Jeanne G'Fellers - No Sister of Mine (36 page)

“Atta girl, wren bird!” encouraged Krell. “Count it out. One, two—”

All present lent their support by counting along. “Three, four—”

“FIVESIXSEVENEIGHTNINETEN!” LaRenna moaned. “It doesn’t help!”

“There wasn’t time to take her to the med unit, Grandmaster Belsas,” said Tatra. “It happened too rapidly. The head crowned about the time they got this far.”

“Tatra!” Krell jerked the healer’s attention back to the immediate matter. “The head is in the canal. Is that what I think?”

“The cord!” Tatra reached to untangle the cord, but it was pulled too tightly around the infant’s throat.

“Midwife’s here.” Firman’s smile faded when he saw the despair wrenching across Tatra’s slender face.

“Hurry up,” begged Chandrey. “There’s a problem.” LaRenna wriggled in her arms while clutching the hand Krell extended.

Firman returned a few seconds later with the midwife bent across his shoulder. “Here she is!”

The midwife struggled out of his grasp and slid from her perch. “Put me down, young man, before I give you the spanking a spoiled child deserves. What could be so urgent that you need to abduct me in the dark of night?” She dropped her wrap when she saw what was happening. “Merciful heavens! The Taelach are finally breeding.” Her hands were warm on LaRenna’s quivering leg and her voice was unmistakably familiar. “Hello, young woman, we meet again.”

“Nyla Smalls.” LaRenna smiled weakly. “I was hoping I’d see you again some day. Never dreamed it would be like this.”

“Me neither, child. Now let’s see what we have here.” Nyla examined her charge but looked unconcerned about the tightly wrapped cord. “I need the assistance of all three of you stronger types. One of you hold her upper body and the other two hold her legs. This baby needs air.”

Krell took her position at LaRenna’s head, while Belsas and Firman, faces turned respectfully away, each steadied a leg. “All right, mother.” Nyla rubbed cleanser into her wrinkled palms. “Next contraction don’t push. We must free the cord.”

LaRenna took an apprehensive breath as the urge to push resumed. Nyla looked straight at her as she inserted her hands to pull at the cord. LaRenna sobbed over the extra pressure that invaded her.

“I know it’s painful, child, but we must, it’s almost, yes, there it is. It’s free!” Nyla wiped her hands on a towel. “I believe that strapping babe is ready to come out. Everyone except the father, no, guardian, needs to leave.” Firman readily fled the room, but Belsas and Chandrey lingered, unwilling to go until Nyla asked them a second time. “Please, Grandmaster Taelach, you and your lady must leave. Things will go better if you wait in another place. This is a moment for the parents alone. My presence is medical only.”

The elders left without further complaint. It wouldn’t do to argue with the midwife. She appeared to have matters well in hand.

“It’s time.” Nyla gave LaRenna an experienced smile. “With the next one, you will push harder than you ever thought possible.” She pointed to Tatra’s emergency kit, motioning for the healer to spread it in front of her. She selected a small blade and doused it in cleanser.

LaRenna gasped when the pressure became acute. She had to get rid of it, the sooner the better. It was ripping her in half. Krell drew against her, supporting her by wrapping under LaRenna’s arms as she prodded her for an open connection. “Let me in, wren bird.” A nauseating wash of pain in Krell’s groin and back signified the open channel. So this was what labor was like. No wonder most Autlach women opted for the relief of drugs.

“Are you linked?” Tatra watched Nyla intently, wondering what she intended to do with the blade. “Krell?”

“Mother help me,” whispered Krell in a high pitch. “But this is intense.”

“Inform me when you feel the start of another contraction.” Nyla wished Autlach fathers could obtain the understanding Krell was. “Either of you.” She was careful to keep the blade from LaRenna’s sight. “Is the male who rushed outside the birth father?”

“No,” Tatra replied before Krell managed to say something less than civil on the matter. “This child is pure Taelach. I’ll explain how after this is over.” Nyla’s expression became puzzled, but she left the matter alone as LaRenna began to shake.

“Now?” asked Nyla, knife ready.

“NOW!” Krell could feel the pressure and sting of the cold blade as it sliced into LaRenna’s undercarriage. The baby slid out of the birth canal to the shoulders. Nyla cleared the infant’s nose and mouth, explaining her actions to Tatra as she worked. “When the child is this large”—she cleared the baby’s eyes—“the cut keeps tearing to a minimum, reduces infection, and makes healing faster.”

“I see,” replied Tatra. “This is all so new.”

“And almost over. All right, LaRenna, make this contraction your last. Deliver the shoulders and it will be finished. Help her, guardian. She’s tired. This labor has been hard and fast.”

Krell nodded and mustered her strength.
One more time, Wren bird. Let’s bring our child into the world.
LaRenna remained silent but squeezed the arms cradling her. Together, they concentrated on the effort. There was a shot of squelching agony then a sudden release.

“The baby,” whispered LaRenna. “Let us see her.”

“Soon.” Nyla knotted then cut the cord and rubbed the child with a towel, trying to stimulate a breathing response in the still, blue child. “Come on, cry for Nyla.” She massaged the infant vigorously until it gasped, skin soon glowing the ruddy pink of new life as its whimper grew to an angry squall. “There we are.” Nyla sighed. “Get mad and cry. It’s healthy for you. Lets everyone know you’ve arrived.”

“Let us see her,” repeated Krell.

Nyla finished cleaning the wailing infant and wrapped it in a towel. “Soon.” She stood silently over the child, gazing into her face.

“Please.” LaRenna filled with the pain a few Autlach mothers felt when their Taelach children were ripped from them. “Is something wrong with her?”

“Nothing at all,” replied Tatra, who was assisting in the delivery of the afterbirth. “Nothing at all.” She took the infant from Nyla and turned to them. “She thinks you’re impatient.”

“The midwife?” queried Krell.

“No,” cooed LaRenna as Tatra placed the infant in her arms, “our daughter thinks we’re impatient.” The new family cuddled on the lounger, Krell holding LaRenna and their child close. The infant ceased her crying, parted her pale blue eyes, and opened her mouth in a large, toothless yawn.

“Hello, young one,” said Krell as the newborn’s eyes fixated on her. “I’m your guardian parent, your sire, your gahrah. The beautiful lady holding you is your mother. Did you know you are the first true Taelach ever born? That makes you special. You’re one of a kind, just like your mom.”

LaRenna gazed at the little face that peered up at them. It was so similar to her own—round and glowing. Shades of Krell were present as well, evident every time the baby crinkled her forehead or raised her eyebrows in that peculiar manner all the Middle family seemed capable of. “Hello sweetheart,” said her mother. “We’ve been waiting for you. Your gahrah is right. You’re special. You’re ours and we love you.”

A new presence opened up in the mental link between the soul phasers, unexpected but soft and familiar in its touch. It didn’t exactly express words, more like a stream of mental images depicting happiness, contentment, and love, even a slight amount of hunger. The infant blinked, her pudgy fist finding its way to her mouth, one mental picture projecting stronger than the rest. It was one of identity, self-awareness, a name—Jenza.

“Greetings, Jenza Mallen Krell,” whispered Krell, unable to withhold the emotions that were already showering LaRenna’s face. “The future is now and it’s all yours. You’ve brought the Taelach full circle with your arrival. Welcome to the world.”

aerolaunch.
Mode of transportation used by the Taelach and Autlach for long-distance travel.

Asabane Tackwell.
Starnes Banes’s father.

Autlach.
Indigenous species to Saria Two, the second planet orbiting Sixty-One Cygni, short and stocky humanoids with dark features. Also called Aut for short.

bandit beast.
Large, bison-like species native to and extinct on Saria Two but successfully reestablished by the Taelach on Saria Three.

battle braid.
Taelach marker of battle victories and military rank worn in the hair.

Belsas Exzal.
Taelach of All, life mate of Chandrey Belsas, guardian raiser of LaRenna Belsas.

bitterwine.
Thick unsweetened berry wine.

blood marking.
Archaic Taelach commitment ceremony; nuptials.

Brandoff Creiloff.
Twin of Cance Creiloff, drug-addicted guardian and escapee from Trimar prison colony.

Cance Creiloff.
Twin sister of Brandoff Creiloff, drug-addicted guardian, former Kimshee second officer in Silver Kinship, Chandrey Belsas’s ex-life mate and escapee from the Taelach Trimar prison colony.

Chandrey Belsas.
Raiser of LaRenna Belsas, life mate of Belsas Exzal, former life mate of Cance Creiloff.

crystal.
Silicone substance found naturally on Saria Two, used for windows and containers; comparable to glass.

Death Stone.
Marker used to record names of Autlachs buried in communal graves.

Farstar.
Sixth planet in the Sarian system and location of the Trimar prison colony.

Firman Middle.
Autlach brother of Krell Middle.

Firewall.
First planet and uninhabitable world in Sarian solar system.

gahrah.
Term of endearment Taelach daughters use for their guardian raiser.

grand master.
Highest rank in the Silver Kinship military officer hierarchy.

guardian.
Taelach who chooses to live in a more masculine role; butch.

healer.
Autlach or Taelach physician.

Hiding Cave.
Taelach stronghold containing items necessary for survival during times of trouble.

hunt.
Outdated Autlach practice of capturing Taelachs for ritual execution or use as slaves.

Iralian commitment.
A highly evolved reptilian species known for eating captives alive as a means of torture, originating in a star system near the Sarian system.

land-sculpting.
Taelach process of terraforming (earth-shaping) a planet or moon in order to make it habitable.

Langus.
Only moon of Saria Two and main agricultural resource for the Autlach.

LaRenna Belsas.
True female daughter of Chandrey and Belsas Exzal, Silver Kinship Kimshee and junior officer apprenticed to First Officer Kimshee Krell Middle.

launch.
Overland mode of transportation used by the Taelach and Autlach for short-distance travel.

life braid.
Taelach marker of family and clan affiliation worn in the hair.

life mate.
An oathed Taelach.

Kimshee.
Silver Kinship military officers trained in diplomacy, Autlach customs, and advanced telepathy.

Krell Middle.
Autlach-raised guardian Taelach, and First Officer Kimshee in Silver Kinship military.

Malley Whellen.
Third officer engineer and LaRenna Belsas’s roommate during officer training.

moon cycle.
Thirty days on the Sarian calendar, comparable to one month.

Mother Maker.
Taelach deity comparable to Gaia.

Myeflar.
Moon of the planet Firewall, destroyed by the Iralian commitment during their initial invasion of the Sarian solar system.

pain phase.
Lesser used of the two types of Taelach telepathic phases. It produces pain ranging from minor discomfort to death depending on the energy used by the originator.

Pass.
Four hundred and twenty days completing the Sarian calendar, comparable to one year.

planetary launch.
Mode of transportation used by the Taelach and Autlach for interplanetary travel.

pleasure phase.
Taelach telepathic phase that creates sensations varying from enjoyable conversation to sexual ecstasy.

Prock.
Native plant of Farstar; an addictive stimulant when inhaled.

Raskhallak.
Popular Autlach deity that openly condemns the Taelach.