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Another contraction seized her as she stumbled into her alcove She doubled over until it passed, then loo, hard crath of her abdomen, followed immediately by an even harder one She inhaled a deep breath, then a third constriction began Suddenly, the cot was drenched with a now She’s cohtly closed, her entire body taken up in the ele out, but when she opened her eyes, Ferry was there with the long-fingered dwarf she had seen in the outer area of the medical shelter

The dwarf bent over her face "I’ "What do you wanthis hands Perspiration stood out on his forehead and all the hysterical bravado she had seen in the eone

"The baby’s not coasped

"But the med-tech’s not back The Natal"

"You said you could help me"

"But I’ve neve"

Another contraction rippled through her "Don’t just stand there! Help me! Damn you, help me!"

Kurz stroked her forehead

Twice, Ferry reached toward her, and twice pulled back

"Please!" Waela screaasps "The baby must be turned! Please turn her!"

"I can’t!" Ferry backed away frolared up at the dwarf "Kur please The baby has to be turned Could yo ?" Another gasping contraction silenced her

When it passed, she heard the dwarf’s voice, low and calm "Tell me what to do, sister"

"Try to slip your hands around the baby and turn her She has one ar her head fro ohhhhhh!"

Waela tasted blood where she had bitten her own lip, but the pain cleared her head She opened her eyes, saw the dwarf kneeling between her legs, felt his hands - gentle, sure

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh," he said

"Wha wha ?" It was Ferry, standing at the exit from the alcove, ready to flee

"The baby tellsslowed "This infant has a name," he said "She is called Vata"

Out, out

Waela heard the voice in her head She saw darkness, smelled blood, felt her nose stuffed wit wit

"A born here?" Kurz asked He leaned back in a rapturousin his hands

"How did you do that?" Ferry demanded

Waela threw her arms wide, felt the baby delivered to her breast She felt the dwarf touching her, touching the infant - Vata, Vata, Vat Visions of her own life led with scenes which she knew had occurred to Kurz What a sweet and gentlewounded Other scenes unreeled before her closed eyes like a speeded holo She felt Panille’s presence She heard Panille’s voice in her head! Terrifying She could not shut it out

The touch of the infant teaches birth, and our hands are witness to the lesson That was Panille, but he was not here in the medical shelter

She sensed the people they had left aboard Ship then - the hydroponics workers, the crew going about their business along the e even the dormant ones in hyb: All were one with her mind for an instant She felt them pause in their shared awareness She felt the questions in their minds Their terror beca to ?

We live! We live!

All the other people vanished from her awareness as she heard/felt those words Only the speaker of those words remained with hetiny voice, a chant, an enormous relief We live! Waela opened her eyes, looked up into the eyes of the dwarf

"I have seen everything," he whispered "The infan"

"Yes," she whispered "Vat our Vat"

"So," Ferry said "What is it?" He put his hands to his temples "Get out of there! Get out, I say!" He collapsed, writhing

Waela looked at Kurz "Help him"

Kurz stood up "Yes, of course The worst of the wounded first"