Birthright: After Earth Read Online Free

explanation for your sudden fearlessness and your clear ability to ghost—anecdotal, to be sure, but confirmed by reliable witnesses—was psychologically based. That the loss of your husband—”
    “Caused me to snap? To become suicidal? To not care about my own welfare?”
    “Something like that.”
    That was exactly the conclusion she had feared. It would be one short step from such a diagnosis to being declared mentally unstable. No one wanted to have his or her life depend upon a Ranger who didn’t care whether she lived or died, or might actually be courting death. If it stuck, she might be put on indefinite leave. Or, even worse, handed a desk job, which would be akin to dying as far as she was concerned. “Sir”—her response was addressed to Green, not the Savant—“I assure you, I am not remotely—”
    Green silenced her with a sharp gesture. “Let the man finish, Lieutenant.”
    Her mouth remained open for a moment and then snapped shut with a click.
    “However,” the Savant continued as if she had never interrupted, “I’m reasonably sure, based upon the psych eval we’ve done here today, that that is not the case. Especially considering that another explanation has presented itself. You see, we’ve discovered that there’ve been some fundamental, metabolic changes in both your pituitary gland and your hypothalamus. Consequently, it’s created the chemical equivalent of a modified DPD …” When he saw her blank expression, he said, “Depersonalization Disorder. At its extreme, DPD makes sufferers feel as if they are moving through a sort of waking dream. The mind feels disconnected from the world around it. In your case, thanks to the chemical imbalance, when faced with a life-threatening situation—”
    “Such as an Ursa,” Green said, rather unnecessarily.
    “—you enter a sort of fugue state. It’s a rather fascinating phenomenon, really. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to study it further and write a paper about it.”
    “But I don’t understand.” Mallory was shaking her head in confusion. “My body’s undergone a chemical change? Why?”
    “It’s actually more or less standard for a woman in your condition.”
    “My what? What condition?” She looked in bewilderment from one to the other.
    “Mallory,” said Green gently, “when was the last time you menstruated?”
    Her face reddened with annoyance. “That’s an entirely personal question, sir, and I don’t see where your superior rank entitles you to …” Then her voice trailed off as her eyes widened.
    There was dead silence in the room for a long moment.
    “Oh, holy shit,” she murmured.
    “Tests indicate you’re approximately two months along,” said the Savant.
    “Are you sure?”
    “Absolutely.”
    When she said nothing beyond that for a time, Green—who had remained standing, his hands draped behind his back—said, “Regulations are quite specific on this matter, Lieutenant. A pregnant Ranger may continue to serve at her discretion for as long as her commanding officer deems her physically capable of doing so. Obviously you are, at this point, still fully capable of functioning, and you have the right to do so.”
    “So …” She struggled to find the words. “So you’re saying that my ability to ghost comes with an expiration date? That if the baby’s gone …” Her voice caught on that sentence, and she powered through it. “… I won’t be able to ghost anymore?”
    “I wish I had an answer for that, but I simply don’t know,” the Savant admitted. “We’d have to wait and see.”
    “Lieutenant,” Green said cautiously, “your phrasing was … rather specific. Are you insinuating that you may not bring the child to term?”
    Slowly she got to her feet, standing at attention. She looked straight forward, but not at anything in particular. “Is the colonel implying I do not have that right?”
    “Not at all,” he said.
    “Or is the colonel thinking of ordering me to