Never let it be said that Hank was slow on the uptake. He caught her subtle hints that she hadn't told Remy yet. The way he maneuvered Remy out of the lab answering his questions without saying anything was masterful. He should have considered a career in politics instead of science.

She wasn't ready for Remy to know yet. There was too much to figure out. The panic list was growing. Not only did she have to worry about telling Remy, mutant factors, and whether or not to breast feed, Hank had called her down here because something was wrong.

"I mentioned that I was concerned about your leukocytes. I have checked our procreating Cajun's medical records. He also has a positive Rh factor. Normally, hemolytic disease affects mothers who have negative blood types with babies who have positive Rh factors. This is not accurate in your case but consider Remy's mutant factor I wanted to explore it further. I have run a few more tests on your samples and frankly I am baffled by the results."

"Baffled? Hank, have mercy on us non-geniuses. Spit it out, preferable in words of three syllables or less." Kyler crossed her arms over her chest. She did not like this at all. If something was wrong with the baby she wished he would just say so. She must have done some serious sinning to deserve these kinds of worries.

"In addition to your elevated leukocytes, your protein levels are high and your glucose levels are decreased. I think a full body scan would be beneficial. If there is any abnormality that is causing curious results the scan will find it."

Now, she was scared. This sounded like more than a simple infection her body might be fighting off. Best to get it over with so the curing can start. "Okay. When and where?"

"When is now. Where is in the second door on the left of the X-ray room. If you are not carrying large amounts of steel or iron, what you are currently wearing will suffice." He led her to the described door. "The diagnostic device I would like to use is of Shi'ar origin. I have used it countless of times. You won't feel a thing."

"Uh huh. Isn't that what the dentists say before they stick a five inch needle in your face?" She stepped inside the doorway and looked around.

There were several advanced looking machines strategically placed around the room. A fancy coffin type device near the center of the room attracted her immediate attention. It was twelve feet in length and five feet in diameter. The florescent green color with metallic tones probably added to its visibility. The Shi'ar must like attractiveness as well as serviceability in their medical equipment.

Hank led over to the coffin and helped her lay in the concave surface. "You will be engulfed by the table. There is no reason to fear suffocation. The oxygen levels will remain constant. It will only take a few moments. Are you claustrophobic?"

"A little late to be asking don't you think?" He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "No, I am not claustrophobic. Turn this do hickey on and let's get this over with."

"Very well. Try not to worry Kyler. I will be right here."

Her face softened into a smile. "Thanks, Hank. You've been really kind."

He didn't answer her verbally only smiled at her and activated the table. She expected humming or some type of whirling noise normally associated with X-ray machines when the table lowered her into its depths. The silence she received was disserting.

Three mentally counted minutes later the table raised her back to the surface. She sought Hank out and found him pouring over a printout. The expression on his face sent waves of fear through her.

"What's wrong?" The words sounded garbled even to her ears.

"It appears a hermetically sealed implant has been causing the unusual blood work."

"Excuse me? Where is it? How did I get it? And how could anybody plant such a device inside the human body?"

"The implant is surrounded by an organic casing. It is located near the occipital lobe of your brain. It appears to be accessing your ophthalmic and otic sensory nerves." She gave him a blank look. "It appears to be activated by what you are hear and see."

"What do you mean activated? What is it doing?"

"The implant has the configuration of a recording device. For the moment I would have to hypothesize that it is doing just that, recording."

"Is it recording everything? Is it recording my shower singing or does it only turn on when I'm talking to another person." Her cheeks turned pink at the thought of the other things it might have recorded.

We won't know until Cerebro has access to it."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "I didn't know it was possible to access chips housed in organic tissue. How is Cerebro going to accomplish that?"

"The implant will have to be removed so we can study it without harming you. The scan showed a relatively simple device. There is no detonation mechanism on the implant."

"Always nice to know." She was beginning to feel faint again. "We are talking about cutting open my skull and digging into brain matter aren't we?"

"All surgeries have risks, however, I don't for see any complications. The implant isn't imbedded very far."

"The coffin told you all that?"

"Coffin?" Kyler patted the Shi'ar table she was still sitting on. "Oh I comprehend now. Yes, we are extremely fortunate to have such a diagnostic tool at our disposal. It has saved many an X-man in its day." He offered her his arm and helped her down. "There is much to do. I need to get a room set up for you and we will have to inform the professor immediately."

"The professor?" She echoed his words again.

"The professor will have to be made aware of this latest development. He will might also wish to do a mind probe to locate any possible memories of receiving the implant."

Hank let her pull them to a stop. "Hank, is it really necessary. I am traumatized not stupid. It is pretty apparent who stuck it in my head and why. I would prefer that Charles not go swimming through my mind.'

"Is your reluctance due to your maternal state?"

"Well, yeah. It is. I want to keep it to myself for awhile. I need...I need time to figure out what I am going to do."

"How much time will you require before you explain Gambit's fatherhood? You are going to inform him aren't you?"

Did he really think it was so black and white? What if Remy didn't want to be tied to her by a child? "He may not want to know."

Hank heard the sadness in the words. He felt she should tell the young Cajun post haste but he wasn't sure if he should interfere. They had more pressing problems anyway. The baby issue could wait, the implant couldn't. "Discovering who the culprit is important. May I suggest you explain you tell the professor before he does the probe so he will not be startled by the news? He's a wise man. You can trust him."

"I do trust him." She started for Charles' study. "And Hank," She was almost out the door when she finished her sentence. "I trust you too."

To be continued