"I had to go dumpster diving for all this," Peter tells her as he hands her tiny clothes that will fit the babies,  "but don't worry I washed all of it...several times.  I would have tried to buy something for them if I thought  I could,  but all baby item purchases are government regulated and you need a POP to even walk into the stores."

"What's a POP?" Venus asked as she took some of the clothes from him.

"It's a proof of purchase certificate for the babies.   I think it's to make sure that no Norms are reproducing."

Venus scowls, "Are Norms okay with not being allowed to have kids and buying their babies?"

Peter shook his head, "Probably not, my parents weren't, but there isn't a lot that they can do about it.   A sterilization drug is released into their water and food supplies."

Venus's eyes grow wide, "Why doesn't it work on us?"

"Who says it doesn't?" Peter asked.

Venus looked down at Dex, then back up to him.

Peter chuckled, "They," he gestured toward the twins, "weren't conceived out here in the real world."

"So, MB's aren't having babies in the real world?"

Peter shook his head, "Most of us are just getting to the age where we are thinking of settling down and starting families, at least most of the functional MBs."

Venus blushed, "Functional?"

Peter's eyes grew wide as he realized how she interpreted it.

"No, not like that, I meant mentally...not sexually. During the time where modified being programs were voluntary, a lot of those kids turned out to be, well, different."

"Different, how?"

He sighs, "They are like living computers.  They can compute facts, figure out problems that you give them, and even search their own vast minds for answers to questions you can give them, but they can't function outside of their programming.   They don't socialize, they have to be feed, they have to be bathed, and even changed like an infant.  Most of them can't even walk."

"Are their parents still taking care of them?"

Peter shakes his head,  "From what I understand when they figured out it failed, they recalled all the original MBs.  Some say they were terminated, some say they are all still alive computing military strategies and new MB formulas."

Venus ran her hand gently across Dex's silky hair, "What do you think?"

Peter shrugged, "I think it cost less to run a computer than to keep a human alive."

Venus's heart sank.  She didn't know the original MBs, but they were still like her.  And like her, the value of their lives meant nothing.   It wasn't a world that she wanted to raise Dex and Pepa in.

"Hey," Peter pulled her chin up to look at him.  He had a comforting smile to greet her gaze.  Even though he meant for it to cheer her up, it only made her heart ache more.  Peter was the only one that helps her feel safe in that crazy new world she was a part of.

Knowing he could wipe the sadness away, Peter redirected her attention back tot he clothes, "So will they work?"

Venus's eyes fluttered down to the small stack of clothes in his hand, "They're perfect, Peter, thank you."

"There are some cloth diapers in there too.  Probably not enough to get you through the amount that they use but hopefully it'll get you by until you get to New Anada."

"It's great, Peter, really."

Venus gently set Dex down and unwrapped him from the blanket.   The little lad didn't like leaving his warm cocoon, causing him to squirm and fuss.

Dex opened his eyes to see what was going on and soon a loud cry followed.

"He doesn't like being unwrapped," Venus stated as she quickly dressed him.

Peter sat down next to her and held onto Pepa, ready to trade off the babies as soon as Venus was done dressing Dex.

"It probably feels a lot colder to him.  I would complain too if someone pulled a blanket off me and left me stark naked in the middle of this tent."

Venus chuckled and gave him a sideways glance, "I'll remember that."

Peter smirked, "I didn't realize you were planning on stripping me down in the middle of this tent...I formally withdraw my previous statement."

Venus looks up at him, mouth gaped open, and cheeks flushed, "Peter!"

"I'm only joking," he chuckles, "well...sort of."

She gently nudges him and laughs, then hands him the clothed and wrapped up Dex in exchange for his sister.  Pepa seemed to be content no matter what anyone did to her.  The only time she fussed when she was hungry or soiled.  But even then she didn't seem to make much noise. 

Pepa contently laid there while her mother dressed her, and Peter tried to comfort her perturbed brother.

"What time are you making the announcement tonight?" Venus asked.

Peter's smile dropped slightly, "Tonight at dinner."

Pepa's blanket was soiled and Venus tossed it to the side before wrapping a cloth diaper around her daughter's tiny body, "I want to go tonight."

Peter looked over at her and shook his head, "You need to rest to rest.  We aren't going to say anything that I haven't already told you."

"I still want to be there," she told him, "this will be the last time we are all together, and I want to to have one last meal with the camp before you go."

She looked up at him, "This is the closest thing to a family I will ever know and before you all disappear I just want to spend one night together."

He looked deep into her eyes and sighed, "I'll come to get you before dinner then."

A stray dark strand of hair fell into her face and he gently tucked it behind her ear.  Venus leaned in to kiss him, but Peter pulled away and looked down at Dex leaving a confused Venus staring at him.

"I can't, V.  I can't let you kiss me today knowing that I'm going to leave you tomorrow."

"Are you not kissing for my sake?  Or yours?" she asked.

His gilt filled eyes looked up at her again, "Both."