I touched my rounded belly with more than a little wonder. Pregnant, me?

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy for making this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

I touched my rounded belly with more than a little wonder. Pregnant, me? Twins? One boy and one girl if the obstetrician wasn't wrong. Twelve weeks was a little early for them to be sure, but Doctor Chin seemed certain. I even had pictures of my yet to be twins in my purse.

Not that getting to this point had been easy at any point during this so very strange journey of mine.

After that very energetic honeymoon night, my husband had objected to my libido being so, … elevated. Doctor Wu, the mad scientist himself, insisted this was natural for the body I had now. I'm not sure that Feng believed him. I know I didn't!

Like it or not my body liked sex. I knew what I thought about it, but my Chinese Barbie Doll body had other ideas. It was … intense. I couldn't even get pissed off at Feng because he, if not a gentleman, didn't abuse the privilege. More often than not it was me who commenced events.

Becoming pregnant almost from our first night together and this nympho-like libido of mine, made me really suspicious this was just the way my 'reformatted' body behaved. It was possible this was the way I'd been designed which, if anything, was scarier. If they could deliberately and reliably do this to just anyone, be afraid, very afraid.

If I had a wedding for Christmas, Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, was a little after my first 12 weeks. I'd my examination earlier in the week just before we were to leave for his parents place. The good news was, with my pregnancy, he decided to spring for air travel instead of the trains or buses like the rest of the millions of Chinese holiday travelers.

It was still very busy flying out of Beijing, but not anywhere near the chaos at the train and bus stations. Looking out at the plane's window at the ground far below, I missed flying with a passion. Being here stuck with the passengers and not on the flight deck really rubbed in how far I'd fallen. Just like Icarus I'd flown too high and had lost my wings, among other things.

Asking the question, I'd asked myself a thousand times, 'Was it worth it?'

So far despite all my ordeals, including being preggers with twins, the answer was yes.

The Allies had even almost caused the Golden Week of Spring Festival to be canceled. About two weeks ago, details were sketchy, but the People's Liberation Army Navy's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was at the bottom of the East China Sea. Since they had taken back Taiwan, their 23rd province, the PLAN decided to force their claims on the Senkaku Islands which had been under dispute by both the PRC and Japan.

It was my guess that they were also playing hardball since Japan was still wiggling out from signing a separate peace treaty.

Just how that had happen wasn't being said, but submarines had been mentioned as well as apparently one hell of a furball of fighters, had mixed it up with PRC planes from the Liaoning, and Taiwan versus the Allies from Okinawa. Just as a guess, the good guys had won that one since losing a carrier was expensive, but so were modern jets. There was also the worry at the government's statement they'd fired missiles at Naha, Okinawa. Once again the PRC showed their willingness to shoot at civilians.

I felt like a bit of a hypocrite, seeing how I did attack the rectenna at Fusang One which was not strictly speaking military, although it was still a target given its strategic importance to China's power generation industry. Tiangong 5 was an entirely different question. While there might've been civilians on-board that space-station, not only did it have weapons, it attacked the 7th Fleet and Hawaii, it was also the control center for the other so-called power-sats.

Considering what the things did to my home, if they weren't weapons of mass destruction I didn't know what were.

So in my mind at least there was a world of difference between what I did and the PRC's actions. That didn't make me miss my freedom or flying any less, but that was the way things were.

However, it wasn't all bad. Feng was damn near a paragon of virtue for a Chinese man. We actually had a relationship instead of him treating me like the sex toy I'd feared. Perhaps it was guilt over what had been done to me or perhaps some kind rationalization given I used to be male. Whatever his reasons he appeared to delight in making me laugh and smile.

He did take some ribbing from his small circle of friends about it, but even his reply caused me to smile.

“If you had a wife like mine, you would too.”

And the look on his face when he got the news about the twins. Sure, I know my head has been brainwashed so completely there's not as much of my Father and Mother's son as I would like, but some part remains. Already I was thinking how to get around my implants so I could pass on some of my heritage to the children I bore.

My family would live on though me.

It was a long flight from Beijing to Harbin where we had a short layover until we could continue our journey to Mohe. Yeah, his parents lived about as far north as it was possible to get in China.

Because of that we were flying on a twin engine turboprop, a domestically produced version of the old Soviet An-24 design, an Xian MA600. It was sure a lot bigger than the Diamond DA42s I'd begun my own multi-engine training on. I'd really just gotten my twin engine rating, when the War had changed everything

I'm not even going to talk about how cold it was, even on our very brief time outside boarding the plane. The idea that it would be even colder at our destination made me shiver thinking about it. This body of mine didn't have an once of extra fat and I felt the cold intensely. Even at 12 weeks and despite being bundled up, my baby bump was clearly visible. At least I hadn't reached that awkward to move around state yet, but it was coming.

Of course being in a far lighter aircraft than the huge Airbus A380 jet liner that had carried us from Beijing, we were far more effected by turbulence, as well as flying lower where it was less... calm.

I found myself having to reassure my smart detective husband that all was well.

“Relax.” I smiled. “This is normal.” What I really wanted was to get him in a glider to show him what real flying was all about, but that would never happen.

“How would you know if it wasn't?” He asked gripping the arm rests with a death grip.

“Oh you would know.” I replied, not knowing fate was listening to my every word.

Thank Gawd I wasn't looking out the window when the flash came. Instinctively, I grabbed my seat belt yanking it tight, wishing I had a real harness.

“Nuclear flash!” I hissed to Feng, knowing we had mere seconds if that. “Tighten your belt!”

With this War of power-sats and the real possibility of nukes, we Air Force cadets had received training not seen since the fall of the USSR. When all you could do was Duck and cover, you ducked and covered by Gawd!

The MA600 proved it was just as rugged as the An-24 design that had inspired it as the shock wave tossed us about like a leaf upon the wind.

Thankfully, because of the prior turbulence, everyone was wearing their belts, but such things are relative. Being prepared had us less battered than everyone else. The moans and outright grasps of pain told that story.

The good news was we did level out and looked stable. The bad was really obvious. Nuclear flashes meant that somewhere The Bomb had been used. I couldn't see any mushroom clouds from my limited field of view, but it had been near enough where we felt the shockwave. That made me worry about radiation and for my babies, but survival came first.

Feng was back to being Col. Wang Special Police as he unbuckled his seat belt.

“I'll be back.” He reassured me.

Waiting for his return wasn't easy. The cabin stank of panic and fear. There were my own concerns about what I'd witnessed. Obviously the PRC's Ballistic missile shield was down. I really hoped that where ever that nuke had landed, it hadn't been a city. Unfortunately, like in the US, most military bases were near and around population centers.

Lost in my thoughts, I was startled when a stewardess tapped me on the shoulder. “Your husband needs you up front.”

Only nodding, I got up watching her eyes grow wide as she saw I was pregnant.

None of the possible reasons why I was wanted in the cockpit, were good.

Watching the softly moaning co-pilot as he was being attended to by another flight attendant, my stomach knotted. Yes, it was bad.

“Both pilots are blinded.” Feng told me in a whisper as to not worsen the the situation among the passengers. “Captain Cheung was able to engage the auto-pilot and stabilize the plane after the 'disturbance,' but he is still disabled.

“Are you really a pilot?” The aircraft's pilot asked.

He was an older man with his eyes tightly closed in distress and pain.

“Yes Captain, I am, but with limited experience. “ I qualified. “This aircraft is considerably larger than anything I've flown. I was at the Air Force Academy with ratings in single engine and light multi-engine.” Very carefully I did not say which Academy I'd attended. “Additionally, I was a student glider instructor.”

“There is no one else.” The airline pilot managed to say. “Please do not wreck my aircraft.”

Then formally, “You have the aircraft.”

Seating myself, I was very thankful I hadn't lost any height. The right-hand seat required little adjustment even if despite being pregnant, it swallowed me up.

Feng gently touched my shoulder. Looking up at him, I could see many thoughts going though his mind. However, most of all was his concern.

“You'll need to be at your best.” He said with a sigh. “Forgive me.”

Somehow I didn't hear what he said next. My mind was extraordinarily clear, as if I'd awakened from a long deep sleep. I smiled up at him knowing that he'd freed me from Dr. Wu's fiendish machine in my head. There was no telling how long this would last or if it was a good thing.

Yet I could see his uncertainty. If I felt unsure how much I felt for him was real and which was only the implants, he had the same dilemma. He seemed to truly care for me, so this couldn't be easy for him. He'd let me go. Perhaps the real question was would I come back? I can't say what I felt for him was any different, but first I had to get all of us back on the ground, safe.

Slipping on the headset, and snapping my harness securely, it was time to be a pilot again.

“This is Flight 214. We're declaring an inflight emergency. Both pilots are incapacitated due to flash blindness from unknown source. I'm a passenger with some light single and twin engine training. Please advise.”

A half hour later I had the full scope of the seriousness of our situation.

“First the good news.” I announced to my husband and the senior stewardess. “This doesn’t appear to have been nuclear at least so far, despite the flash. No EMP, and very little radiation. All the aircraft's electronics are in working order and regional communications at least are unaffected.” I couldn't help my hand touching my baby bump. They were safe from growing three eyes or extra arms or legs at least from that.

“And the bad?” He asked.

“Whatever happened hit in several locations which has all the military regions on high alert. Exactly what and how bad they were hit, the standard news blackout has blocked everything. It also means that all the PLAAF bases are dispersing their aircraft as preventive measures, which also means they're ordering every commercial aircraft to land immediately.

“Unfortunately all the available airports, including our destination, are tied up trying to obey impossible orders and don't have time to deal with those like us who just might crackup on the runway, closing it when they need it most. In short, we're getting the runaround.

“If a pilot certified on this make of aircraft was on-board it wouldn't be a problem. It's designed for short unimproved airfields. A clear enough section of road would be sufficient, but I would not want to risk it.”

I saw the question in Feng's eyes as to why. He had a very high opinion of my piloting ability, but I was aware of my limitations.

“You know how to drive a car don't you?” I asked him.

“Of course I do. You know that.” He answered, curious why I asked.

“Does that mean you also know how to drive a tractor-trailer or other heavy equipment?” My next question made my point.

He nodded in understanding. “Although the principles are similar this plane is much bigger than you're accustomed to operating?”

“Exactly,” I answered. “And each type of aircraft has different characteristics which you have to take into account. The odds are high that I can land us safely, under normal conditions at an airfield with a large forgiving runway to make my approach and landing as painless as possible since I am unfamiliar with how this model handles.”

“But things are not normal.” He finished for me. “It is very likely that flight controllers have been directed to not risk obstructing their operations.”

I nodded. Better than I, he was aware of the chaos that had to be going on at all levels of the PRC.

“And we don't know if there are more strikes incoming or if the PLA is going to retaliate with ICBMs.” I added, stating one of my worries. “We really don't want to be flying around if the missiles begin flying. That would be bad.

“There is an option, but it comes with problems,” I reported. “Blagoveshchensk is the Russian city across the Amur river from Heihe. They are accepting inflight emergencies such as ours.”

I didn't have to say anymore than that, although the stewardess looked at me and the Colonel. Yes, Feng most definitely had his official face on. China's relations with Russia had hit a low, although not as bad as some in the past. The recent actions of China's leaders were having wide repercussions and none of them were good for their neighbor to the north.

His being a Colonel could possibly result in him being held and that didn't even began to address me. Officially, I had an identity manufactured by the PRC, but any kind of modern customs check would find my implants and puppet status. The procedure was new and controversial enough that questions would be asked.

And the implant would not allow me to lie, at least under normal circumstances. It could keep me from answering, which bought up the point of Feng reactivating whatever he'd shutdown with those codes which I couldn't understand.

“We have no choice.” He sighed.

“Ignatyevo Tower this Flight 214.” I began. “Bring us in.”

An hour later I was carefully following directions. Compared to the trainers and gliders most of my limited experience had been in, this MA600 really was like a truck. However, it was also very forgiving which was a good thing. It was designed to be exactly that, a very reliable flying truck or in this case a bus.

Even still I found myself enjoying the experience of the challenge.

There was a tense moment when we announced our intention to Heihe Tower to land at Ignatyevo airport which served Blagoveshchensk. China was rather crazy about domestic flights landing in other countries, emergencies or not. Fortunately they simply acknowledged our intention. It wasn't as if anywhere in China would give us clearance to land and our fuel wouldn't last forever.

However, from just overhearing the chatter, the towers were landing everything else that wasn't hazardous as fast as they could. The sky was clearing fast.

As much as I loved being in the air again, that made me just as eager to land this bird. Some times the friendly skies, aren't. That was made very certain as we passed over the Amur river, the border into Russia.

A pair of Russian Su-35's with their rotating vector thrust nozzles making them able to fly slow enough for a lumbering crate like the MA600, took a good look at us. Supposedly they were our escorts, but it was plain Russia wasn't taking any chances of the War drifting over their borders.

Then things got busy as I juggled decent rates, and had the occasional frantic search for this control or that readout. However, the moment wheels hit the tarmac, I knew that I had stuck the landing. Reversing thrust with the prop pitch, I killed our velocity as we rolled to a stop.

Behind me, I heard the shouts of happiness from the passengers who'd perhaps hadn't enjoyed my joy-ride as much as I had. That did not keep me from letting a very long breath I hadn't known I was holding.

Welcome to Russia.

Looking up at Feng, I half-expected to hear him to say something else, I couldn't comprehend, but instead he turned inscrutable Asian on me. Releasing my harness, I appreciated his aid helping me up. I didn't understand just how tense that few hours behind the stick had been.

Raised under older more disciplined traditions, he'd always restricted his public displays of affection to holding hands or, rarely, hugs. However, this time I wasn't giving him a choice as I hugged him tight and lightly kissed his lips.

The airport's people herded us off the plane as fast as they could so the next wounded Chinese plane could seek a roost. It wasn't as lucky as ours. Overshooting the landing, the twin engine jet ended up in a ruin at the end of the runway. As the army of rescue vehicles responded, I could see that all of Alright Airlines Flight 214 knew that could've been their fate, except for one pregnant Chinese woman on a very strange journey.

Then came the officials.

Since this was to be a domestic flight, very few carried passports, myself included. All we had were our Resident Identity Cards. Customs was pretty simple. They wanted to know who we were and then, at the earliest possible opportunity, we would be bused and ferried back to Hehei. Of course with other aerial refugees still coming in that would wait till we could all be shipped back together.

There was a tense moment when Feng surrendered his service weapon, but besides keeping an eye on him everything seemed alright. You know what they say about speaking too soon.

“Mrs. Wang may we speak with you about the flight?” A burly Russian asked, making it plain this was not a request.

“Alone.” His sidekick glared at Feng, as my husband began to stand to come with me.

Grasping his hand, to my baby bump. “We will be fine.” I assure him.

There was a woman also with them, but she didn't appear any less imposing particularly to the very willowy me. Either of the three could've broken me like a slender stick without effort I might add.

“Mrs. Wang,” Surprisingly it was the woman who spoke. “We have some questions. We see you are a recipient of therapeutic implants but there are no records of this, although such things are relativity new. You also told Capt. Cheong that you were a pilot, but again there is no evidence of the claim. Can you clear up the confusion?”

“The truth might seem like the strangest fiction you're ever heard,” I began. “But for the moment I appear to have a measure of freedom.”

“My birth name was Johnny Ohana. I'm a 2nd lieutenant United States Air Force. I was captured following a bombing mission into …

For some strange reason that's completely beyond me, they believed my story. I wouldn't have and I lived it! They wouldn't let me see my Colonel after that. They feared he would re-lock my programming. There's no need to go into a lot of detail into what came next since most of it was a lot waiting.

I was treated well, and when things did change, I got a laugh out of it. The expression on the US Embassy military attache's face when I gave the correct, although outdated pass phases, was a sight to see.

Not so nice was the extremely thorough examination I received at an undisclosed US military hospital in Europe. I don't know if they thought I was carrying some kind of secret plague or what, but I had the pleasure of seeing them acknowledge that I was who I said I was. The DNA testing suggested I was my sister, if not me. Since I was the only remaining Ohana, I had to be who I said I was.

The other good news was that I hadn't lost my Hawaiian heritage. The way the doctors explained it, somehow those genes had been turned off, but they were still there. That meant that my children would inherit the family's Hawaiian heritage.

Unfortunately, I had to listen to their opinion that my babies were products of rape and they advised me to abort. Personally I think they just wanted to experiment on the fetus, given what was done to me, but I flatly told them, no.

“I'll never be trusted to fly so much as a corp-duster again, much less a fighter.” I told them. “I know I've been conditioned to think and act like this, but I'm content with my pregnancy. Further more I've been poked, podded, and experimented on enough by the Chinese and don't need you to join the club.”

Bizarrely, it worked.

Then again my CIA handlers from my Shadow Flier training days made an appearance and right after that, the doctors shut up. Really I think it was that last effort at proving exactly who I really was since they had known and worked with me. I must've been really convincing because not more than a day later I was on a plane back to the states. Personally, I think everyone knew more about this gene reformatting/turning off thing than they let on. Yours truly was only a representation of how the other side did things.

Speaking of which, China's nuclear deterrent forces had gotten pasted. The news media didn't know the details, and for once not a soul was leaking anything out of Washington DC. Part of what was known was that the rest of China's 'power-sats' had been knocked down, and the replacements for the ones my and fellow Shadow Fliers had knocked down were burning wreckage on their launch pads.

If it really was The Shadow Flyers who did the job or not, I was told it was classified. Personally, I preferred to think that it was us that broke the back of the Chinese Red Dragon. That way the sacrifices of those who winged their way across the night skies weren't for nothing. They meant something and had value

All that faded to irrelevance as my C-37A Gulfstream V plane touched down at Andrews AFB. I'd been a little surprised at the VIP treatment, but had learned, of all the Shadow Fliers, I was the solitary survivor.

That made the occasion even more poignant for me as I stepped off the plane. I had made it back.

I was home.

Two years later.

I stood waiting at John Wayne International looking for his flight. Little Feng and his twin sister Hui were napping, worn out by all the new sights and my own anxiety over all of this.

Despite everyone saying different, I was determined to see this though. My therapist said it was a bad idea. My Doctor said it was a bad idea. My Veteran Administration case worker said it was a bad idea.

Even my cousin Aolani wasn't any too sure, but I'd argued it'd been two years. If I wasn't over him yet without that computer in my head pushing, then there was more to it than just being programmed to be his wife.

A real jewel, she'd laughed and hugged me saying, “You're just a horny bitch with two kids and no time to go looking for someone to scratch your itch.”

Looking her in the eyes, I'd replied, “And who has just ended her third marriage with three brats of her own?”

We'd both dissolved into laughter and tears holding each other. She'd saved my sanity in a very real way, taking responsibility for me after I'd been released from the shrinks. The Air Force had given me a box full of medals with classified citations, a medical retirement and 100% disability.

However, I still had that computer in my head because trying to remove it would probably kill me. After the war ended, very politely a request was made for the codes to that damn implant. The Chinese as expected, ignored it and claimed I was a Chinese citizen who'd been kidnapped against her will. Going to plan B, an agency who won't be named cracked the code in a single afternoon, letting me know in no uncertain terms how vulnerable I was. Anyone with that string of numbers and letters could control me.

The sad fact was, no matter how advanced there were limits to how much you could jam into anyone's head without causing more problems than you were solving. That only left just so much room and space for security. With a little help from that same agency we came up with a layered plan to keep my head free of unwanted guests. Excuse me, but I'm not going into details for real good reasons. However, so far it'd worked, even though I'll have to live with the threat of someone taking me over, for the rest of my life.

As depressing as that might be, I had my twins and Aolani's brood too, family, to hold onto. I was taking classes to complete the degree I'd begun at the Air Force Academy, going into education and science. Perhaps I would never fly the cutting edge stuff again, but just maybe being able to inspire the next generation to strap on a plane or rocket and aim for infinity would be enough.

Goodness knows the good old USA needed some goals. The War had served up a big unpleasant piece of Humble Pie to America. Sure we had triumphed, but we would be paying the bill for a long time. The ships, submarines, and aircraft lost were only the material things lost. The skilled soldiers, pilots, and sailors were even more valuable and couldn't be replaced anywhere near as easily. Additionally, the War had reached American soil and Hawaii's wound would be a long time healing.

In a lot of ways we were like Great Britain right after WWII. We were still a world power, but we weren't THE world power anymore. Twilight's last gleaming had come to our shores.

The League of Nations that'd been birthed by WWI had failed to prevent WWII. The United Nations was a step in the right direction, but it too had failed to prevent WWIII. Would the United Nations new mandate be any more effective at preventing the next war? We could only hope and pray, but most of all stay vigilant and take nothing for granted.

One eye watched the arrivals monitor while another looked at the aircraft landing, taxiing, and being guided to the passenger terminal. Perhaps, I would never fly as high as I once had, but still I'd manged to soar. The glider club I belonged too was a gawd send although it was a real trick to keep up the dues on my limited income. That's not adding in finding the time with tending to the twins, going to school, and attending to my on-going medical care.

Still I managed.

Checking my appearance in the window's reflection, I smiled as I saw his flight make its way to the terminal.

My cousin gently elbowed me as she rolled her eyes.

Grasping the twins' two-seater stroller, we headed to the arrivals gate. My cousins' own stroller with her youngest, Susan, had her other two older children holding on to it as we walked though the busy airport.

While Aolani might not have objected to this reunion, she said, in no uncertain words, she didn't trust him. Besides, she and her brood made chaperones par excellent. At least she was more accepting of my decision than my other minders. They saw him as my jailer and abuser.

The only reason they didn't actively try and stop this meeting is because the same computer that caused me so much turmoil also recorded he'd never mistreated me nor even gotten very kinky despite having every opportunity. The whole libido thing really was apparently natural to me now although I had learned to use that same computer to moderate it down to more normal levels. Which didn't do anything about making my cousin tease me any less over my purchase of batteries for my … toys.

By this time little Feng and Hui had caught on something was going on and had wakened. Yeah I know traditional Chinese naming conventions didn't do the junior thing, but little Feng and Hui were named in honor of my maternal grandparents. The traditional Chinese could go and, okay I won't go there, but I did think it.

My heart skipped a beat as he came into sight. A warm feeling filled me as I saw his eyes searching the crowd just as intently as mine when I was looking for him.

Without conscious thought I found myself in his arms for the first time in two years. For once he put aside his Chinese reserve and hugged me just as passionately. Then looking into each others eyes, we both blushed red.

Burying my face against his shoulder, I whispered, “I've missed you. Why did you ever let me go?”

“Because, I knew they would hold you in Russia, and no one was firing nuclear weapons at them. There, you and the children would be safe.” He replied with his face nuzzling my hair.

“And because it was the right thing to do.” Feng said softly. “I had no idea if you truly cared for me or if it was imposed. Perhaps I did spend too much time in the West, because I want something else besides duty and obeying traditional obligations even if you do look like the woman out of my dreams.”

“You mean a pale anorexic who is all legs and boobs?” I teased. Eventually I had come to terms with my appearance. My cousin had helped in a weird way since she'd become jealous after I'd slimmed back down to rail thin after my pregnancy. Well, almost because after breast feeding the twins, I was even more buxom.

“Yes,” was his simple reply. His arms around me were more than enough additional explanation.

I looked up into his eyes. “We both know I was programmed to desire you and feel certain ways when with you. However, you never gave me any reason not to care or dislike you even after that was 'turned off.' In fact, I'm amazed you didn't try to punish or hurt the 'pilot' who bombed your country.”

“Who would never have been there if the leaders I'd followed had been as wise or as competent as they claimed.” He countered. “That same person had the audacity to very nearly escape while I ran hither and yon chasing them, not realizing you had walked right by me. I admired your courage, skill and once I began to know you, your compassion and heart.”

“So shall we try again, from the beginning?” I asked, smiling.

“From the beginning.” He nodded, taking my hand. “Hello, I'm Wang Feng, formerly a detective from China.”

“Hello yourself,” I blushed. “I'm Mei Ohana, now living in Temecula, California.” My Chinese marriage wasn't recognized by the world at large and so I used my maiden name, not that I'd ever been a maiden.

“Just to show you we have everything upside down and backwards.” I giggled. “Let me introduce you to our children.”

Arm in arm I led him to where my family and the future waited.