by Amy Thomson
Moki nodded. “Yes. A sister.” He left his precarious perch and came and sat on the edge of the bed. “You will not be alone, siti. Ukatonen and I will help you.”
Juna shook her head and laid a hand on her belly. “This is an unlicensed child. There will be trouble. It will tie us down, and make it harder for me to show you what my people are like.”
“Siti, every day we are here we learn more about what your people are like. Besides, watching the baby will teach us how humans learn to be humans.”
He was right, Juna realized, but building diplomatic bridges was crucial for the Tendu right now. “Yes, bai, you’re absolutely right, but as an enkar, Ukatonen needs to meet the humans who run things. I can’t help him do that with a baby under my arm.”
“Don’t important people like babies?” Moki asked.
“I suppose they do, but babies are a distraction during diplomatic functions.”
“What about your family?” Moki asked. “Won’t they help?”
ilIsi and Anetta are getting old, bai. They will not be alive for many more years. And Toivo has a family of his own. It isn’t fair for me to ask them to help with the baby.”
“Still, they love you, siti. You should talk to them about it.”
There was a knock on the door.
“I’ll get that,” Moki told her as she got up out of bed. Juna pulled on her robe as Analin came in.
“Analin! I’m so sorry! I meant to pick you up, but– ”
“It’s all right. Moki and Danan came and got me. What’s the matter? Are you sick?”
Juna scrubbed at her forehead. “Not exactly. I’m pregnant with an unlicensed child. I just found out a few hours ago. It was such a shock that I forgot to come pick you up.”
“How did it happen?” Analin asked.
Juna explained the situation.
“I see,” Analin said when she was done. “You’re in a pickle, aren’t you? What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’d like to keep the baby, but it’s so complicated. I haven’t told anyone yet, except for the Tendu. I don’t know how my family is going to take it. Or the Pop Con authorities.”
“You have enough money for a child-right, yes?”
“There’s plenty of money,” Juna said. “It’s everything else that I’m worried about. How can I raise a child all by myself? It isn’t fair to the child. And then there’s the Tendu, and the Survey. How can I fulfill my responsibilities to them?”
“Take one thing at a time, Juna,” Analin urged. “You can afford a child. You want a child. Now you need to plan your life so that you can have a child.”
“But– ” Juna protested.
“Talk to your family, Juna. See what they can do for you. Despite everything, they are your family.”
“But what about Population Control?”
“Let me handle them,” Analin offered. “I’ll find you a good lawyer. You tell your family.”
“Tell your family what?”
Juna and Analin looked up, startled.
“hi!” Juna said. “Come in, sit down.”
Her father settled himself on the bed. “Okay, what is it?”
Juna told him what had happened.
“You’re having a baby? Juna that’s wonderful!”
“I don’t know if I’ll get to have the baby, hi.’”
“If you need help buying a child-right, I’m happy to help.”
“Isi, it’s not the money. I can afford the child-right. It’s– ” She shook her head. “How can I have a baby all by myself, IsP. It’s not fair to the child. And I don’t want to bring the scandal of having an unlicensed child down on our family.”
“Juna,” her father said, “you know that Netta and I could care less about a scandal. That’s not important.” He grasped her hand in his weathered, rough one, and looked into her eyes. “Do you want this baby?”
Juna remembered Toivo’s finger curling around hers as a newborn, how much she had loved him, and how much she wanted a child of her own to love, to watch it grow.
She blinked back the tears. “Yes, Isukki, I do.”
“You know, Mariam and I were going through some hard times when you were born. We were barely managing to make ends meet up here. Our families were back down on Earth. There was no one but the neighbors to help us. But we wanted a family, and so we went ahead and had you. It wasn’t a perfect time, but we did it anyway. Even in those difficult times, you were a gift. You taught us so much, you brought us closer to all our neighbors. Go ahead, tytar. You’ll havcall of our love and support. Somehow, we’ll help you make it work.”
Moki touched her shoulder. “Ukatonen and I will help as well.”
“Thank you,” Juna whispered, overcome with emotion. “Thank you all.” Tears were trickling down her cheeks, despite her best efforts to stop them.
Her father fished out a big handkerchief and handed it to her.
“There now, tytar. Dry your tears. Don’t worry. Between us all, it will work out. Now, Moki, let’s get Analin settled while Juna freshens up.”
He ushered Analin and Moki out of the room, leaving Juna alone.
Juna smiled. She wasn’t alone now, she thought, resting a hand on her stomach. She wasn’t going to be alone for the next eight months, or for all the years after that.
“Hello, daughter,” she said. “Welcome and love.”
Juna sat in Dr. Engle’s office, twisting her hands together nervously.
“You should notify the Population Control officials. I’ve decided to keep the baby.”
“Are you absolutely sure, Juna?” he asked, his gaze intent and piercing.
Juna swallowed hard, and nodded, meeting his gaze. “Yes, I’m sure. I’ve already contacted a broker about purchasing the fractional child-right I’ll need. My family has agreed to provide the emotional and physical support that I’ll need during pregnancy and afterward. My father is willing to sign a statement to that effect. I’ve also contacted a lawyer to defend me if they file criminal charges.”
“Good girl,” the doctor told her. “I’m glad to see you’re ready for this. Pop Con isn’t going to be easy on you. They never are. As your doctor, I’m willing to back you up on this. You’re too far along to have gotten pregnant anywhere but aboard ship. Have you contacted the father yet?”
Juna shook her head. “I tried, but he’s traveling, and he instructed the comm not to forward any messages. I don’t know how to get in touch with his family.” She rubbed her forehead worriedly. This wasn’t going to be easy for Bruce. Pop Con tended to be particularly hard on fathers. “My lawyer is trying to find him.”
“I see.” Dr. Engle looked up at her, a pained expression on his face. “I’ll call Population Control now. You should contact your lawyer as soon as I’ve made the call.”
“She’s standing by,” Juna said. “I’ll wait in the reception room while you make the call.”
“I’m sorry, Juna.”
Juna turned, her hand on the door. “It’s okay. I know you have to do this.”
Moki and Ukatonen sat with her as they waited for the sheriff to come. Moki went orange with fear each time the door opened. Finally Sheriff Hiller arrived.
“Hello, Toni,” Juna said.
“Juna, I’m afraid that I have a warrant for your arrest from the Population Control Board.” Toni’s stocky, powerful body was hunched over, as though she was trying to shrink from this task.
“I understand.” Juna held her hands out to be cuffed. Being arrested by someone she had gone to school with was a very strange experience.
“Don’t be silly, Juna, I’m not going to cuff you,” the sheriff said. She glanced at the two aliens. “These must be the Tendu.”
Juna nodded. “This is Ukatonen, and this is Moki, my adopted son.”
“I see,” Toni said. “Well, Moki, I’m going to have to take your mother away for a while. You can come and visit her in the brig later this afternoon.”
“You’ll take good
care of her?” Moki asked.
“Of course I will,” Sheriff Hiller reassured him. “She’ll be out in a few days.”
The brig was spartan, and had a feeling of disuse, but Toni made her as comfortable as possible.
“It’s been six months since we had anyone in here. A couple of transient laborers got drunk and started a fight over at the Gonzaleses’ place. Tthrew them in separate cells, let them sleep it off, and kicked them off the station.”
“Well at least I’ve given you something to do,” Juna said with a smile. She wasn’t surprised by the jail’s lack of occupants. Most of the people who came here to pick, plant, or weed came for a paid break from the small, cramped stations they lived on. Morale was generally pretty high, and fights were rare.
Being in jail didn’t feel entirely real. It was as though she were on some kind of school field trip and had somehow gotten left behind.
“It feels strange locking you up, Juna,” Sheriff Hiller said as she slid the cell door closed with a heavy rumbling thud. “Is it true? Did those aliens get you pregnant?”
Juna stared at Toni incredulously for a second or two, teetering on the edge of anger. Then the silliness of the situation struck her and she laughed. “No, Toni. The Tendu didn’t get me pregnant. They undid my contraception without my knowledge. They didn’t know what they were doing at the time. The father was entirely too human,” she said with a rueful grin. “This really was an accidental pregnancy, rare as that is these days.”
“Oh,” the sheriff said, straightening in relief. “I’m sorry. It did sound kind of crazy.”
Juna shook her head, and shivered. “Can you turn the heat up a bit?” she asked. “I feel kind of cold.”
The sheriff nodded. “Shock. It happens sometimes. You’ve been through a lot today. I’ll get you an extra blanket and nudge the heat up a bit. Get under the covers and warm up.” She padded down the hall and shut the door behind her, leaving Juna alone in her cell. Juna climbed into the narrow bunk, pulling the covers up over her head. Gradually her shivering eased and she fell soundly asleep.
Four
Juna was awakened by the rumble of her cell door opening. She sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
“Your lawyer’s here to see you,” Sheriff Hiller told her.
“Thank you, Toni,” Juna said. Her mouth tasted sour and gummy, and her hair looked like a half-collapsed haystack. She combed her fingers through it and tried to look awake.
The sheriff escorted a slender, olive-skinned, dark-eyed older woman into the cell. The woman was elegantly dressed in a tailored silk suit that made Juna feel even more rumpled and frowzy.
“Dr. Saari, my name is Sohelia Gheisar. Your press secretary asked me to represent you.” Her voice had the clear, musical precision of someone from Persia or India.
“Hello,” Juna said, trying to make her brain function through a thick fudge of sleep. “Thank you for taking my case.”
“I seem to have caught you sleeping. Why don’t you take a few minutes to get yourself together before we go over your case.”
Juna nodded gratefully, and shuffled over to the sink. She dampened a corner of the small jail-issue washcloth and ran it over her face.
“Here,” the lawyer said, handing her toothpaste, a toothbrush, and a hairbrush.
“Thank you,” Juna said. She bent over and brushed her hair out into a full lion’s mane, then straightened, and brushed it back from her face. She still needed a haircut. She tucked in her shirt and peered into the wavy steel mirror, grateful for the lack of detail that it showed. At least she felt more awake. Filling a plastic cup with water, she sat down on the bunk across from her lawyer.
“How much did Analin tell you?”
“That you’re pregnant illegally and you need my help. She said that the aliens had somehow reversed your contraception. I told her that I would get the rest of the details from you. I must say it sounds like an interesting case.”
“I’m afraid so,” Juna agreed ruefully.
“Why don’t you tell me about it?” Sohelia said, taking out a recorder and switching it on.
Juna explained what had happened. Then, when she was finished with her explanation, the lawyer went over it all again in minute detail, taking down names and dates.
“Well,” Sohelia said, switching off her recorder. “It is an interesting case. Clearly you are the victim of the Survey’s negligence.”
“I am?” Juna said, surprised. She had been too busy worrying about whether to keep the baby to give much thought to blaming anyone.
“The Survey should have checked to make sure that your contraception was intact. A contraceptive test is a standard part of any physical exam in many places. I don’t know why they didn’t perform one, especially given the radical physical transformation you underwent. The Tendu could have done almost anything to you. I’ll have to subpoena your records from the Survey. Will you give me permission to do so?”
“Of course, Counselor,” Juna said.
“Good. I’ll need to talk to your doctor. You said his name is Engle?”
“Yes, it is. He’s been my doctor since I was a small child. He gave me my contraceptive vaccination when I turned thirteen.”
“Good. That will be extremely helpful.”
“Counselor, what about Bruce– I mean, the baby’s father?”
“We’re still trying to find Mr. Bowles. Apparently he’s gone scuba diving somewhere in the Indian Ocean. I only hope that we find him before the Pop Con officials do. They’re not too easy on population violators in that part of the world.”
“I see,” Juna said. Her feelings about Bruce were decidedly mixed right now. She was angry at him for getting her pregnant, and simultaneously terrified that he might somehow take the baby away from her. And a very small, shameful part of her wanted to cling to him for help and guidance.
“What about custody issues?” she asked.
“Juna, I think that’s a problem for later.”
“I need to talk about it now,” Juna said. “I didn’t plan for this child. It was an accident, but now that I have her, I want more than anything to keep her. I don’t want Bruce, or anyone else, to take her away from me.”
“I understand, Juna, and I’ll support you in that. Since you have agreed to pay for the additional child-right, your custody position is very strong, but Bruce has rights in this matter too. Until we find out what he wants, there’s very little we can do.”
Juna looked down at the grey plasteel floor. “I see,” she said, then looked up at the lawyer. “How much longer will I be here?”
“I’m going to try to get you released on bail as soon as possible. The arraignment is tomorrow. You should be released a few hours later.”
A weight lifted from Juna’s shoulders. “Thank you, So-helia.”
“Remember now, that’s a hope, not a promise,” the lawyer said, standing and gathering her papers. “Everything depends on the judge.”
“I understand,” Juna said, feeling her giddy relief settle again. “I know you’ll do your best.” Counselor Gheisar smiled. “I always try to.” She pressed a buzzer to summon the sheriff. Toni came and let her out. With a rumble and a clang, the door shut and Juna was alone again.
The press had somehow gotten onto the station, and they were waiting for her in front of the small administrative building that did double duty as a courthouse. Sheriff Hiller escorted Juna through the surging, shouting crowd of reporters, like a small burly tugboat pulling a heavy load in high seas. Juna did her best to ignere the reporters, choosing instead to nod a greeting to the two strapping redheaded Swensen boys who let her and the sheriff in.
The door closed behind them, cutting off the clamor of the crowd. Juna let out the breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding. Counselor Gheisar handed her a hairbrush and a mirror as the Swensens locked the doors against the crowd of reporters.
“I’m sorry about this, Toni,” Juna apologized.
Sheriff Hiller shr
ugged. “We closed the spaceport as soon as we could, but this lot got in on the same shuttle as the judge. They’re all supposed to leave on the next shuttle, but that isn’t until this evening. I’m afraid we’re stuck with them until then.”
“Well,” said the judge after listening to the charges, and to the testimony of several old family friends on Juna’s excellent character. “In the ten years I’ve served on the bench in this circuit, I’ve never known Howard Engle to be mistaken on a question of character, and your other witnesses have been equally impressive. I’m going to release you with only the minimum required bond of ten thousand credits, which your father has agreed to post. You are dismissed on your own recognizance until the date of the hearing.”
He banged his gavel and climbed down from the bench. Toni and counselor Gheisar led Juna out of the courtroom, followed by her family and Analin Goudrian.
“Is there anything you need back at the jail?” Toni asked.
Juna shook her head. Her lawyer had her clothes.
“Well, then, you’re free to go.”
“Thank you, Toni. If I ever have to be arrested again, I hope you’re the one who does it.”
“Do me a favor,” Toni told her, “don’t stick me with this job again.” She squeezed Juna’s shoulder. “Keep out of trouble, okay?”
“I’ll do my best, Toni,” Juna said with a smile.
“You should make a statement to the press,” Analin urged her. “Otherwise they’ll be all over you at the farm.”
“Analin’s managed to keep them away from us so far,” her father said, “but they’ve pestered the neighbors pretty badly. It’s worse than when word first came out about the Tendu.”
“I’ve had to deputize almost a dozen people just to deal with these reporters,” Sheriff Hiller complained. “I’ll be glad when the shuttle gets here.”
“Analin, why don’t we announce a press conference at the shuttle station?” Juna said. “Once we’re through, Sheriff Hiller can keep them there until it’s time to leave. Then they won’t be bothering the neighbors in the middle of harvest.”
“It might work, if we can schedule it correctly.”
