Four months after Cthulhu's awakening, Chilla slipped quietly into Alluro's room. He was sitting with his feet on his desk, and looked over his shoulder at her when she came in. Alluro, she noted with annoyance, was back to his old self. Well, she had something to say that should rattle his suave exterior.

"I'm pregnant," she told him flatly.

Alluro, to her anger, didn't even blink. "Congratulations. I never figured you for the type. Who's the father?"

Chilla spat out the answer, "You are."

He looked surprised at that. "I am? Was I any good?"

The ice Lunatac stomped her foot and shouted, "Don't give me that 'it was so good I can't remember it' garbage, or I'll..." She stopped. "Wait, you really don't remember. Skytomb was flying to R'lyeh, and I found you in my room and..." The tall Lunatac had swung around to face her and was shaking his head.

"Really, Chilla, I swear I never slept with you. I've only propositioned you once. Remember, back during the war? You set my feet on fire."

"It was the night we found R'lyeh. You were fixing the weapons systems the next day," Chilla persisted.

Alluro looked puzzled. "That I remember. You made a couple of comments that sounded like innuendoes, and in the state I was in, I didn't want to question it."

Chilla was looking worried, verging on afraid. "But, it was you, I'm sure of it. Certainly not one of the others or a Thundercat. I've worked with you for years. I know what you look like by now."

"Tygra's an illusionist, but I doubt he could do something that complete for that long and under those conditions. Hmm. Mumm-ra can change shape. We've seen him do it," Alluro pointed out.

She paled, but rallied, "Mumm-ra couldn't even hold his Ever-Living form, much less any other. Nyarlathotep was blocking his magic."

Alluro stood up. "Well it certainly wasn't me. I like to think that I'd remember something like... wait." He looked at her curiously, a slow, infuriating smile creeping across his face. Alluro stepped up to her and slipped an arm around her waist. "Chilla dear, what were you doing sleeping with someone you thought was me?"

She stomped on his foot, sending the hypnotist hopping backwards. "That's none of your business," she hissed.

He was back on his chair, sandal off, rubbing his injured foot. "I most certainly think it is. I should have scanned you while I had telepathy. Is someone attracted to me, perhaps?"

"I don't need this," Chilla growled, turning on her heel to leave.

"Chilla..."

Chilla stopped, but didn't turn. The casual flirtation and smug assurance were gone from Alluro's voice. He sounded... vulnerable. She heard him pull his sock and sandal back on, get up, and stand behind her.

"Chilla..." he started. Chilla turned, and whatever Alluro was going to say died in his throat. He finished lamely, "I... I wanted to thank you, for not leaving me behind in R'lyeh."

"You're welcome." Alluro watched the swirl of her cape as she left. He started to follow her, but stopped himself before he reached his door. He didn't think Chilla would appreciate his company right now, besides, if he'd read her wrong, she'd never let him forget it.

* * *

Knave took the news of his half-sister's condition less calmly. "WHAAAT!? Tell me the name of the father."

"No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I mean no, Knave," said Chilla, exasperated. "I can't tell you."

"Because I'll kill him?"

"Because I don't know."

"You don't know!?" Knave repeated, incredulous. "Sister, how many lovers do you have?"

"None," Chilla spat. "It was a one night stand because I figured we'd all be killed by Cthulhu."

"Then how can you not know who it was!?"

"Stop shouting!" shouted Chilla. "I've already confronted who I thought it was, but he denies any knowledge of the event."

"That's insane! How could it have been someone else?.. Wait..." the cheetah hybrid's eyes narrowed in a look of pure hate. "Alluro. He could have hypnotised you into thinking he was somebody else."

"It wasn't Alluro."

"What makes you so sure?"

Chilla closed her eyes. "Because that's who I thought it was."

The expected holler of indignation never came. Opening her eyes, Chilla saw that Knave was leaning against his desk, one hand over his eyes. He hissed once, then asked, "Why him? Didn't you say he'd been bothering you for almost a year and a half now?"

The ice woman sighed. "He has, it's true. But..." Come on, Chilla, say it, her mind goaded, He seemed so alone, so scared and vulnerable, and you wanted to do anything to help that. How you'd seen behind his mask before, and how it was off completely during the Cthulhu mess, but you were the only one who knew that. "But I figured we were all going to die, so why not?" she finished.

Knave was still not happy. "Hnh. Well, we'll know who to blame when the baby's born. Not really much to choose from around here."

"You will kill no one until I say so."

"Of course."

* * *

Skytomb was not a place were secrets were easily kept. After another month, when Chilla's condition was more obvious, the rumour mill and betting pool started working overtime. What made it interesting was that everyone denied all accusations.

Of course, with Knave around, this was to be expected. It was fairly obvious that the second the father was found out, he'd be flash-frozen. Of course, in another five months, it would be fairly obvious anyway. So two betting pools were set up: One for who the Mystery Lover was, and two, when he'd throw himself on the mercy of Chilla and Knave.

Another one who was taking this badly was Alluro. Various reasons were speculated, the two most common being 'he's upset because it's him and now he's dead meat', to 'it wasn't him and he's jealous'. Both were given equal consideration; Alluro's love for Chilla was known.

The last piece of the ever-more convoluted puzzle was Psikaris. She had an obvious crush on Alluro since she first met him, and months ago, during that love potion mix-up ( for which Psychro was thoroughly railed out by Luna ) had spent a night with him. Eventually it was sorted out that she seduced him out of magic-induced desperation. Was her current melancholy because she feared for Alluro's life, or was it something else?

Luna had tried to ban the Tug-Mug-run betting pools, but gave up long ago. Mystan, who was newer to Skytomb and felt he had to maintain some level of dignity around the place tried it instead. He caught up to the rotund Lunatac in the rec room, flipping through some papers. "This week's pool?" asked the telekinetic, arching an eyebrow.

Tug-Mug chuckled. "Week notheeng. Thees one weell keep us occupied for months yet." The bets were usually done on a weekly basis. If nothing interesting was happening anywhere, Tug-Mug would make stuff up. At least he had a sense of humour about it. Mystan remembered one week, not long after he arrived on Third Earth, the question was 'How many pairs of socks does Tug-Mug own?'

And the answer turned out to be five. Mystan thought it silly, but didn't care. This time, though... "This set-up of yours is degrading to all involved. This is real life, not some tacky soap opera."

"Eef you can't laugh at yourself..." started Tug-Mug with a shrug.

"This situation is not funny!" Mystan snapped.

"Sure eet ees," said the rotund Lunatac, spreading the papers before him. "Take eet all separately: Cheella as a mother? Knave runneeng around angry because he cannot freeze who he cannot identify? Allooro unsure of himself? Psikarees having a crush on Allooro? Hnh, anyone haveeng a crush on Allooro." Tug-Mug ticked off each item on his gauntleted hand. "All events leested are ludicrees, and therefore, funny."

Annoyed, Mystan stormed out. Tug-Mug chuckled and made a note on a fresh page: New pool - When will Mystan snap and admit he's got it for Psikaris?

* * *

"Chilla dear?"

The ice Lunatac sighed. Only one man had the nerve to call her that, and no matter how many times she glared, he kept it up. Even without that, she could identify that voice anywhere. "Alluro. What do you want?"

"I wished you to know that despite the fact the child is not my own, I offer you all my support and assistance."

"You're kidding." Alluro, Chilla decided, was getting desperate if he would make a bid like that. "Look, I can deal with this myself."

"The offer remains open, love." With a slight nod, he left.

Damn, thought Chilla. Now that he knew she found him attractive, having admitted that when she confronted him, he was becoming bolder. Sometimes she liked the attention, but usually he was just annoying.

Considering that, her pregnancy had one benefit: Psychro had kept his distance ever since he heard about it. While he wanted Chilla, he was not about to offer to play step-father just to get to her.

* * *

"How goes the betting?"

Tug-Mug looked up from the wager sheets at Psychro. He and the ice hybrid got along fairly well. Same sense of humour, same mechanical aptitude, and, unfortunately, the same issues of PlayLunatac. "I've narrowed thee 'Cheella's Mystery Lover' pool, even though we won't know for certain who eet really ees unteell the baby ees born or the father steps forward."

Psychro leaned against the doorframe. "Out of morbid curiosity, where do I rate?"

"Preetty high, I'm afraid." The rotund Lunatac rummaged through the pages. "You tie third weeth one-in-ten odds."

"How come?" he asked. "Everyone knows Chilla hates my guts."

Tug-Mug held up a fat hand and began the list. "Conseeder that your desire for our Cheella is well known. Plus, you are a hypnoteest. Perhaps you have been lyeeng about how powerful you are. Also, now that she's pregnant, you avoid Cheella, makeeng you seem guilty."

The ice hybrid picked up a few sheets. "Hmm. Alluro's the number one suspect, of course. One-in-two odds. But who's second? You?"

"Tygra. One-in-five. Illusioneest, don't you know?"

"And tied with me is?.."

"Mumm-ra. Might have been lyeeng about hees powers being blocked."

"Yuck. Poor Chilla," snickered Psychro. "Anyone else listed?"

"Just gag entries, like Robear Beell and myself."

"Hmm. You run the betting pools, so you might just be knocking yourself out of the running to allay suspicions..."

Tug-Mug snorted. "Yeah, right."

* * *

"Damn. Psikaris, hand me the five-eighths wrench." Red-Eye had gone cruising in the Lunattacker, and now it was up to Alluro and Psikaris to fix the draconic tank. Alluro was sitting cross-legged on a scaffold, working on the dragon's neck, while Psikaris was on the ground, deciding whether the left flank could be pounded back into shape, of if it should just be replaced.

The hybrid woman handed it to him without looking up. "This whole blasted panel's going to have to be replaced," Alluro continued. "Idiot should now better than to go joyriding in Thundercat territory. And you are allowed to look at me, you know."

"Sorry."

Alluro removed one of the bolts, then said, "You were under the influence of that ridiculous love potion. I still respect you and I still consider you a friend."

"Oh."

Another bolt came off. "I could erase your memories of the event, if you like."

"I don't want my memories erased."

The conviction in her voice caught the hypnotist's attention, and he peered over the edge of the platform. "Why not? You wouldn't always have to be so uncomfortable around me."

She looked up for a second, then looked away. "I don't want to forget."

Great, thought Alluro, unhappily. I knew she had a crush on me, but this is much worse than I expected. Why couldn't she do this to Knave or Mystan? He swung down from the scaffold to face the woman. "Psikaris, this can't be healthy. We need to talk."

"We can talk later." Psikaris stepped up to the hypnotist, looking up at him with earnest green eyes. "Come to my room tonight, Alluro. Please. I can even look like... like her again, if you like."

What the?.. But I cured the love potion. Unless the potion hardly did anything, pushed her over the edge... Great Yerith, she's like this anyway! "I will do no such thing. This situation ends here." Casting his psyche club above the ice hybrid, Alluro intoned, "Open your mind to me, Psikaris. You will submit to me. You cannot resist me, Psikaris." There. Now I can set about altering her memories, and perhaps even rid her of this bizarre crush... Concentrating on his psychic surgery, Alluro didn't notice the newcomer until he was knocked to the floor.

"What happened, Alluro," Knave sneered, "My sister turn you down again and you plan on working out frustrations on Psikaris?"

"As usual, you have no idea what's going on," snarled Alluro, pulling himself to a sitting position.

"'You will submit to me'?" The half-cheetah kicked at Alluro, but the hypnotist had rolled to his feet and out of the way. "I can guess."

"Idiot." Unbroken for a change, the psyche crystal floated back to reattach itself to the club. "I was trying to help her. Nothing physical was involved."

By now, Psikaris had shaken off the last of the effects of Alluro's thrall. "'Trying to help'? You were going to erase my memory, weren't you?" She threw a wrench at him, but missed. "Those are all I have and I will keep them!"

Knave raised an eyebrow. "Memory alteration, eh? Memories of what?"

Alluro and Psikaris turned on him. "Mind your own business!"

The double protest served to explain exactly what this was all about. There are no secrets in Skytomb, at least, not for very long, and it was common knowledge that Psikaris had tricked Alluro into sleeping with her. Knave wasn't sure how, but he still blamed the hypnotist. It seemed Psikaris' memories of that night were what Alluro was intending to remove.

The cheetah halfbreed tried to ask another question, but apparently the other two had completely forgotten his existence. "It is for your own good that I rid you of this bizarre infatuation," Alluro said. "Nothing will come of it."

"Give it up, Alluro," snapped Psikaris. "Chilla doesn't love you and never will. I do."

Knave raised his other eyebrow. "Hold on, Psikaris. You what?.."

"You do not. Now get over it. You're a sweet girl and I don't want to see you pining the rest of your life."

"Like you plan on doing over Chilla?"

"Unfair!.."

"Aaaargh! Both of you are completely insane!" shouted Knave. Alluro and Psikaris finally looked over, but all the man did was storm out of the hangar.

Embarrassed by her semi-public outburst, Psikaris looked at the floor and then back to the Lunattacker. "The left flank is beyond repair. I'll go tell Tug-Mug the specs for the new panel." Psikaris fled.

Alluro climbed back up the scaffold. Psikaris was a sweetheart, but he couldn't love her. Not without betraying his Chilla. "Chilla doesn't love you and never will." He shook the words from his mind. The thought that they were probably true was too much for him at the moment.

* * *

"We are supposed to be a force of evil. We are the Lunatacs!" Thus spake Knave as he paced Chilla's room, occasionally waving an arm for emphasis. "And what are we really? A soap opera! Dammit, Psikaris is in love with Alluro for Yerith knows what reason, but Alluro's in love with you. To make things worse, Psychro at least wanted to bed you, and you're pregnant. And you don't know who the father is! It's ridiculous!"

"It would be funny if I weren't so involved," said Chilla.

"True. Anything to watch Alluro squirm."

Chilla shook her head. "I don't understand why you're so set against him. Certainly he is a bungler and an annoyance, but you treat him rather harshly."

"And I don't understand your defence of him," retorted Knave. "Every time you're in the same room as him, it is easy to catch him gazing wistfully at you. I've heard him count the ways he loves you. And I know you've turned him down dozens of times." By the end of the list, Knave was laughing. "He's a pain in the neck."

"At least he's an honourable pain in the neck," she said. "He offered to step-father the child."

"What? Just that?" Knave looked confused. "Is co-parenting without marriage some kind of sandweller thing?"

"No idea. Alluro wasn't born on the Fourth Moon, remember, but on Earth." She considered that and said "From what I know of him, he was orphaned as a baby and raised by the adults in the group, so maybe he sees this as normal. Who knows how he thinks?"

"And who cares, so long as he leaves you alone." Knave turned to leave. At the door he said, "And if you ever wish him out of the way..."

"I know, I know," she said, waving him off. Once the door closed, Chilla sighed. She loved her half-brother dearly, but he was terribly protective. Trying to pay her back for taking care of him as a child, she supposed. At least her baby would have an attentive uncle.