Free Believing in Dreamland by Cheryl Dragon

shot is better for pregnancy prevention. I’m on the pill, but I really don’t want any surprises.” Sammie didn’t look down at Liz’s pregnant body. A nurse or another doctor would’ve been much less awkward.
    “No, not as long as you take the pill every day. If you forget, then it’s a better option.” Liz shrugged.
    “I never forget. I just want to be sure.” Sammie frowned.
    “Nothing is absolutely certain.”
    “And there’s nothing special? Since my men are aliens? Have there been any studies on the odds? Better or worse?” Sammie wanted to control what she could. The coming fight would be bigger than her and her guys, but complicating things wouldn’t help.
    “No official studies. The pills work on your body so that’s what’s important. Meg’s been in a relationship with her guys for a year without even a scare. I wouldn’t stress about it. If the guys are using condoms, even better.” Liz nodded.
    “Yeah.” Sammie looked at Liz. “So, I have to ask. Did you plan it?”
    Liz smiled. “Not planned so much as wanted. If you wait until everything is perfect, you’ll never have kids.”
    “Fair enough. I need to meet my guys. We’re going to offer to fly the attack planes with the weapon. If they use the aircrafts we were in, we’re the best people to do it.”
    “I don’t think your men should be flying them. That weapon works on them.”
    “There must be a cure. They’ll take the risk. Every time we go up, we’re taking our lives in our hands.” Sammie wasn’t afraid of death. Losing her men, yes, but it was part of the life.
    Liz shook her head. “We can’t put the antidote on the ship. If they’re taken captive, then the aliens will be saved as well, and that’s not the goal.”
    Sammie frowned. “They won’t like it.”
    “They can talk to Hastings. It won’t matter. First, we need to get the trigger detonation to and disperse the powder strongly enough. Those Keelon vessels are large. Meg will get it done, though. Don’t worry.” Liz nodded.
    “Okay, thanks.” Sammie knew this wouldn’t be a fun conversation with the men.
    * * * *
    Mason sat in the conference room. His silence made the rest of the group uneasy. Hearing what Sammie had to say about the weapon’s dangers for the men infuriated him.
    “We’re still the best qualified pilots,” Dorian argued.
    “Sure, but humans can fly the planes without the risk. If something goes wrong, we’re incapacitated. They aren’t.” Jonah nodded to Sammie.
    “I understand you wanting to fly, but I don’t want to see you guys hurt. They can’t vaccinate you against it or anything.”
    “No, they can’t,” Hastings said. “I appreciate your offer to fly the mission, but it’s not safe to put aliens on those planes. Even if we come up with the right plan, you’re out of flying any planes with the weapon on board.”
    “We have more to lose than most. Any human can be killed, but we could be incapacitated if the weapon discharges early or if we come into contact with any of it. They could take us back out of spite and torture us for the useful information. We’d resist but even Superman doesn’t handle the kryptonite,” Mason replied.
    “So train some humans to fly those things. Sammie is still in. She can lead them. Right now, the weapon implementation is more important. Once we get it ready, then we can figure out how to draw out the Keelon vessel and get it to take one of the planes inside. Sacrifices will be made on both sides.”
    “No way!” Dorian said. “Not Sammie. If we can’t go, she stays, too.”
    “Shut up!” she snapped. “I don’t report to you guys. Any of you. We’ve always made a good team, but this is special circumstances. I’m going.”
    “You’re a great pilot, Sammie. I just think you might be too emotionally invested in the outcome.” Mason tried a different approach.
    “He has a point,” Hastings said. “But the military doesn’t train fools. You four can test fly