Origins Origins Breakaway + 4 yrs, ~ 9 months
Attention all sections Alpha, this is Commander Koenig.
Up to now, we have delayed families until a colonizable planet was located. This is no longer an option.
Our numbers are small, and as I have recently been reminded, even desperately small; but, Alpha is made up of the best and brightest Earth has to offer, and I believe we have the means to overcome this limitation.
Plans are being reviewed to expand Alpha, and these now are on Computer for review. More difficult will be the need to set aside certain cultural and personal expectations in order to conceive the children our community, perhaps even our species, needs to survive.
We have overcome incredible odds. By all statistical calculations we should not still be here; but, here we are. And I believe we can continue to survive until we find a planet suitable for Operation Exodus.
Please review the plans on Computer, discuss them, and forward suggestions to your section head. Updates will be provided on a weekly basis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandra was dressing, examining her reflection in the mirror critically as she smoothed her uniform front down over her gravid belly. “Alan, I am beginning to look like a pregnant whale,” she complained to her husband who was standing just behind her watching.
“Nah, only like a pregnant dolphin.”
Sandra turned and swatted Alan. “Dolphins are whales.”
“I know, but much smaller and cuter.” He gave her a peck on the cheek and hopped out of the way before another retaliatory swat could manifest. Alan was delighted at Sandra’s playfulness; she still tended to be overly solemn much of the time. Pregnancy seemed to be kind to her. She never did have morning sickness or the profound fatigue so many of the others did. The explosion in OutLab 2 had had no untoward affects. And, if anything, she was more amorous since she had become pregnant to Alan’s enthusiastic encouragement. As Helena had said at the last check-up, some women were simply designed for easy pregnancies.
Sandra was now 22 weeks pregnant and finally beginning to show. All Alpha was now aware of the eight pregnancies courtesy of the Alphan underground gossip net, and bets were being placed on due dates.
The newest, eighth, pregnancy was of Helena herself. The father was assumed by Alphans to be John Koenig, but while Sandra and Alan had their doubts, they held them very private. The situation overshadowing Tony and Maya did stretch to include John and Helena. Magus had tried to interfere with both couples.
Sandra would not presume to inquire and Helena did not volunteer. Time would most likely tell.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I warned you, John, some of these plans have stirred up a right hornet’s nest,” Tony started out at the command staff dinner meeting, gesticulating emphatically with his fork to make his point. “I’ve had several reports that, uh, ‘discussions’ have become so forceful that the participants had to be separated, with the threat of a stun gun on one occasion.”
“We’re asking a lot of some people, Tony,” Helena interjected softly, sipping her drink. “It may take a generation, even several, for such significant cultural shifts to be accepted. As it stands, we are fortunate that just about everyone on Alpha is receptive to a sound, logical argument. We simply must have the greatest genetic diversity possible for the next generation.”
“It seems the men are having more issues with this than the women. Is that to be expected?” asked Maya looking between the faces of her friends and finally settling on Sandra for an explanation. In the weeks since their shared experience surviving the explosion in OutLab 2, she had found the quiet woman becoming more of a confidant.
Sandra put down her utensils and organized her thoughts to answer Maya. “Earth’s history is predominately one of patriarchal societies. It was only in the last one hundred years before Breakaway that significant progress was made in women’s rights and initiatives, and even then some societies and religious groups did not support parity. That is one reason why some ethnic groups are under-represented on Alpha. The Space Commission decided after the Global War of 1987 that any government that uniformly suppressed a group based on race, religion or gender would not be invited to join the member organization that built and staffed Alpha.”
“And even in the societies that made great strides for equal rights, some individuals were not as progressive. Family, tradition, and religion still hold great sway,” added Helena, with a surreptitious glance at Tony.
Maya looked thoughtful. Tony was definitely having some issues with the idea that those Alphan women who proved fertile would need to bear children by more than one man. He was, she felt, trying to be more open-minded. Given the situation that they seemingly could not have a child together, and given her great desire for a child, he had to reconsider some very entrenched thoughts. Maya knew that Tony belonged to the religion known as ‘Catholic,’ and her studies showed that to be a very patriarchal society, indeed.
Alan sat quietly and ate his dinner, always vigilant for the ever-present and dreaded mushrooms dietary so liked to add. Except for Sandra and Helena who knew of his doctoral research, no one expected Alpha’s chief pilot to have much to add to such a discussion, and he did not volunteer. It sounded much better coming from the doctor. In any case, his Australian and Anglican heritage meant he had little problems with gender equality; but, given the looks Tony was sending in his direction, he expected questions from that one on how he felt about Sahn having someone else’s child.
The Commander turned the conversation to the progress of the physical expansion of Alpha.
Attention all sections Alpha:
Starting at 0800 hours tomorrow, progress on the expansion and reorganization of the residential block will begin. This will require section B to be evacuated. Those affected will have received notice of temporary quarter’s assignments.
A few days after the meeting, Tony volunteered to fly co-pilot with Alan on a routine short-range flight survey. It was a good change of routine for the Chief of Security, but more to the point, it bought him some time to speak with Alan without inopportune interruptions.
“So, how’s Sandra doing?” Tony asked once they were safely up and heading out. It seemed like a safe enough opening bid.
“Absolutely no problems, according to Helena. The little one is doing somersaults all the time,” Alan added with a smile.
Staring steadily out the front viewport of the Eagle, Tony was at a loss at how to get to his real question, thankfully, Alan seemed willing to talk more.
“She’s already thinking about having the next child, but Medical is insisting on a minimum one year break. I don’t know if Sahn will be willing to wait that long.”
Tony looked over to Alan, finally deciding that the direct approach might be best. “What do you think about the two child limit?”
“It’s necessary,” Alan shrugged.
“But?”
Alan sighed. “No, Tony, I’m not that happy about the idea of Sahn having somebody else’s child, but what choice does Alpha have?”
“I don’t know… I just really don’t like the idea of another man making love to Maya,” and Tony’s hands tightened involuntarily on the controls.
Alan shot a glance at Tony. How such an intelligent man could be so dense….. “Tony, mate, have you ever heard of in vitro fertilization?” The dumbfounded look on Tony’s face was priceless.
Attention all sections Alpha:
Any personnel with experience or information concerning furniture making, especially rocking chairs and cradles, are requested to notify the Manufacturing division.
All old-style uniforms are requested by Laundry. Forwarding of any patterns for infant, toddler and child garments would be appreciated.
At 26 weeks pregnant, Sandra was becoming used to having people watch over her. Surprisingly, the most solicitous of all was Commander Koenig who kept a careful watch over any pregnant Alphan in eyesight. He was, she suspected, seeing the future of Alpha. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the Commander speaking quietly with Alan, although the voices were pitched too quiet for her to hear the conversation. If it was relevant to her, she would find out from Alan later. She shared a smile with her husband, and then returned her focus to her work.
“I don’t understand why you haven’t grounded her yet, Alan,” asked Koenig in a quiet tone. “What if she crashes?”
“It’s a risk we all take,” Alan shrugged, although not completely comfortable with the idea himself. “And, well, the Chief Pilot has had no reason yet to pull her. She does always fly with a co-pilot.” Alan had made damn sure either he or Bill was always available for that duty. “Unless you can get the CMO to medically make a call, I’m stymied. I’m only her husband.”
“I see your point.” John Koenig sighed. He knew better than to try to coerce Helena to use her medical authority against her better judgment. The shifting lines of authority in such a small community of strong-willed interrelated people were an ongoing challenge.
“She keeps saying that she doesn’t want a precedent set where pregnant women are ‘mollycoddled.’ Apparently there was a book series she read as a girl where a spaceship crashed on a remote planet. The survivors protected their pregnant women to the point where they were reduced to chattel. Some even ended up wearing chains, I believe.” Alan shook his head in disbelief. “Anyhow, it made a great impression on her. She says that in no way will she contribute to that on Alpha.”
“Sandra said that?” Koenig looked over to Sandra at her console, frankly surprised, trying to reconcile this with the quiet, almost mousy woman he had known for years. But then again, she had been the first person to gain flight credentials since Breakaway, and that was no small accomplishment.
Leaning back in his chair and rolling his eyes with mock frustration, Alan added, “Yeah, and you should try living with her!”
Attention all sections Alpha:
The main cafeteria will be closed for the next 96 hours as facilities are modified to accommodate infant food preparation. Please anticipate the crowds at auxiliary cafeterias and stagger dining times accordingly.
At 30 weeks, Sandra and Helena both agreed that it was time to defer flying. Alan let out a mental sigh of relief. Even though Sandra had voluntarily limited herself to very short-range, lunar based flights, it had all gotten to be a bit much for his nerves.
Fiona Lyndon, one of Helena’s young and talented nurse practitioners, had recently decided to specialize in obstetrics with Helena’s full blessings and encouragement. She organized the first childbirth classes and requested that Shermeen and Sandra along with the other women in their third trimester attend. There was the expected good natured ribbing as husbands and partners dutifully accompanied their gravid mates. Alan gave as good as he got and was having a wonderful time.
“So, Sahn, what is your idea of ‘relaxing imagery’?” Alan asked as they took a travel tube back to their distant quarters.
Sandra thought, “I always loved the visits my family took to beaches as we traveled around the world. Sri Lanka and Hawaii were especially beautiful.” Alan listened intently; Sandra spoke of her family and childhood very rarely. Questions were usually gently deflected.
“Did you ever make it to Australia?”
“Yes. I vaguely remember taking a visitor’s trip as a child to the Great Barrier Reef. I always planned to go back, one day.”
They both sat silently, thinking of Earth.
“Well, then,” said Alan, one arm gathering Sandra close to him and the other hand reaching out to gently turn her face toward his, “one day, when we find our new home, you and I and the children will have to land an Eagle on the prettiest, widest beach and have a picnic. We can swim in the surf and watch the dolphins jump in the waves. The skinny dolphins,” he added with a wicked twinkle in his eye. Sandra laughed softly and gently kissed him, and then rested her head on his shoulder with a contented sigh.
Attention all sections Alpha:
Maintenance Section announces the resumption of normal laundry hours with the completion of infant personal hygiene processing facilities. It is requested that only two days worth of wardrobe per Alphan be initially submitted.
Helena’s and Fiona’s obstetric skills were finally tested when Shermeen Collins delivered Alpha’s second child…. a beautiful boy named Adam, as he was the first child conceived as well as born on Alpha. George Crato won the ‘preggers pool’ with his remarkably precise guess on date and gender.
A cleft in Adam’s soft palate was surgically repaired by Dr. Ben Vincent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All of Alpha was uneasy. By the old Terran calendar, today was September 13th, the fifth anniversary of Breakaway, and by unspoken agreement it was a day of Alpha-wide mourning. This year, the joy surrounding the births and the promise of renewal made things easier, but people were still distant and thoughtful. That Sandra looked slightly uncomfortable and just a little distressed went unremarked upon.
“Eagle 15’s repairs are just about done, would you like to go see, Sahn?” asked Alan as they completed a watch in Command Center.
Sandra nodded her acceptance, allowing Alan to help her out of her chair. She had been feeling uncomfortable for the past few days and appreciated the chance to get up and walk around. Her lower back was constantly achy and she had frequent Braxton-Hicks contractions that were distracting and uncomfortable, although Fiona said they were harmless and just ‘practice contractions.’
The Eagle under discussion had been ‘crisped’ by the mysterious energy storm that had hit Alpha shortly before Alan’s and Sandra’s marriage. During its repair and reconditioning, it had been decided to modify it into a ‘crèche’ Eagle for the safe transport of children. It would include supplies to provide for up to 10 children, two adult caretakers and two pilots for a maximum of fifteen days. Once all the bugs had been worked out, there were plans to modify at least two more transport pods for similar duty.
Alan and Sandra met up with Frederick Alexander, a very formal, upper-crust Bostonian, in the pressurized work area of Eagle Maintenance Bay 3. He was another medical staff member who, like Fiona, had decided to expand upon his training. He was very interested in what the Eagle Maintenance team had devised as he was to be Alpha’s first pediatric nurse practitioner and in charge of all things children. Helena had given her ready blessing as none of the doctors on staff had had any formal training or real interest in pediatrics, although all were hastily reviewing available literature. It was turning out very providential indeed that Alpha had been a storage depot for vast amounts of cached information due to its available vacuum storage facilities.
“G’day Fred, how are you?” asked Alan. He liked talking with Frederick; he
had never heard an American accent quite like his. All the ‘r’s seemed to be
missing.
“Quite well, thank you. Alpha appears to be just about ready for our population boom. How are you doing Sandra?” Frederick looked down at Saundra and noticed that she appeared slightly uncomfortable.
“Ready for this child to be born,” sighed Sandra in the age old plaint of all pregnant women.
“Well, you are at 35 1/2 weeks, so I imagine you have a while yet. First time mothers almost invariably go long.”
They walked up to the Eagle and Alan assisted Sandra up the steps to the transporter pod’s doors. He pressed the correct button and the doors opened. Just past the walkthrough Alan stopped. “The first safety check is here. The door will not open from the inside unless one of several procedures is followed. An adult voice code can be programmed, or a regular adult commlock using a special keycode will work. If all else fails,” Alan said pointing toward two pads at head height, “adult sized hands on either side of the door pressing on these pressure pads will work, even yours Sahn,” he said picking up one of Sandra’s hands and placing her slender fingers against his, palm to palm. Still holding Sandra’s hand, Alan showed her and Frederick the modified safety seats to fit any age infant or toddler and then walked them through the rear storage, modified food preparation and sanitary areas. Safety seals and simpler push-pull baffle latches abounded.
Frederick nodded his head, impressed. “Even though the Eagle’s gravitational manipulation and inertial modification systems will minimize most of the forces, having infants fly will be a last step measure. We have no idea yet what sort of forces an infant can tolerate.”
Tony stuck his head in unexpectedly, “So this is what you’ve been up to? I wasn’t sure what all the activity was about.” He walked in having been in the area during a routine security check. He paced through the Eagle peering into each nook and cranny.
Tony’s restlessness briefly distracted Sandra from her own discomfort. He was showing the uneasiness many Alphans felt on this date. They all missed their families left behind on Earth, but Tony had been one of the Alphans hardest hit with Breakaway injuries and depression that first year, and Sandra knew Helena had asked Maya to keep a discrete eye on him during this time.
“Captain Carter?” called a voice from outside the Eagle.
Alan left Sandra’s side and walked over to the entrance and looked out. “Yes, Kevin?” he answered the young Canadian pilot standing on the ground.
“Do you have a minute to check out Eagle 5? There’s a malfunction light I can’t figure out that shows up only on pre-flight.”
Alan turned his head to look back inside the Eagle, “Sahn?”
“Go on, Alan, I will just sit for a few minutes and wait.”
Something in Sandra’s voice nagged for Alan’s attention, but he couldn’t quite place his concern. He nodded in her direction and turned back toward Kevin. “Coming, mate.”
After Alan stepped out, Tony closed the doors to test the new systems. Frederick sat down by Sandra with a concerned look. “What’s wrong? And do not say ‘nothing.’ I’ve been doing this long enough to know when a patient is hiding something.”
“I am…” Sandra paused, looking inward, “feeling like something is about… to happen? It is too soon Frederick,” Sandra said in alarm as she looked at the nurse.
Frederick rested his hand on Sandra’s abdomen. What he felt brought a look of concern to his face. “Well, let us go to Medical Center and see if there is anything to be worried about. Tony, would you please open the door?”
Tony turned to look at Frederick. There was an odd tone to his voice, the deliberately calm tone medical people used when things might not be going well. The expression on Frederick’s face and the pensive look on Sandra’s caused Tony to turn quickly and hit the release to the door.
Nothing happened.
Muttering an expletive under his breath, he tried his commlock without success, and then recalling Alan’s explanations, placed his hand on the pressure pad, trying both of them… no success.
“Verdeschi to Carter.”
“Yeah, Tony.”
“We can’t open the doors and Frederick wants to get Sandra to Medical Center.”
“What’s wrong?” Alan’s face and voice immediately concerned.
“Maybe nothing. I’m not sure. Can you get here and open these doors from the outside?”
“En route, Carter out.”
“I think I should lie down,” Sandra said. Frederick and Tony exchanged looks.
“Okay, Sandra. Help me, Tony.” The men shifted things as much as possible and helped Sandra down. “Well, let’s see how much I remember from Fiona’s in-service review,” Frederick smiled reassuringly. He helped Sandra to disrobe enough for an exam. Tony searched through supplies and found blankets and a pillow. He worked to make Sandra as comfortable and modest as possible. The modesty may have been as much for Tony’s benefit as Sandra’s. There was a reason he had not signed up for more than the basic first aid all security personal had to take. It was all so very messy.
“Well, well. You seem to be making quite a bit of progress. It looks like you will be a mother before the day is out.”
Sandra looked panicked. “It is too soon!”
“Not that early, Sandra. Everything will be okay.” There seemed to be a ring of truth to the nurse’s voice that calmed Sandra a bit. “Alexander to Medical Center.”
“Russell here.”
“Doctor, Sandra Benes is in active labor but we are temporarily unable to make it to Medical Center.”
“Why? Where are you?” asked a puzzled Helena.
“Locked in Eagle 15 in Eagle Bay 3.”
There was a pause as Helena tried to comprehend why Sandra was locked in an Eagle with the pediatric nurse, and apparently without Alan. “Understood. I’ll be there immediately.”
There was the sound of someone trying to engage the manual door override from outside. Tony’s commlock beeped. “Tony, the bloody door is not answering to override commands. How is Sandra?”
Just then, Sandra’s water broke. He was right, very messy.
“I’m not sure Alan, but I think you are about to become a father.” The clanging on the door went up a notch.
“I think I need to push.”
“Just a minute, Sandra. Let me check again.” Frederick did so and found Sandra fully dilated and crowning. This was preceding at an unbelievable, almost unnaturally, quick pace. “Are you sure you haven’t been through this before, Sandra?”
“I… am …certain,” Sandra puffed.
Following the nurse’s directions, Tony got behind Sandra to provide physical support. And almost before Frederick could prepare a receiving blanket, Sandra was delivering her first born child, and Alpha’s first daughter.
After helping Sandra to lie back down, Tony took the slippery infant that Frederick passed to him. The hair was blond like Alan’s and the eyes a most amazing sea green. Tony wondered where in the gene pool they had come from as he wrapped the infant in his hastily removed jacket. As Tony stood and watched the infant wave tiny clenched fists, he felt something stir deep within, a desire to one day hold his own child, or Maya’s. Perhaps it wouldn’t really matter if they could not have a child together, as long as they could raise one together.
The clanging on the outer door was reaching truly impressive levels. Frederick finished tidying Sandra after all the necessary care had been given and helped her sit leaning against a seat. Just then, the stubbornly closed door finally opened and in burst Alan followed only a bit more sedately by Helena, Fiona and the Commander. Tony had a small laugh at the wide-eyed, frantic look on the pilot’s face. He somewhat reluctantly passed over the increasingly fussy, drying infant to her father who looked amazed to have such a bundle placed into his arms.
As Tony watched Alan fold his long legs and settle down to gather up an exhausted Sandra next to him, he realized that he had been wrong; the newborn’s thick hair was not blond, but a very striking, very unusual, and very unexpected shade of silver.
Attention all sections Alpha:
Welcome to Danae Lynne Carter, born yesterday at 1810 hours, weighing two point four kilograms. Congratulations to Captain Alan Carter and Data Section Coordinator Sandra Benes.
Helena and John watched Alan proudly escort his small family out of Medical Center and back to their quarters. John took Helena by the elbow and turned her toward her office where he encouraged her to sit down. He pulled up a chair for himself and patted his lab; Helena gratefully slipped off her shoes and rested her feet there. “I know the Eagle’s outer locks jammed, but I still don’t understand why the doors wouldn’t open from the inside,” Helena asked John.
“Alan feels like a complete idiot over that,” John snorted as her rubbed Helena’s swollen feet. “No one had yet been authorized for voice commands, the only commlocks with the proper codes were Alan’s and his maintenance teams’, and the touch panels weren’t connected yet.”
“Oh, dear. What a comedy of errors,” Helena chuckled, wiggling her toes happily. “Frederick did a lovely job handling the delivery. I still can’t believe how quickly Sandra delivered. She must have been in labor all day and attributed the pains wrongly to Braxton-Hicks contractions.”
John carefully lowered Helena’s feet to the floor and waited until she replaced her shoes. They stood and turned to walk to their quarters. As John linked arms with his wife he heard her chuckle again and shake her blond head, “how a security officer can be so squeamish!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandra was nursing the one week old Danae in one of her favorite, secluded locations. Unless Alan was running flight drills, the waiting room to Pad 5 was usually empty. It had a wonderful panoramic view of the stars, which was something she found she missed since Alpha’s relocation underground for safety concerns. It had initially been set up as a V.I.P. reception area, but those were now exceedingly few and far between. She had dimmed the lights and was thinking of nothing, immersed in quiet solitude with her daughter.
As Danae made contented little nursing noises, the door opened and Tony walked in. He lowered the lights even further and walked to the window, very deep in thought. He apparently also used Pad 5 for a retreat.
Sandra remained quiet. She was small enough, especially in these shadows, to go unnoticed.
The silence was maintained for ten minutes until Danae finished and then did what most contented babies do after a meal. The distinctive odor came to Tony’s attention and he turned to find the source. “I’m sorry, Sahn, I didn’t mean to intrude,” and turned to leave.
“Please stay, Tony. I would enjoy the company.”
“But…” he gestured to Sandra’s state of dishabille and the dozing infant at her breast.
“Oh, goodness gracious, you are not going to see anything that will embarrass me,” she said exasperatedly, “you have certainly seen more.”
Tony had to raise an eyebrow and smile at that simple truth. He settled in the chair across from Sandra and enjoyed the stars and the peaceful scene across from him. It was reminiscent of a Madonna and Child painting. Maya was entitled to that opportunity, he thought. He watched Sandra reach to her small baby kit and pull out a recyclable diaper. “Here, I’ll do that,” he offered as he leaned over to scoop the infant up with practiced hands and then accomplished the deed with expertise. “Mama Verdeschi made sure each of her boys could feed, burp, change and sing a little one to sleep. She firmly believed it took two parents to raise a child.”
Tony then stood before the starfield swaying gently, Danae snuggling down on his shoulder, and sang a charming Italian lullaby in a very clear baritone. Much better then Alan could sing in any language, Sandra admitted thoughtfully, if a bit disloyally.
Tony sat down gently, cuddling the sleeping Danae.
Sandra could see the wistful longing in Tony’s expression. “You and Maya will make excellent parents.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been thinking about that,” Tony mumbled, looking out at the stars.
“Tony…” and Sandra waited until he looked at her, “there are Alphans who will help. It will not matter if the child does not resemble her parents,” Sandra said looking fondly at her silver haired, green eyed daughter and then back to the Security Chief. “With the genetic damage we have all undoubtedly taken, it is a miracle that all we are seeing are minor mutations and repairable birth defects. Ask someone who you know will not impose himself on your relationship with Maya. I will help also.”
And while Tony sat trying to work through the implications of that last statement, the door opened and Alan walked in, pausing at the door just long enough to return his commlock to his belt. Tony vacated his chair and passed Danae over to her father. As Alan rearranged his daughter and situated himself next to Sandra, Tony glanced at Alan and then shared a long look with Sandra. She nodded her head slightly.
“Good-evening,” wished Tony, and with a thoughtful expression and unconscious formality, he inclined his head with European graciousness and stepped out to find Maya for a much delayed conversation.
“What was that all about?” asked a frankly mystified Alan.
“I believe I just volunteered your services,” said Sandra as she snuggled close to her mate, and thought to herself, just perhaps, mine as well.
MGK