742 Doomsday On Earth (2)
With the matter with Xyrans having been settled, Ashton turned his focus towards more important things, namely Kro'Han's impending invasion of Earth. Ashton had already asked the Orion empire to be on the lookout for suspicious activities around the solar system. To which they had agreed and set countless ships continuously patrolling around the periphery. However, they were merely stealth ships that would serve as a warning beacon and were not allowed to engage the enemy, as Ashton wanted their main force to be stationed around Earth. But since the Orion empire also had to look after itself, they could only spare a few ships for the cause. That was one of the reasons why Ashton was so hell-bent on getting those Xyran ships. Since the Orions couldn't help in that situation, it only made sense for Ashton to deploy better and bigger ships for the sake of Earth's safety. Technologically advanced Nirvana was also helping them and had partnered with the scientists from the Tower. Together, they had worked hard and deployed thousands of satellites to convey the live feed of most of the solar system. Meanwhile, the Vampires were busy crafting and cultivating more gear and other necessary items for the impending war. Meanwhile, the werewolves were simultaneously. Everything was happening under Ava's watchful eyes, from training the soldiers to ensuring everyone was working harmoniously without messing with the plans of other factions. But even with all that preparation, the desperation in everyone's eyes was palpable. Although when together, none of them expressed their thoughts on the matter, in the lone moments, they couldn't help but wonder if all their efforts were even worth it.
They were worried, and rightfully so. They were gearing up to fight with a being with godlike powers. A being capable of creating planets from dust and destroying them like it was nothing. Yes, the Precursors required machines and technology to make it happen, but they were the only species that'd own such devices. Even though it was unlikely Kro'Han would've been able to get his hands on something like that, he already had a fleet of precursor ships under his command, so who knows if he had obtained the doomsday device as well. That scenario was Ashton's biggest source of worry. He had tried to look for the said device himself but failed. His knowledge of Precursor artefacts and technology was negligible. As such, obtaining anything useful in his fight against Kro'Han was next to impossible. All he could do was to fight the fucker head-on and hope for the best. "Hope... That's the biggest reason for any army's defeat," Ashton mumbled while lying in bed. "Hope for victory. Hope for survival. Hope this, hope that."
"But hope can also be the glue that binds everyone together," Anna replied, ruffling his hair. "There's no need for you to be so pessimistic."
Ashton sighed, conceding, "Yeah... I keep telling that to my head, but the damn thing is too stubborn." Anna opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, she got up and rushed into the washroom. Worried about her well-being, Ashton followed her, only to discover her puking her guts into the sink. The echo of retching sounds filled the small space as Anna hunched over the sink, her shoulders trembling with each heave. Ashton, unsure how to react, touched her back gently.
"Anna, are you okay?" Ashton asked, worried about her health.
"I don't know... Maybe I ate something bad." Anna, between laboured breaths, managed to mumble. Ashton, not entirely convinced by her explanation, continued to rub her back soothingly. "Either way, let me take you to the hospital. We should get you checked out."
Anna, still leaning over the sink, nodded weakly. Ashton helped her up and, supporting her, led her out of the washroom and towards the exit.
The journey to the hospital didn't take long. Upon arriving at the hospital, Ashton swiftly led Anna to the emergency room. The hospital staff recognised Ashton and cleared the way, allowing them immediate access to medical attention. While they were waiting for Ava to join them, Ashton couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Anna's condition than a simple case of food poisoning, as Anna suggested. Still, he prayed it wasn't anything serious. Too much was already going on in his life, and if something happened to Anna, then he didn't know what he'd do. "Ashton, what happened?" Ava asked as she rushed into the room and immediately went to check on Anna. "I'm not sure. We were talking, and then Anna suddenly felt unwell, and she's been vomited," Ashton explained. "She said it might be food poisoning or something, but I thought it was better to get checked either way."
Ava nodded and gestured for Anna to lie down on the examination bed. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine. Still, let me take a look."
Ashton stood by Anna's side, holding her hand for reassurance. Ava conducted a series of tests, her expression growing increasingly focused. The atmosphere in the room was tense as they awaited the results.
After what felt like an eternity, the reports arrived. Ava thoroughly went through the reports and finally looked up from her clipboard, her eyes wide with astonishment. She took off her glasses, looked directly at Anna, and smiled like Ashton had never seen her do before. "Well, you two just made me the happiest woman on this planet! Congratulations!" Ava said with a warm smile. "You're pregnant!"
"Pregnant?" Anna whispered, her eyes widening.
"Yes, pregnant," Ava nodded, her smile growing even more pronounced as she rushed to hug them both. "You're going to be parents."
Still processing the news, Ashton looked at Anna with a mixture of shock and joy. "You didn't know?"
"No, I didn't," Anna shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "I had no idea."
"Oh my god!" Ashton, overcome with emotion, pulled Anna into a tight embrace. "We're going to be parents!"
Ava, witnessing the tender moment between the couple, couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of joy. "I'm going to run more tests to ensure everything is okay, but it seems you're both in for a new and exciting chapter in your lives," Ava smiled and kissed both of their foreheads. "We might be in the midst of war prep, but this news calls for a celebration!"
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