While the doctor talked, four tiny wheels unfolded out from the cylinder and the glass top slid back. The chamber can disconnected from life support systems and wheeled out, Doomwatch announced.
Good, the doctor replied. She reached in and took Pinin's pulse as the youngster gulped for air and struggled to sit up. No, lay back My Friend. Flamy said and placed an oxygen mask on the patient. Just breathe deep slow breaths. You'll be fine.
Holly was fascinated as she watched the flying female produce twenty-eight eggs, each a small bag of jelly membrane with a minute but perfect two-centimeter fetus inside. Each egg was caught in a bucket and handed to Snimel and Bikut who were in the delivery room to help. Bikut and two other crucnon of similar blood type to Pinin had all donated a liter of blood and the satchels were suspended above the patient with another intravenous injection placed in the lower left arm.
What happens now? Holly whispered as the exhausted mother lay gasping on the bed forty-five minutes later. Her face was gray but the body now a normal size.
As long as the room temperature is above twenty degrees Celsius, the eggs only have to be kept free of contaminates. They'll grow and hatch in ninety five days.
And Pinin?
If she is refertilized, she will produce another two to three dozen eggs in three months. Fertile females can produce up to a hundred and fifty offspring a year and continue for five or six years with around a thousand offspring before their body is exhausted. The doctor frowned. Usually they die within a year of this time. She glanced at Holly. That is how our population became so much larger than yours. I believe human females only bare two or three offspring.
Holly nodded. We have birth control systems in use. She glanced at the flying female who had lapsed into a gentle sleep. And if she is not impregnated?
If she is free of sperm for six months she enters the retro-metamorphosis stage and loses her wings.
That's what happened to Jaddig and Bikut, Holly added.
Oh, so you know about retro-metamorphosis? the doctor glanced up at the human woman. I thought humans were ignorant of this stage in a flying female's life. It can be a difficult time.
I know, Holly replied and told Flamy about the rush to the hospital with Jaddig.
Yes, if you're going to have more crucnon settlers in your country, you'll need a women's hospital for maternity and retro-metamorphosis cases.
It will be of our top priorities, Holly replied.
The doctor gazed fondly down at her sleeping patient. We seldom allow mothers to have more than two egg laying sessions. Their bodies can cope with that and females like Jaddig and Bikut who have been through retro-metamorphosis can expect to live a life span of a century or so.
The same as humans, Holly replied
There are a few cleaning up procedures, the doctor continued, She'll be exhausted for a couple of hours but will be fine. She glanced at her patient with sad eyes Pinin was lucky we arrived when we did. Another day in suspended animation would have killed her. I'm only sorry we were too late to save the other three.
In an adjacent room the other flying females had been wheeled in. Of the original six who had left Delpe in March 2168, three had died and the other two were carrying eggs but not to Pinin's advanced stage. These two had also been awoken and cared for by females, both crucnon and human. Of those still in suspended animation, two males and one female had died and thirty-one survived. Doctor Iwacu had recommend that in the meantime they all be given intravenous food supplements and kept asleep aboard the space shuttle.
After helping remove the bodies of those who never made it, Graham, Clay and George had little to do so decided to examine the other containers in the shuttlecraft.
My God, George muttered after they'd opened the fourth container. Weapons and more weapons, enough to fight a small war.
Our robotic workers on Inter-galactic Star Ship 43 removed every item of destruction from on board, Doomwatch's voice filled the interior of the shuttlecraft. In your hands they may help defend humanity, not destroy it. However, if you wish, we can make it all inoperable.
No, That's what our ancestors tried Graham replied. Leave it in the meantime.
Very well, Graham.
But what about the aircraft? Clay asked.
It is a FanSpeed, a Mach 4 personal transport with the capacity for twenty three passengers and can be flown by any authorized personnel. The men had no idea what Mach 4 meant but were impressed when told the three hour journey back to New Washington in FanWarrior would take twenty five minutes in the new craft.
If you wish to inspect the upper decks and control cabin, please step in the elevator at the Sector C entrance, Doomwatch continued.
The men did and found a self-contained space craft with living and sleeping quarters for fifty, storage bays and a control room with lights and monitors flashing everywhere.
This Space Shuttle Model 157B is capable of maintaining an orbit above the planet's surface but cannot make a deep space journey. Doomwatch reported.
How long can it say in orbit? Clay asked.
Indefinitely but this is restricted for living species by food and air supplies.
And the communications? George muttered as he stared at three monitors that showed various views of the island they were on.
All local communications can be monitored and, through Starship 43, all planets with a human or intelligent species known to humans can be contacted. There is a three-second time delay to Earth and a twelve-second delay to Spectra 5. However, due to military activities in that zone all messages and contact to Spectra planets have to be cleared through Earth Control.
I'm impressed, George continued. And can we view the interior of Starship 43 on the monitors?
Immediately, the monitors in front showed two identical white circular rooms filled with suspended animation cylinders. They were, though, floating above each other in clusters of nine. Life support tubes seemed to be floating haphazardly everywhere.
With no conscious beings aboard, the artificial gravity is not functioning. It is brought on line before any creature is awoken. Doomwatch reported. My robotic helpers are, at the moment separating the settlers from the personnel who hijacked the Starship.
Then what? Graham added.
Starship 43 has been the property of the government of New Washington for four Delpe days, now. All live species aboard will be kept in suspended animation until your government issues an order on what is to be done.
That sounds fair, Clay answered and turned to the other two men. Shall we go and bring Holly and Jaddig up to date on everything?
Yes, George replied. Our friendly computer seems to have everything sorted out.
Except what to do, Graham added. Tell me, Doomwatch, he continued. Does this shuttle have to land here at Alpha Base?
It is advisable.
But necessary?
No, we can land on any flat surface if the weather conditions are suitable. Secrecy would be lost if we landed in populated areas.
That's not important now, Clay added. I think everyone on the planet knows about the starship, anyway. He turned to Graham. Are you thinking the same as me?
That we should land the shuttle back home? It would save a lot of transportation worries flying back and forth in the FanWarrior.
That's about it, Clay added, but Holly and Jaddig could take some persuading.
Let me have a wee chat to Holly, Graham replied.
However, when the men returned to the infirmary they were met in the corridor by Jaddig and Holly who appeared distressed so Graham decided leave the discussion on the starship until later.
Pinin and the other flying females told us what happened to them, Holly began. It was sadistic cruelty of the worst kind. If Doomwatch hadn't been activated I have no doubt what-so-ever they would all be dead by now. Her face was white. I cannot believe humans can act in such a manner. I feel sick at the thought of it.
What happened? Graham asked but Holly merely shook her head.
>
You don't want to know, my Dear, she whispered and would say no more.
Jaddig was also tight lipped. Just turning off their air supply is too good for them, she added in a voice so grim the men glanced at each other with raised eyebrows. The female humans, from what we heard, were as bad as the males.
Worse, Holly added. I suggest we discuss everything with Mom and involve the Vybber government. I know the crucnon were escaping from their country but officially they are still Vybber citizens. She shrugged. It might even show them we care about Crucnon as well as humans.
In the meantime, I think we should concentrate on getting my people who are still in suspended animation back to a healthy condition and wake them up, Jaddig added. Those monsters can wait.
But what about the other humans in orbit? George put in.
Doomwatch said they're safe. It was only the crucnon who needed to be rescued so quickly. A few more days or even weeks will make no difference to the humans’ health. Jaddig added. I suggest we help my people first then deal with the criminals.
Holly sighed. Perhaps we are caught up in the emotion of it all, here. A more neutral stance could be needed.
Possibly, Jaddig replied with bitterness still reflected in her yellow eyes, but not for those hijackers. They deserve nothing! she added.
Yes they do, retorted Holly. A trial and a chance to show their real personalities.
What! cut in Jaddig. Her voice rose in anger. I know I'm not human, Holly but I do have values. These creatures deserve... she glowered at Holly and turned away unable to complete the sentence.
So they just discretely disappear from the known universe, Holy replied in a soft voice, and in a few months or years another of group of humans, crucnon or even crucks decide to do the same thing. What have we gained?
I see, Graham grinned. You think they should be made as an example to others just like using the vacuum bomb to finish the war?
Something like that, Holly replied. We need to show the universe we will not tolerate any species being treated how Pinin and her friends were. She turned to her friend and placed an arm around her. I am every bit as sickened as you are, Jaddig in the same way as I was when there was a wounded enemy shot down after she attempted to bomb our home and she opened her heart out to us.
Jaddig swung back to face Holly but the anger in her eyes had been replaced by empathy. I'm sorry, Holly, she whispered. I should have known you were thinking of us all. I guess I was so hurt and humiliated when I heard how my kind had been treated, I just wanted revenge. She swallowed. That lowers me to the hijackers level, doesn't it?
No, Holly replied. You could never be that low, Jaddig. Your morals are so high it makes me feel uncouth at times.
Jaddig fixed her with her eyes and nodded. Pinin needs another blood transfusion. I promised to donate another liter. I'll need to get over to the infirmary. She turned, touched everyone in the room on the arm and walked silently out.
When the thirty-one crucnon were brought out of suspended animation, there were mixed emotions. They were all relieved to find themselves rescued and back on Delpe but this was followed by deep despair when they realized eighty two years had past since their departure so friends and relations would be nearly all be dead. One middle aged male was heart broken when he discovered his partner had been one of those who'd died while an elderly female did not seem to understand what was happening.
Of more concern for the doctors was the poor physical condition of the group. Besides all being undernourished and covered in filth, many had signs of physical abuse. The females were covered in bruises including welt marks across their buttocks and limbs. Three males had stab wounds and one, a broken arm. Skin sores from rashes to horrible looking boils covered many of the Crucnon's bodies and limbs. Even their clothes were in tatters.
A massive help and cleanup session swung into operation. Alpha Base was well served with bathroom facilities and one storage room contained crucnon clothes, left by the victims themselves before their departure all those years before. Wounds were cleaned, injections given, five very weak patients given intravenous drips and liters of honey solution distributed. Every immigrant was allocated a bed, provided with clothes and told they were free to choose between becoming New Washington citizens or returning to Vybber.
The twenty-nine who chose to stay in New Washington were informed they would be given full voting rights in their new land and provided with an allocation of land. Lectures were held on the present conditions on Delpe with an honest appraisal of the difficulties the country still had to face.
Pinin and the other two flying females were flooded with female visitors but males, by tradition, were not allowed in the maternity rooms. Late on the third evening after the landing there was another minor crisis when Plugu and Cnac, the other two mothers, began laying simultaneously. One bore twenty-two and the other thirty eggs. A reception room housed the eighty eggs; all color coded with the mother's name and divided into genders. Of Pinin's growing offspring, fifteen were female and thirteen males.
Holly examined the perfect little forms in amazement. Eyes remained shut but their four arms and two legs often moved around and an embryo chord ran from their tummy out through the jelly membrane that had changed into a darker color with the surface becoming like toffee.
The doctor said They're all perfect, Pinin told Holly with pride in her voice as she lead her new friend along the rows of yellow buckets. She chuckled. Normally they are raised in hexagonal shaped hives made of synthetic material but these buckets are fine.
And what happens after they hatch? Holly asked.
Pinin shrugged. I heard the Vybber government has forced hundreds of girls to become flying females but, in my time, only one or two females in a hundred become fertile. The other females don't bare offspring but most have partners and husbands. They are given a child to become their family. I think humans would call it adoption but it's not really the same. Eight females here have already asked me for a child to rear. She gave a frown. I'm not sure what will happen with so many fertile females on Delpe now. There could be a tremendous population explosion. I'd like to keep two or three of my babies to raise but I will not be able to afford it.
Yes you will, Holly replied. We will make sure you are provided with a home and cared for.
But I have no husband, Pinin turned serious. Fertile females without a husband's support are ostracized and regarded as a harlot only fit for offering her services to males for money.
And do you want to continue laying eggs? Holly asked.
Pinin shook her head. No, she whispered. I never wanted to become a flying female in the first place but it just happened and I was removed from my family and forced to live in a government concubine to service the government officials. I had a friend in the Blue Watch and they raided the place and rescued six us. Only Plugu, Chac and myself survived. That's why we left this world. We hoped Earth would be better but we never really had a chance to find out. It was terribly polluted from space with dirty brown clouds covering almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. The southern part was better but was mainly ocean
And when did things start going wrong? Holly asked
Pinin smiled sadly. I'll tell you about it all some time but not now, please Holly. I want to think about the future, my babies and life ahead. She looked up, and I want to become a New Washington citizen like Bikut, Snimel and Jaddig.
You already are, Holly smiled. It became automatic for everyone who chose to stay in New Washington. You're an honored citizen, mother the very first crucnon babies.
Yes Pinin, smiled. I beat the other two by three days.
And we'll have eighty gorgeous babies soon, Holly grinned. And every one will be wanted and loved.
Pinin stared at her companion, gave a wee shudder and burst into tears. I can't believe it, she sobbed. She allowed Holly to guide her to a couch where she sat down and found an affectionate arm placed around her.
You are safe now, Pinin, Holly said.
Safe and amongst friends.
I know, Pinin sobbed. The trouble is, to us it is only a few months not eighty-two years since we left. Hope then hell replaced my life in the concubine when the hijackers arrived. I woke up expecting to see the hijackers waiting and the atrocities to start again but instead I found Jaddig and yourself smiling at me. She wiped two hands over her eyes. I'm not sad, just so happy. There is so much to take in. That's all.
You weep as much a you wish, Pinin. That's what we all do. Would you like me to go and find Jaddig or one of the others to be with you?
No, the youngster replied. She glanced up at Holly and sniffed back more tears, but I changed my mind. I would like to tell you my story if it doesn't bore you.
Holly nodded Look, come through the cafeteria. I'll get us some Coffifake and a muffin. It's pretty late and most humans, at least, have gone to bed. We can talk. I'll tell you how I met Jaddig and the others. You know she was assigned a mission to bomb our town and we shot her down?
Did you? Pinin gasped and managed a smile. So how come you such good friends now?
Well, Holly smiled. I think we both have stories to tell. I've got the time so let's go and have that supper.
Holly began and it was early morning before she'd finished. Pinin, listened with an intense interest, asked a question now and then about conditions in her homeland, giggled when she heard how Jaddig was the only one allowed to access the Beta Base force field but made no comment when she heard of the genetic relationship between Crucnon and humans.
We knew there was a beta base, she commented at the end. Our shuttle came from Base Gamma. It was further north near the coast.
Yes, It's still here parked in the other hanger, Holly replied.
Not next to the brand new one? Pinin gasped. We parked it there. I remember someone commenting we could use the new one if we ever returned. Can I go and look?
Sure, Holly replied.
She led Pinin out along the deserted corridor. Three DPF guards saluted Holly and a female officer discretely followed them as they made their way through the connecting airlocks and into the outer hanger. Lights flooded on.
Generation 7 Page 27
