back of her chair to steady herself. But her legs gave way and she fell backwards as everything went black. When she came to, the lieutenant found Colonel White and Lieutenant Silver looking down at her.

“This is the third time in two days that this has happened,” Colonel White said seriously.

Lieutenant Green slowly sat up. There was no way she was going to admit to Spectrum’s commanding officer that her fainting attacks had been happening for longer than two days. Colonel White would only worry even more of he knew the truth. He was very protective over the female officers in Spectrum, a parental type of protectiveness born out of the fact that he was a father and had a daughter himself.

“It’s nothing...” She muttered, resting up on her elbows.

“No, it isn’t just nothing. Something is wrong and you’re going to see doctor Gold about it,” Colonel White told her sternly. “And I won’t allow you back on duty until he says you’re fit to work. That’s an order lieutenant!”

“I agree, Serena,” Lieutenant Silver added. “You’re overdoing it.” With a grin she added, “you may as well use the colonel’s orders as an excuse to put your feet up for a few days.”

Lieutenant Green knew she wasn’t going to win this argument. “Okay, okay, fine! I’ll go if it means you’ll quit giving me a hard time!” With the aid of Colonel White and Lieutenant Silver, she got to her feet. She knew she couldn’t keep putting off the visit to sick bay forever.

Captain Blue was beginning to worry. It wasn’t like Lieutenant Green to take so long in getting from the control tower to the Officer’s Lounge, especially when she knew he would be waiting there for her. They had arranged to meet in the Officer’s Lounge many days before and Captain Blue had made a point of making sure they would be alone. What he wanted to ask her was private and he didn’t want the whole base knowing about it. Figuring that maybe she had gone back to her quarters instead, he made his way there. The young lieutenant hadn’t been feeling a hundred percent well recently and the American officer guessed that perhaps she had decided to have a rest. But it turned out that she wasn’t there either.

Captain Blue was beginning to fret but the feeling soon passed when he caught sight of Lieutenant Green appearing around the corner and slowly making her way down the corridor. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“Where on Earth have you been, Serena? I’ve been worried about you!”

Lieutenant Green snapped out of her daydream like state and looked up. “What? Oh sorry, Adam, I kind of got waylaid. I went to see doctor Gold. The colonel insisted.”

“I take it you’re still suffering from those dizzy spells?” Blue asked.

Green nodded. Despite being dark skinned she defiantly didn’t look well and her dark eyes were void of their usual sparkle. Blue wrapped her up in his arms in a warm embrace. Slipping her arms around his waist Green rested her head on his chest, listening to the gentle heart beat of her lover.

“I need to go back to sick bay tomorrow for the test results. Hopefully I’ll find out what the hell’s going on.”

“Want me to come with you?” Blue asked.

Green looked up at him and smiled. “No, that’s okay. I’m sure I’ll be fine going on my own. I think it’s going to be a load of girlie personal stuff anyway. You’d probably be grossed out by it all.”

The following morning...

Lieutenant Green sat up from the cushioned examination couch, unable to take in what she had just been told less than five minutes before. She looked at the wall in front of her, seeing it but not taking it in. Her head was spinning with a hundred and one different thoughts and feelings all at once. She was sure that her brain would go into meltdown.

When she did find her voice again, it was bearly above a whisper. “Are you sure?” She asked, finally taking her eyes away from the wall and looking back at the doctor.

Doctor Gold, the chief medical officer of Spectrum Skybase, was stood next to her. He nodded. “Yes, I’m very sure. All of the tests came back as positive. You’re eleven weeks pregnant.”

“And there’s no chance of a mistake?” Green persisted, hoping that the question might somehow change things.

The Austrian doctor shook his head. Lieutenant Green leaned forward and rested her face in her hands. This couldn’t be happening; they had been so incredibly careful. It was made even worse by the fact that she didn’t even want children. She had always been very career minded and a family didn’t feature in that future. On top of that they were in the middle of a terrible war with an evil alien race. She didn’t want to bring a child into the world when they were in such a horrible situation. Feeling somebody’s hand on her shoulder, Green looked up.

“I assume this wasn’t the news you wanted to hear,” Gold inquired, all too aware of how the lieutenant felt about having children.

Green put on an almost sarcastic sounding voice, “gee, is it that obvious?”

She got down from the examination couch and put her emerald coloured tunic back on. She didn’t want to have this child, but how could she tell Captain Blue that? ‘I’m pregnant with your child but I don’t want to keep it’ was hardly subtle! Even though he had always insisted that he wasn’t bothered about her career minded, ‘no children’ attitude Green knew, deep down, that he could feel very different about keeping the child if it happened for real. The Austrian doctor’s voice broke into her thoughts.

“I can only pretend to know how you must feel at the moment, Serena, but you must tell Adam about this. You can’t keep it secret from him, he will find out eventually. It isn’t a good idea to deal with this on your own.” Doctor Gold paused and then added, “I assume Adam is the father of course...”

Lieutenant Green didn’t care for his remark. She shot him a nasty look as she finished straightening her uniform. “Of course he is!” She spat.

Realizing that his words hadn’t sounded the way he had intended, doctor Gold’s expression softened. It wasn’t exactly a secret that the two officers were having a relationship and he knew his comment must have sounded very stupid and insensitive. “Whatever you decide to do, I would like to keep you in sick bay for a few days, just to find out what the stomach pains are. There’s a chance that you could be suffering from abruptio placentae, it could cause complications if it’s not looked into, especially if you do decide to go ahead with the pregnancy.”

Green nodded and slowly made her way for the door. She wasn’t looking forward to having to telling Captain Blue; to tell him that she didn’t want to have his child. It seemed so cold and heartless of her to feel that way. Part of her couldn’t help but feel a bit selfish when she remembered that Eternity Angel couldn’t have children. Pushing the thought out of her mind, Green made her way back to her quarters to collect some things for her stay in sick bay.

“You’re pregnant!” Captain Blue asked. He sat down on the end of her bed as his legs felt like they had suddenly turned to jelly.

Lieutenant Green was gathering up a few items from her quarters when Captain Blue had paid a visit to find out how her tests had turned out. He definitely hadn’t expected the news that she had given him. Part of him was delighted at the prospect of becoming a father but he couldn’t find it in himself to tell her. He knew that Green would have no intention of keeping the baby and he didn’t want her to feel that she had to take any certain course of action just to please him.

“Yes, I’m pregnant. Doctor Gold feels that I should stay in sick bay for a couple of days, he thinks there might be something wrong with the placenta,” she muttered, not looking at him as she put the items into a small hold-all on her bed. There was no emotion in her voice as she said it. It was almost like she didn’t care.

Captain Blue sighed gently, rested his elbows on his knees and leaned his chin on his hands. Lieutenant Green looked up from what she was doing. It was then that she realized that her worst fear had come true; maybe he really wanted to become a father. Feeling a tiny pang of guilt, Green sat down next to him and gently rested her hand on his shoulder.

“You want me to keep this baby, don’t you,” Green stated more than asked.

Blue looked up and fixed her gaze with his blue eyes. “Am I being that obvious?”

“I think I always knew,” she added gently with a small smile. “I suppose part of me knew that there would be a possibility that you might feel differently if I ever did become pregnant.”

Placing a hand on her abdomen with incredible tenderness, Blue added “lets talk about this later...when we’ve had time to get use to the idea. Whatever we decide to do, we need to think about it first. Rushing into anything isn’t a good idea.”

Walking into the Officer’s Lounge, Eternity Angel could tell straight away that Captain Blue had a lot on his mind. The dark haired Hispanic woman fixed herself a strong coffee and crossed the room, sitting down next to her American colleague.

“Don’t mind if I join you?” She asked gently. “Paul seems more interested in beating Caroline in their fencing match.”

“Life’s gotten boring in the Amber Room, huh?” He asked with a slightly forced grin.

“You could say that,” Eternity replied, taking a sip of her coffee.

Rhapsody Angel and Captain Scarlet were in Skybase’s gym, fencing. Destiny had taken the new Angel pilots, Charity and Liberty, on a routine training mission. Symphony and Harmony were on leave and Melody was laid up in bed with severe period pains. As a result the Amber Room, and Skybase in general, was a little too quiet for Eternity’s liking --she was far too fidgety-- although she didn’t envy how Melody was feeling.

Noticing that his coffee mug was empty, Eternity got up and made him a fresh one. “Is Serena okay? I heard she passed out in the control room yesterday.”

Knowing that Lieutenant Green wouldn’t appreciate him telling anyone the real reason for her fainting, Blue chose not to tell Eternity the entire truth. “As far as I know she’s okay, but doctor Gold wants to keep an eye on her, so she’s got to stay in sick bay for a few days.”

“Maybe it’s that heart condition of hers playing up,” Eternity added. “She once told me she had some problems with her blood pressure because of it when she was a child. You know, like fainting and stuff.”

Blue liked the idea of going along with that train of thought. Most of the senior officers and the Angels knew Lieutenant Green had a mild heart condition but it had never hindered her in any way. Spectrum obviously weren’t worried about it as she had passed all of the fitness tests when she had been asked to join the organization. He gladly took the fresh mug of coffee and took a big mouthful. It was then that he became aware that Eternity was watching him. She sat down and gave him a meaningful look.

The anguish was all too obvious on his face. The blonde American wasn’t telling her the whole truth, Eternity could tell that much and she didn’t need her Mysteron senses to confirm it. She added, “there’s more to this isn’t there. What is it, Adam?”

Before Captain Blue could answer, Captain Magenta walked in with two of Spectrum’s new agents, Lieutenant Teal and Lieutenant Sable. Eternity caught Blue’s eye and realized that, whatever it was, he didn’t want to talk about it in front of the three officers. He silently nodded towards the door and the two of them made their excuses to Magenta and left the Officer’s Lounge.

Once they were outside and the door had closed behind them, Eternity could tell that there was something seriously getting to him. Blue hesitated, not sure whether or not he should tell her. Captain Scarlet and Captain Blue didn’t have any secrets, so he was aware of Eternity’s condition. What would she think of Green if he told her that her friend was pregnant, but very anti-children and would be considering abortion? It finally got the better of him. If he could confide in anyone, he knew he could trust Eternity. She had never been one to judge people, especially when she had always admitted that she felt she was far from perfect herself.

“Serena’s pregnant but she doesn’t want the baby.” He let out a heavy sigh and seemed to be fighting conflicting emotions. “I would love to be a father but I don’t want to make Serena feel she has to please me.”

The news hit Eternity with the force of an atomic bomb. Although she knew they were in a serious relationship, she couldn’t believe that the lieutenant was pregnant. And, worst of all, didn’t intend to go through with it. She pushed her own feelings aside. Now was not the time to air her feelings about it. Captain Blue obviously needed someone to talk to and letting her own personal view get in the way wouldn’t be fair on anyone.

“Have you told Serena this?” Eternity asked.

The American shook his head. “I’ve always told her that I wasn’t that bothered about it; that I would always love her no matter what... I never thought it would be a problem... but now that it’s actually happening...”

Eternity was beginning to see a new side to her American colleague. Normally he was the strong, brave, good humored one of Skybase who would never let something get him down; the one that everybody could turn to if they needed a friend to talk to. But at that moment in time, Blue seemed lost and vulnerable. She put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. Finally feeling too overwhelmed by how he felt, Blue suddenly found himself hugging the Hispanic pilot.

Lieutenant Green was sat up in bed, reading, and trying not to think about what was going on. It had been three days since she had found out she was pregnant. She was still very insistent on having a termination but she wouldn’t do so until she had at least spoken to Captain Blue about it properly. Having a termination without letting him air his feelings wouldn’t be fair. It was his baby too and it would be down right cruel not to let him have his say.

Blue had been present when Green had her ultrasound scan done. Although the her first scan hadn’t been due for another week, doctor Gold had carried it out early because of the possible complications Green was suspected of having. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary but doctor Gold had insisted she stay a little longer for more tests.

Captain Blue had visited her at every opportunity since she had been admitted to sick bay. He was yet to visit her on that particular day and it was that day that Green was determined to have the conversation that they both seemed to be avoiding. Hearing the door of her private room open Green looked up, half expecting it to be doctor Gold coming to check up on her again. But it wasn’t the Austrian doctor, it was Captain Blue.

“Would now be a good time to talk about... what we’re going to do?” He asked tentatively, hesitating in the doorway like a child afraid of going into a dark room.

Green was glad he had brought the subject up rather than her. She nodded, put down her book and patted the bed to invite him to sit down. He looked tired, obviously he hadn’t been sleeping much over those past three days. Not that she had done much sleeping herself either. She had done a lot of thinking though.

Eternity Angel was sat on her bed. Off duty and dressed in civilian clothes she had lost all interest in the book she had been trying to read and was now hugging her knees into her chest, lost in thought. Captain Scarlet left the bathroom, dressed in jogging trousers and plain white tee shirt complete with red trim on the neck and the bottom of the sleeves. He was due for his annual fitness test that afternoon and was due in the gym in half an hour, but he had decided to visit Eternity beforehand. With all the excitement of Spectrum gaining two new Angel pilots and two lieutenants, they hadn’t seen much of each other for many days. Noticing just how preoccupied Eternity seemed, Scarlet sat down on the other end of the bed, facing her.

“What’s eating you? It’s not like you to be so quiet.”

She shook her head. “Don’t take this the wrong way but I made a promise to Adam that I wouldn’t say anything.”

Scarlet raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Sounds intriguing! It wouldn’t be anything to do with him getting Serena into trouble, would it?”

Eternity raised her head. “How do you know?”

“Lets just say that Adam wanted another guy to talk to.” He grabbed Eternity’s legs and pulled her across the bed towards him. She squealed in shock and amusement and swatted him over the head with a pillow. Resting her legs across his lap and wrapping her up in his arms, Scarlet continued, “you’re worried that Serena might be making the wrong decision.”

Scarlet was all too aware of how his partner felt about children. Due to her infertility, Eternity would probably never be able to conceive. Not without medical intervention at the very least. Even though she never showed it, Scarlet knew that it bothered her immensely. He wasn’t really that surprised that she would feel so strongly about the lieutenant considering a termination.

“I can’t help it,” Eternity protested, resting her forehead on his chest. “I just don’t want her to go into something she might end up regretting. This might end up being her only chance to have a child. What if she gets ill? What if something goes wrong with the abortion and she couldn’t ever have children again?”

“But it might not.”

Eternity looked up. Her dark eyes seemed a little sad. She sighed defeatedly. “I’m being stupid aren’t I...”

“You’re only saying this because you care. That’s not stupid!”

Although she knew that Scarlet was trying his hardest to cheer her up, Eternity still couldn’t ignore how much her feelings were nibbling at her. Lifting her legs off his lap, Scarlet lowered her down onto the bed and lay down next to her. Eternity could feel his hand gently creep its way under her top.

“If you’re feeling that down, I can think of something that will cheer you up,” he added in a seductive whisper, his lips caressing their way across her neck.

Eternity grinned. She grabbed him by the shoulders, pushed him over onto his back and straddled him. Her hands stayed firmly gripped on his shoulders, pinning him to the bed. For somebody as petit as she was, Scarlet was still occasionally taken by surprise by her incredible speed and strength, two of the abilities that the Mysterons had left her with when they had tried to turn her into a genetically engineered assassin. With his shoulders completely pinned and with her sat on him, there was no way he would be going anywhere.

Looking down at him, she added “if you’re not careful, you’ll be late for your fitness test. Doctor Gold told me off for being five minutes early for my test, God knows what he’ll do to you if you’re late!”

A smile crept across Scarlet’s face and he ran his hands over her thighs. “We still have thirty minutes. Surely that will be long enough.”

“If you want to satisfy me properly, it’s going to take longer than thirty minutes.” Eternity leaned forward, folded her arms across his chest and kissed him. “I’ll still be here when you finish your fitness test... that’s if you have enough energy for me.”

Happy that she was now well enough to leave sick bay, doctor Gold released Lieutenant Green. She had spent eight days in there and she had been bored rigid to the point of driving the Austrian doctor crazy. Green was pleased to be back on duty even if she had been advised to work shorter shifts for the foreseeable future until doctor Gold was happy. Not that she was able to work for too long anyway as morning sickness seemed determined to disrupt things as much as possible by attacking her at the most random moments.

After their long heart to heart Captain Blue had agreed that, although he wanted her to keep the baby, he would go along with whatever she ultimately wanted to do. After all, he wasn’t the one who would be carrying or giving birth to the child.

One good thing had come out of the situation though. It had prompted Captain Blue to propose to her, although sick bay had hardly been the most romantic place in the world to ask such a question. Blue had argued that it had been a spontaneous decision. He had intended to ask her the day before she had found out she was pregnant, hence why he had wanted to see her in the Officer’s Lounge. Green didn’t care where he had proposed, at least he had finally asked her and she had been more than happy to accept. She liked the idea of becoming misses Svenson. After nearly three years together the lieutenant had secretly wondered if he would ever ask.

Colonel White had noticed the change of attitude in his communications officer. He couldn’t quite tell what it was but there was definitely something different about her. As Lieutenant Silver arrived to relieve Green from her shift, White called Green over to him. Lieutenant Green walked over and sat down in one of the seats in front of the colonel’s desk.

“You’re looking a lot better now, Serena. I trust doctor Gold was able to find out what was wrong.” It was extremely rare for the colonel to use an officer’s first name.

Lieutenant Green let a smile creep in. “I feel a lot better, thank you, sir. Captain Blue has asked me to marry him.” She didn’t know what had possessed her to say that, but she couldn’t help it. She just had to tell somebody.

Colonel White was taken back by her announcement. Although he was aware of the fact that she was in a relationship with Captain Blue, he had no idea it had become serious enough for them to be considering marriage. It wasn’t that he didn’t approve of relationships between officers. His only ‘rule’ was that his officers didn’t allow the relationship to affect their work. He knew that he couldn’t get in the way of real life and that relationships were bound to happen amoungst his officers.

“Well, I feel congratulations are in order,” he finally replied.

Lieutenant Green leaned forward slightly and dropped the level of her voice down to a whisper. “There’s something else that I think you should know and I’d rather you hear it from me... I’m pregnant.”

“I see...” The colonel muttered.

“I’m not sure what I intend to do yet, so I would rather it was kept quiet for now. That’s why doctor Gold didn’t tell you the full story behind my stay in sick bay” Green continued. “I guess we, Captain Blue and I, are still getting use to the idea.”

Lieutenant Green returned to her quarters feeling a lot happier that evening. Captain Blue had promised that he would be waiting there for her. They had both agreed that they would announce their engagement together in the Officer’s Lounge. Green’s pregnancy was to remain a secret for the time being, especially as both she and Blue were unsure whether or not it would be going ahead. Captain Scarlet and Eternity Angel had been sworn to secrecy about her baby.

She walked into her quarters to find the room was filled with candles and red roses. The white blanket that laid across the bed was covered in rose petals. Hearing running water coming from the bathroom, Green inclined her head around and saw Blue standing in the doorway, leaning against the door frame.

“Good evening,” he said, inclining his head.

“What’s all this about?” Green asked, indicating with her hand around the room.

With a broad grin, he added, “well, you’ve made me incredibly happy. Do I need any other reason?” He walked forward and held her gently in his arms. “I’ve run you a hot bath, so why don’t you go and relax then we can go and let the guys know that they need to get a new hat sometime!”

Green laughed. “I can’t wait to see their faces...although the colonel already knows.” Seeing Blue’s slightly put out look, she added “I’m sorry, it sort of slipped out.”

“No matter, at least he knows. How was he?”

“I think he was surprised more than anything. I don’t think he realized how serious we were.”

Blue finally let go of his lover. “Go on, get in that bath before I throw you in.”

Entering the bathroom, Green pulled off her uniform and wrapped a long white towel around herself as she added some cold water to the bath. The beautiful scent of lavender and chamomile filled her nostrils as the steam gently rose out of the water. Feeling a slight twinge in her stomach, she ignored it. It was probably nothing as she had already got the all clear from doctor Gold. She gathered up her uniform from the floor with the intention of putting it in the laundry hamper. But as she crossed the bathroom, she was floored by excruciating abdominal pain. She dropped the clothes, fell to her knees and wrapped her arms across her stomach. Her cry of pain alerted Captain Blue to the fact that she was in distress.

“What is it sweetheart?” Blue asked, kneeling in front of her, resting his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to keep her upright.

Green tried to talk but found she couldn’t. The pain was so intense that she had broken out in a cold sweat and she was sure she would pass out again. She suddenly became aware of a sensation of warm wetness on her thighs. Looking down, she saw a puddle of blood forming between her knees.

“I’m bleeding, Adam!” she gasped hysterically.

Rather than radioing through to sick bay for help, Captain Blue got her to put her arms around his neck and he lifted her up into his arms. He would carry her to sick bay himself. By the time a medical team got there, Green could lose the baby or bleed to death. Or both.

Later that evening...

Captain Blue was sat in the reception area of sick bay, head in his hands, hoping and preying that Lieutenant Green and their unborn child were going to be okay. Eternity was also there, on Blue’s request, as moral support. As she was the only other person on Skybase, apart from Scarlet, who knew about their child Blue couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather have with him.

Doctor Gold stepped out of the private room that Green was in, he looked very somber. He caught Blue’s eye and shook his head. He didn’t need to say anything, Captain Blue knew exactly what it meant. She had lost the baby. The officer felt his heart break and an outpouring of grief, anger and intense pain, matched only by the feeling of pure bewilderment, flooded to the surface. A nurse dropped the tray of supplies she was cataloguing, startled by the man’s anguished cry of distress.

“I’m so sorry, Adam,” Eternity whispered. She could only begin to imagine how her friend was feeling. She rested her left arm across his back and rested her right hand on his right arm, leaning her head on his shoulder.

When he was finally able to pull himself together, Captain Blue asked “can I see her?”

“Let me check that she is comfortable and feels ready for visitors,” the Austrian replied.

It was several minutes before he returned. He nodded towards the American who, in turn, got up and walked slowly towards the room. For a moment he hesitated and looked back at Eternity Angel. She gently urged him to go in and see the lieutenant and that she would need him by her side. Lieutenant Green was lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling of the room, silent tears trickling down her cheeks. She was no longer wrapped in a towel, but was now wearing a generic hospital gown. Her arms were draped across her abdomen. Captain Blue sat on the edge of the bed and gently rested his hand on her arm.

“I suppose I deserved to lose the baby, considering I didn’t even want to keep it,” she whispered. She didn’t look at Captain Blue as she said it.

“Don’t say that!” Blue protested, holding her hand. “It wasn’t your fault, you weren’t to know this would happen. Neither of us could. This doesn’t mean we couldn’t try again if we wanted to.”

Green’s dark eyes finally looked at him. She looked just as bewildered as he felt. “Do you still love me Adam? Do you still want to marry me, even after all of this?” Blue felt startled by the question and by the uncertainty in her voice.

“Of course I do!” Blue leaned forward and gently kissed her on the forehead. “I love you. I promised you that I would stay with you no matter what happens in our lives and I intend to keep that promise.”

As he sat up, Green put her arms around his neck and used his momentum to pull herself up into a sitting position. After everything that had happened, all she wanted was for Captain Blue to hold her and to reassure her that he still loved her. Blue’s arms snaked around her body with incredible tenderness; almost like he was afraid the young woman would break in half if he was too rough with her.

Eternity stood up and watched her two friends through the glass panel of the private room. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was the couple in front of her. She could feel the hot tears stinging at her eyes, eventually spilling over and trickling down her cheeks. If there was one thing she wanted more in the world, it was to have a child. But Eternity knew that probably wouldn’t happen and it hurt her terribly. It was an ache deep inside her soul, a longing to create life from within herself.

Doctor Gold appeared at her side. “Are you all right?” He asked.

Eternity took a deep breath to steady her emotions. “It’s nothing,” she lied, desperately drying her eyes. After a few moments hesitation she added “that treatment you suggested a while ago, does that offer still stand?”

“Are you sure?” Gold questioned. “There’s a possibility that it won’t work. I’d hate for you to be disappointed.”

Nodding her head Eternity replied “yes I’m sure.”

“In that case I will have to do some tests on you to make sure that you’re physically fit to do the course of treatment,” Gold said. “I’ll leave it down to you to discuss this with the man in question, he’ll need a check up too.”

That’ll be interesting, Eternity thought. She would have preferred if she could have surprised Captain Scarlet. But if she wanted to try for her own child, Eternity knew that both of them would need a check up. Walking over to doctor Gold’s private office, Eternity switched on the computer and put it on the private communication channel. Scarlet’s face appeared on the small screen.

“What is it?” He asked. “Is Serena okay?”

“...she lost the baby.”

Scarlet sighed sadly. Eternity glanced away from the screen briefly, watching Captain Blue leave the private room and disappear from sight.

Looking back, she said “I have something I need to ask you. How do you feel about going through with the IVF treatment and trying for our own baby?”

“Are you sure?” Scarlet asked looking startled.

Eternity smiled gently. “Well I know, deep down, it’s something we both want. This whole situation has made me realize what’s important to me in life. It isn’t about careers, medals or playing the hero. It’s about having a family with the man I love.”

Captain Scarlet switched off the console and stood up, trying hard to control his rising emotions. He couldn’t quite believe that the woman he loved had asked him the question he never thought she would ask. It was something they had talked for a while now and they had discussed all of their options -- fertility treatment, adoption and fostering -- and they had come to the conclusion that they wanted to try for a child naturally first. The other options would be their plan B. But at the same time he felt uncertain. Could he even father a child? It was one of the many questions he had asked himself since he had become a Mysteron hybrid and escaped the control of the Mysterons. He crossed the short space between the console and his bed and sat down, the doubts over his own humanity bubbling away.

The door of his quarters whirred open and Eternity stepped into the room, the door whirring shut again behind her. Scarlet had never seen her looking so tired. No doubt the whole scenario had taken its toll on everybody involved. Standing up Scarlet took hold of Eternity by the hands and smiled as his heart swelled with love. Although part of him couldn’t help but feel incredibly sad. As well as his doubts over being a father, he also had to contend with other disheartening doubts. What if, one day, his retro metabolism was suddenly taken away from him? What if he took one risk too many and Eternity was left alone with a young family? He wanted the treatment to work but he didn’t want Eternity to be forced to cope on her own without him.

It seemed that Eternity could sense his uncertainty. “What is it? You haven’t changed your mind about having children, have you?”

“Of course not! There’s nothing in the world I want more than to have a family with you.” After a brief pause he added “so, what do we need to do?”

Realizing that he was referring to the IVF treatment she would need to go through, Eternity explained that they would both need to have a medical examination to make sure that the treatment would be the best one available that was suited to their unique condition. After all it wasn’t every day that Mysteron hybrids wanted children.

“I hope this is what you really want,” Scarlet said gently. “What if-”

Scarlet didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence. Eternity put a finger to his lips to silence him. She had obviously guessed what he was going to say but wasn’t about to let him say it. Standing on tip toe Eternity kissed him with such love that he understood, without a doubt, that they were making the right decision. Against the backdrop of a star covered night sky, they both knew this was going to be a huge life changing moment for both of them. They wouldn’t be the only ones affected by change. The events of the past few days were going to change so many lives in a very big way.

THE END

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Notes from the author:

This story was inspired by the CGI Captain Scarlet episode “Swarm”. I couldn’t help but feel that Captain Blue and Lieutenant Green seemed to like each other, a lot! It was their mannerisms that gave it away for me.

My own unofficial character, Eternity Angel (Rio-Jade Younger), makes a major appearance in this for the main reason that I knew she would probably feel very strongly about abortion, due to her Mysteron induced infertility and the longing for a child of her own.

My two new Angel pilots, Charity and Liberty, make their first brief appearance here in name only and I hope they get a bigger role in future stories. I also borrowed Abi Scott’s characters, Lieutenant Teal and Lieutenant Sable, in name only mainly because I needed a couple of Spectrum officers to make a brief appearance but I didn’t want to keep using the same old faces. Hopefully you might get to find out more about them one day when Abi updates her web site and gets her stories on-line (what I’ve read of her fan fiction so far is very cool).

I’ve taken a few small liberties with the advancement of medicine. As this story is set around 2073 I’m assuming that, in 68 years from now (2005), test results could eventually come back as quick as one day afterwards the test is carried out.

OTHER STORIES BY KELLY WINKWORTH

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