“Until it becomes nutritionally self-supporting, the seedling depends upon reserves provided by the parent sporophyte.” - Britannica

Plants took a surprising amount of energy to care for given their stationary condition. Despite having worked as a researcher for years now, Quinn was still regularly surprised at how exhausted she ended each day. With only her mentor to work alongside, Quinn often found herself run ragged caring for the subjects of their horticultural research hub.

However, now that Esther - the eccentric expert running the facility - was well into her third trimester, she felt that it was only right she attempt to take on more of the laborious tasks. Frustratingly, the round-bellied woman (who was also, regrettably, the secret love of Quinn’s life) could not be pried from her precious plants, except when Quinn could convince her to take a few minutes rest with water and a snack. She was stubborn and obsessive and frankly, a nightmare to work with at times, let alone live with. That didn’t do anything to extinguish Quinn’s inconvenient crush, however much she hoped she it would eventually.

That was the main condition that came with working on a research ship adrift in space - you could not commute. They hovered just within the Q federation’s territory, giving them access to food, water and medicine if they were willing to make the trip to one of the planets clustered inside the border. Esther did not trust the Q federation, but she also did not deny the advantages of residing within their field of territory. Given how close they sat to the satellite border, they could always scarper if there was any truth in Esther’s suspicions surrounding stolen research and conspirational cover ups. Not that the hub was exactly a rocket racer of a ship, but it could bumble along if necessary. Life on the ship was all about bumbling along and pushing through for the sake of science.

The afternoon was creeping up on them. Quinn had managed to successfully barter Esther into a short rest, on the condition that she could observe Quinn drawing up her charts. Esther was nothing if not dedicated to seeing Quinn become as knowledgeable as she was. Quinn was uncertain how likely it would be that she could reach Esther’s level of genius, though, because this woman was a blathering ball of brilliance. Messy but remarkable. Mad but innately intelligent on another level to most people Quinn had ever met. Maybe that was why she could not bring herself to even consider moving on to another project, another ship, another subject of research. Or maybe it was that she was hopelessly and embarrassingly in love with her tutor. Quinn told herself it was a fifty-fifty split. It was not.

After only a handful of mixed nuts, Esther was already distracted by the letters that had been awaiting her on the desk pressed against the back of her office. Even this room was filled with more plants, surrounding her in large decorative clay pots. Enormous windows allowed her to survey over her life’s work, a monumental botanical garden housed in the heart of her ship.

“I have received a letter from the fertilisation clinic.” Esther announced, frowning at the creased paper in her hand. In her other hand, a pair of walnuts were hovering near her mouth.

“A problem?” Quinn asked, dragging her pencil along carefully.

Esther huffed. “They wish to remind me that I have not named any kin on my paperwork,” she said irritably.

“You don’t have any family,” Quinn replied distractedly.

“I know, that’s why I didn’t put anyone on the forms. But now it seems there are actually laws about fertilisation without a chain of responsibility!”

Quinn paused to give her mentor a look of deep concern. “How will that affect you?”

“Well, if I cannot find a family member to name on my paperwork, or get married before the birth, they will be required to notify the sperm donor.” She read the offending section aloud. “Once officially notified, the donor can choose to name themselves as a guardian to survey over the child’s welfare.” Esther sighed tiredly and popped the walnuts into her mouth. With her now free hand she twiddled with a rogue coil that had sprung out from her braids by her ear. Quinn watched her, knowing she would have more to say. Esther swallowed and continued, “A very sweet sentiment, but he will then have rights to make a custody claim for the child if he wishes! There does not even need to be an issue with my parenting capabilities for him to get a 25% share of the child’s time!”

“Essie, children do need a support net of people to watch over them…” Quinn reasoned quietly, keeping her hands busy with her stationery. Esther should know better than most how it feels to be without that safety net of responsible guardians.

Esther threw down the letter onto her desk. “I didn’t go to all that work to become pregnant only for some man to try and claim them later!”

“If you want to stop the biological father from attempting to make a claim, your only option is get married to someone willing to sign the birth certificate,” Quinn summarised. Family was not an option for Esther.

Her mentor sighed again, but this time sounding relieved. “Thank you for volunteering, you are a very generous soul,” she said sincerely.

Quinn spluttered, scattering her pencils and rulers across her own desk. “I-I didn’t-”

“No time now, though,” Esther said, standing from her seat with a soft groan, pressing a hand against her lower back momentarily. Apparently, the thought of her leafy companions imbued her with a shot of energy as she announced, “We have mineral levels that need recording!”

“No time now to discuss matrimony or no time to do the ceremony?” Quinn asked, flabbergasted. But Essie was already gone, hefting her baby bump between tall plants on her way to the soil trenches.

Quinn was frozen in place for a few minutes as she contemplated the implications of having just gotten engaged to her mentor. If Esther was serious… she would need to send a message to her mother. Could she get away with sending an instant message instead of a holo one? She didn’t know how she could possibly put on a believable performance if she had to record a holo message.

First, she would need to confirm how serious Esther was. Not that Esther ever joked about anything. Perhaps the pregnancy was causing her to be even more eccentric than usual and it would pass once the baby arrived. But once the baby arrived, she would need to have already found a family member or a marriage partner.

She gave chase, barrelling after the heavily pregnant woman who was cheerfully brushing her hands over leaves as she passed them.

“Wait a moment!” Quinn called.

Esther slowed but didn’t stop. She waddled along with a curious expression upon her beautiful face. She hummed her interest, a habit she had developed to encourage Quinn to continue speaking without bothering to ask her to elaborate.

Quinn squeezed her fists closed, fighting her nerves physically as though squashing the fear in her palms. “Essie, I will marry you on one condition only,” she said breathlessly.

“Hmm? You want a raise?”

“No, I want a chance.”

“A chance at what?”

“At you. If it doesn’t work out, I am happy to continue to be your wife on paper. But I want one shot at being your wife genuinely first.”

Another hum of interest, of encouragement.

Quinn flushed, suddenly feeling very foolish. “I think we would… be a good match.”

Esther ran her hands over her belly subconsciously as she seemed to take a moment to contemplate Quinn’s words. “I suppose so, it is not an option I had considered before.”

Quinn did her best not to feel hurt. “Never?” she asked softly.

“Had you?”

“Maybe once or twice,” Quinn mumbled. Once or twice an hour, every day since arriving on the ship to take her research assistant position. Years later and the pining was just as bad as it had been in those early days. At least now she knew the ship well enough that she had plenty of spots she could go and hide in to feel sorry for herself.

“How interesting. I apologise if I’ve missed any cues you have offered me, I am better at picking up on the behaviour of plants than humans.”

“Oh no,” Quinn stammered. “I- I have never… there was nothing to miss.”

Esther hummed but Quinn had nothing else to say. She looked away awkwardly and scrubbed a hand through her short silver hair.

“I was lying about not having considered you.” Quinn was startled, her head lifting in a sudden jerk to analyse Esther’s face. “I wanted to ensure I was giving you a chance to back out if you chose to. But that chance is gone now.”

It took Quinn a moment to locate her own mouth again. “That is no loss to me. I’ve already said which chance I want.”

“I hope you take advantage of it, then.” With those cryptic words, Esther whisked herself away to tend to her beloved flora.