"Okay, let me get this straight," Isabel said. "Liz is turning into a Sem because of this chemical alteration in the Sem Royal family anatomy, and I as the Princess and next in line if anything happens to you two before there's a child born may end up turning my future husband into a Sem too?"
"Or your lovers," Max said. "The Elder thought it might be sex related because he couldn't see how any chemical change could know if you and your partner were married or not."
"Ugh," Isabel replied, running her hads through her hair.
"So, if Alex's DNA starts altering then we know what you two have been up to, huh?" Michael said maliciously.
Isabel poked her tongue out at him.
"What's it like?" Maria asked Liz.
"Weird," Liz replied. "I mean, at first it was really scary... as you know... But it doesn't seem as bad now that I know what's going on. And I think I'm over the worst of it too."
"And that attempt on your life you mentioned," Alex said. "The... the SPM? Was that what you called it? They were behind it?"
Max nodded.
"I hate to think that their war with our parents is just going to start all over again," he said.
"What I'd like to know is why they've waited so long before coming after us again," Michael said. "Well, you. But let's face it, the YIRAAS found us years ago. If we assume that the SPM have a spy in the works, they probably would have found out straight away. Why not come after us then?"
Max shook his head.
"Who knows? I think it's safe to say that the YIRAAS have been discreetly keeping watch on us over the years. Maybe that had something to do with it? Given the Sem to Dath ratio, I don't think it would be hard to believe that they would prefer to wait until they had an advantage. And for that matter, we don't know that they didn't try in that time."
"Ugh," Isabel said. "Do we have to talk about this? I do not want to start imagining assassins out for my blood."
"Maybe you two should stay on the space station?" Maria said to Max and Liz. "Just to make sure."
"As low as the crime rate is on the station, with a third of the people there with some power capable of picking a criminal," Max replied, "I wouldn't rely on there not being any SPM member there. Besides, we've already paid the deposit on our new house in Roswell."
Liz grinned.
"And once the YIRAAS get through with it, there'll be so much security..." she shook her head. "Y'know, they've already started renovations and there's even talk of us having our own amplifier!"
"Your own one?" Maria repeated. "Whatever for?"
"Well, there are a few aliens in Roswell, I guess the abode of the Sem King and Queen is as good a place as any to hide it. But it's just talk at the moment. Especially as they can't decide whether it'll increase or decrease the risk to us. Frankly, unlike some human governments, the SPM are the only direct threat to us. Most of the YIRAAS threats tend to forget about the Sem Royalty," Max replied.
"What do you suppose the SPM have in mind? Y'know, in the unlikely event that they manage to get their own candidate to become the reigning monarch?" Alex mused. "Elaborate palaces?"
"Human slaves," Liz said pointedly. "They think humans are useless. No powers. Little more than minor inconveniences."
"I wonder what they would think of you, now that you're turning into a Sem," Maria mused. "Say, speaking of powers, you have any?"
"Oh! Well, they seem to think that my sparking is my atom manipulation at work."
"Ohhh, nifty."
"As for a specialty, I'm really not sure," Liz shrugged. "They also doubt that I'll get pregnant until the alteration is complete, but we should try to avoid that possibility until it is, just in case."
Maria looked wistful and sad at the same time at the mention of the word 'pregnancy'. She still felt the loss of her daughter.
"Wel, you both should be careful. Extra careful," Michael said. "I think if I were SPM, I'd want to knock you two off before any baby showed up. And for that matter, I'd probably be after you too, Izzy. As previously established, you are the next in line."
"Great. I thought I said I didn't want to talk about this?"
"I don't want to talk about it either," Liz remarked. "But until the SPM is disbanded, it is going to be a problem."
Isabel groaned and Alex put his arm around her shoulders.
"Don't worry, Izzy," he said. "I would never let anyone hurt you."