Chris did, in fact, start taking advantage of his pregnancy.
Not in a way the court could smell yet, but privately, yes. He delegated with the ruthless relief of a man who had finally been handed an excuse sharp enough to cut through his own habits.
Dax absorbed an unreasonable amount of it without complaint, which was alarming on its own. Killian took over entire chains of approvals with a serenity that suggested he'd been waiting his whole life for Chris to stop fighting rest like it was a moral failing. Sahir pretended he wasn't pleased, which meant he was deeply pleased, and began moving meetings around with the grim efficiency of someone preparing a city for siege.
The plan - agreed upon in that quiet, careful way important decisions were made between mates - was to wait until it was stable. To keep the circle small. To let only the people who would rather die than let anything happen to Chris know first: Rowan, Andrew the Chief of Security, Killian, and Sahir.
