Rescued From Paradise

by Robert L. Forward

  The shadows lengthened, and Reiki finally decided that she had enough to make the chowder the group loved. She tucked her last catch into a large net and prepared to collect all the little caches she had left between herself and her raft. Suddenly she felt a snap, exactly as if a rubber band had popped inside her.

  Puzzled, Reiki tread water and took an internal inventory. Whatever had happened, didn't happen again, and nothing seemed out of sorts. But when she started to swim back to the raft, a contraction gripped her so powerfully that she could hardly breathe, much less swim. Forcing herself to relax, she floated on the surface. Slowly, with long deep breaths, she waited out the pain. Finally it eased. When she had delivered Freeman, the labor pains had been mild and had slowly increased in intensity. This time, her womb seemed to know exactly what it was doing. Rather than cramping, the huge muscle was squeezing, pushing, insisting. Reiki knew that this labor was going to go quickly.

  Catching her breath, she began to head toward her raft. The contractions came again and again, forcing her to stop, slowing her progress. With each one, Reiki could feel her body responding and the baby moved lower. The tiny raft seemed even further away and the distance she covered between each contraction became smaller as they came closer together.

  Breathe, breathe, breathe, thought Reiki to herself as she tried to stay limp enough to keep afloat while her womb worked. She was trying not to worry about how she would get on board once she reached the raft, and about how she would get the raft back to the camp. She stilled her rising panic by reciting a calming litany she had discovered in an old science fiction novel about a desert world:

  I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will allow it to pass over and through me. Only I will remain.

  The contraction eased. Reiki sculled forward cautiously, using only her wrists and forearms to move her along. The rest of her body remained limp and relaxed, resting. Face my fear, she thought. If the baby crowned before she reached the boat, or she reached it and was unable to climb aboard, what then? Babies had been born underwater before. Back in the eighties lots of babies were purposely delivered in warm water. Of course the women had not been alone, but those women were not as self-reliant. Reiki knew that babies didn't need to breathe until the placenta, which provided them with oxygen, was detached. This baby had spent the last nine months with its lungs filled with embryonic fluid; it would survive a few moments more. Finally Reiki identified the initial snapping pain. It had been her water breaking. She could count herself lucky, Reiki thought as a new contraction built. Lucky in that this had happened on Eden rather than Earth. The blood would have drawn sharks in Earthly tropical waters, but here on Eden there were no dangerous lifeforms.

  "Hello ... hello ... hello!" called Little Purple as his huge lavender body rose up to surround her. "Are you aware that you are leaking sodium chloride and iron compounds?"

  Reiki was concentrating deeply trying to get through the contraction and ignored the question.

  "You are not seeing her properly! See how the youngling is deep in her trunk? She is subdividing!" Little Red surged around them, his sonar pulses allowing him to see through both Little Purple and Reiki's bodies.

  "Why are you breathing like that? Is birth imminent?" asked Little Purple.

  "Can we watch?" asked Little Red, curious as always.

  Slowly Reiki regained control. "Yes," she said. "I am about to give birth. But I need help. I need human help."

  "Do you want us to carry you into shore?" asked Little Purple.

  Reiki thought about struggling through the surf. "No, just take me to the raft. But I do need for one of you to bring a human here."

  "You are faster, subset of Roaring☼Hot☼Vermillion. Go and bring back one of the humans."

  Little Red wanted to argue. He would have preferred to stay and watch. But his vanity had been touched by Little Purple's praise of his speed and he raced off to the beach camp. Meanwhile, Little Purple cradled Reiki in his dark mass, supporting her neck and shoulders above the water. She had no sensation of motion as he eased her alongside the raft.

  "Do you want to climb on raft?"

  "I don't think I can," Reiki said quietly. "Besides, you are too comfortable."

  Little Purple tried to accommodate her as best he could. Using the chemical-separation capabilities of his body, he extracted the salt from the ocean water around him and created a pocket of fresh water for Reiki to lie in.

  As Little Red approached the shore, he met Richard swimming out. Richard had been hunting along the shore—checking on Reiki occasionally. He had become concerned when Reiki's usual swim and dive routine stopped, and he was swimming out to see what was the matter. He climbed aboard the flouwen and Little Red took him back to the raft far swifter than Richard could have swum alone.

  When they reached the raft, Richard was in time to lift his daughter from between Reiki's thighs to the surface of the raft.

  Richard tied and cut the cord, and gently wrapped the baby in his cape. Then he lifted Reiki herself on to the raft beside the baby. Reiki lay back on the raft with the baby alongside her, quiet. She trailed her fingers in the water, gently caressing Little Purple.

  "Thank you for helping me and my daughter," she said.

  "What will you call her?" asked Little Purple. Loud Wiggling Pink would have been his suggestion.

  "I'll name her after you," said Reiki.

  "Violet?" asked Richard.

  "Lavender," said Reiki firmly.

  SPAWNING

  TWO MORE years passed, and it was time for the next quadruple conjunction extreme high tide. This one would occur at midnight, when the shadows of all three moons would join together in the center of Gargantua's illuminated face. Reiki settled Lavender on her hip, and picking up her plate of sliced jookeejook fruit, she followed Richard out of the hut. Once outside, Richard swung Freeman up onto his shoulders while the small boy giggled. It was late, but the children had been given naps so they could all stay up to see the event that came only once every five years. They walked down the moonlit paths to join the other families gathering in the Meeting Hall.

  "Do you think any of the flood water will reach us?" Reiki asked casually.

  "Don't worry, pumpkin," said Richard. "If the water didn't reach this valley last time, it won't bother us this time. That's why we picked this spot, remember?"

  "Surely. Of course." Reiki wasn't really concerned. After all, even if they did get a little water, it was not like they minded getting wet. But the time for the flood wave just seemed to have come around so fast. Everything seemed to be happening so quickly. Freeman was almost three, Lavender was walking, the seasons had come and gone, and the moons were lining up again for the big tide, and yet on Earth they still had not learned of their crash landing. The children were growing up fast, and Reiki didn't need any more reminders of how quickly time was moving.

  The Meeting Hall was lit with candles and fire, and it was warm with people and laughter. Although they all still met for their evening meal, this particular midnight gathering had a festive air and everyone was smiling. The firstborn chased each other, laughing and squealing, around the outer edges of the room where the ceiling was too low to allow adult interference, while the grown-ups drank cool wine and tasted each other's offerings. Reiki added her tray of fruit to the table. She knew better than to try to cook something for a party. While some of her attempts at cooking had led to important discoveries, they weren't always appetizing. The adults had plenty to talk about, even though they saw each other every day. Each was working on their own observations as they studied the island, and if they ran out of scientific topics to discuss, there was always the children.

  Why is it that each parent seems to think that the latest observation of their own youngsters was wonderful, thought Reiki, when it seems obvious that their children are not nearly as bright as mine? Reiki kissed Lavender and let her down to toddle off to pla
y with the others, and called to Freeman to keep an eye on his sister. The little boy nodded to her solemnly. He took his responsibility seriously. He took everything seriously. Such a wonderful boy. So much more obedient than Dirk and Adam. Shirley and Jinjur's boys were wrestling again. Reiki marveled that they didn't hurt each other and that their mothers didn't do anything to stop them. Maybe she should say something.

  "Hello, Jinjur, Shirley," said Reiki. "The boys certainly are growing, aren't they? And so are you, Shirley!"

  Shirley rubbed her tummy ruefully. Now in the last trimester of her second pregnancy, she had taken over the village's child care while the rest of the adults did the more strenuous chores. As Richard had been the one taking Freeman and Lavender over to Shirley's hut, Reiki had not seen much of the engineer for several weeks.

  "You're not kidding," agreed Shirley. "I must admit it's good to see you, so slim and trim, and know that you've had two children, too. It's a relief to know that there's hope that I can get my figure back. I can't tell you how nice it is to talk with grown-ups for a change. After a full day of nothing but three-year-olds I feel as if my vocabulary has been reduced to one word: 'No'."

  "Then why don't you ever come up to dinner? I haven't seen you for weeks," asked Reiki.

  "Once all the lads go back to their parents, all I want is a little peace and quiet. Jinjur fills me in on the gossip."

  "Yes, I guess having all the children together is a real handful," agreed Reiki, looking pointedly at Dirk, who was punching Maria's doll as she screamed in protest.

  Shirley followed her eyes. That Maria, always crying about something. Then Adam tackled Dirk and the two boys rolled on the floor, Dirk using Maria's doll to wale away at his "brother". Those two have so much energy! They are such strong, active boys! Not like some, Shirley thought as Freeman picked up the now abandoned doll and returned it to Maria. What a relief to know that no matter what the children did tonight, she was only responsible for her own.

  "Have you tried the wine?" she asked. "Jinjur brought some that she made last winter. Not that I can drink it, but I hear that it's pretty good."

  "Wine?" asked Reiki. I will not check on Richard, she thought to herself.

  "She Who Must Be Obeyed!" said Richard, slipping an arm around Reiki's slim waist. With a flourish he presented her with a clear bulb filled with the deep pink wine. Nuzzling her neck, he whispered in her ear, "You know, I never thought I would lose my craving for alcohol, but if I had to choose between a drink or a Coca-Cola, the Coke would win hands down."

  "You'll just have to find a way to make it with Eden ingredients," said Reiki.

  "Maybe you'll have one of those miraculous cooking accidents and come up with something," he said, backing away from her as he spoke. "You're looking lovely today, Shirley," he added, turning to Shirley and trying to change the subject.

  "Thank you. I don't know how you can say that to a woman my size, but I thank you."

  "The conjunction is starting!" called John from the door. "The shadow of Zouave is almost at the center of Gargantua, and Zulu's shadow just appeared and is catching up with our shadow." They picked up all the children and went outside.

  Thick clouds were gathering overhead, but through the breaks in their dark curtain the humans could see Gargantua in "full-moon" phase, filling the sky above them. Because this was a quadruple conjunction, the innermost moon Zulu was between Gargantua and Eden and was fully illuminated, a white spot on the reddish Gargantua. Zouave was now behind Eden, but its shadow showed up on Gargantua along with the shadows of Zulu and Eden. As the three shadows moved across Gargantua's face, the high tide would start. When the three shadows all reached the center of Gargantua's illuminated face at the same time, the tide would be at its peak.

  Reiki tried to get back into the mood of the celebration, but part of her was still alert, listening for any sign that the gravitational pull of all those planets might affect them. Richard had said that there might be quakes, even a reaction from the volcano, but if anything, the night seemed more quiet than usual. The expected rain began to fall, slowly and gently, and its soft patter on the thatched roof was soothing. With the rain clouds blocking the view, everyone came back inside out of the rain to finish off the food. Reiki would remember later it was just as she truly relaxed that disaster struck.

  With no warning, something huge broke through the back wall of the Meeting Hall. There was no noise other than the protest of splintering wood, and the beast was in their midst, bringing with it the stench of ocean and rot. The size of a rhino, the ferocious animal was covered with long ropelike hair the color of congealed blood. Its neckless hair-covered head swung from side to side, questing blindly as the beast pulled itself forward with its two powerful front legs, its long black claws digging and destroying the planks beneath it. The monster uttered no sound, but the room was filled with the screams of the children and their parents.

  Reiki froze. Her children! She had to get to them. How would she find them in all this chaos? Even as the fear crystallized inside her, she felt two solid thumps on her legs as her small children latched on to her. Scooping the children up in her arms, Reiki ducked under the low edge by the wall and made her way to the doorway. Outside, the terror continued. The entire valley seemed filled with the ugly, stinking giants. Their familiar settlement had become a nightmare of rain, darkness, and fear as numberless monsters slowly made their way up the valley, destroying everything in their path. The silent destruction was eerie, the only sound the rasp of the beasts' claws against the stones lining the streambed and the hiss of the falling rain. Behind her, she could hear shouts and screams. Richard found her in the darkness and picked up both her and the children in his strong brown arms. He was hesitating, trying to decide which way to go, when he heard a commanding voice.

  "To me! To me!" Jinjur ordered. She was above them on the trail they had carved out of the rock face leading up to Carmen's perch. He ran easily, despite his load, toward the sound. Richard's sure feet brought them quickly to the bottom of the trail where Jinjur waited with one of the permalights. Adam and Dirk clung to Jinjur's neck, and Reiki could see some of the others and their children further up the side of the mountain. The monsters didn't seem interested in traveling up the ridges.

  "Where are the rest?" Reiki asked as Richard set her on her feet.

  "Shirley's been hurt," said Jinjur flatly. "John and Cinnamon stayed to help her. They've taken her to John's sick bay."

  "How badly?" asked Reiki.

  "I don't know. It didn't look good." Jinjur was a general and a combat veteran, but the pain she was controlling showed in her eyes.

  "If it's bad they'll need more help," Reiki decided. "I'm going back."

  "No!" said Richard and Jinjur together. "And that's an order!" Jinjur added. Just then Dirk screamed. It was a high keening that seemed to reach right into their hearts and Jinjur looked stricken, staring back toward the reddish glow that marked the fireplace in the meeting hut, now visible through the destroyed walls. With the general distracted, Reiki moved to slip away.

  "No!" Richard whispered. "If you really think someone should go, it must be me. I'm stronger."

  "I know you're stronger, that's why I'm being selfish and I'm asking you to stay here and use your strength to keep our children safe." She put the wet and whimpering Lavender into his arms and tried again to slip off, but his rough hand reached out and encircled her wrist.

  "Wait," he said, "take this with you," and he unholstered his geologist's All-Tool from his belt. With a twist of his wrist he set the memory-metal head to a wickedly sharp pick. The permalight built into the handle would help light the way. He smiled grimly. "I would have used it before, but I was carrying my life in my hands."

  The light from the pick barely illuminated the ground right in front of her feet, but Reiki tried to hurry over the rough terrain. The rain was falling heavier now and her wet sarong dragged against her legs. Odd shadows and trees seemed to menace her, and the stench of
the monsters filled her nostrils as she moved toward the fire's glow. A flash of lightning threw the entire valley into sharp relief for a second. Then the darkness returned, deeper than ever to Reiki's flash-blinded eyes. The swift-following thunder rolled over her, and for a moment Reiki was completely disoriented. Suddenly, a black shape detached itself from the darkness and reared up, towering over her. Reiki could see the long sharp teeth that filled the monsters mouth as it turned toward her feeble light, its jaws gaping in a silent roar.

  Without thought, Reiki swung her weapon upward just as the brute's head dropped toward her. Lightning streaked the sky overhead as the sharp pick was driven up behind the animal's teeth and deep into its skull, the light from the tool handle drowned in a warm gout of blood. Sobbing with fear, Reiki tugged and tugged on the slippery handle of the weapon, refusing to release it, as thunder rolled all about her. The monster heaved and the blade pulled free. Reiki ran to escape. She bumped into a large at form and stifled a scream, but then an illuminating flash showed her she had run into the side of John's home. She had reached the sick bay. Reiki could hear voices inside the hut and she felt her way along the walls to the covered door. As she slipped inside, John called out.

  "Cover the door! The light seems to attract them!"

  Shirley was lying on the table, her clothes gone and the top of her head covered with a blood-soaked cloth. Cinnamon was working steadily, alternately breathing into Shirley's open mouth and applying cardiac massage to her chest, as John stood over his patient's swollen belly.

  "Get up there and give Cinnamon a hand. If we are going to save the baby, we have to work quickly," he ordered.

  Still shaken from the fight, Reiki silently stood across from Cinnamon, slipping her hand below Shirley's neck and pinching her nose closed. Outside the storm raged, but inside the hut, under the steady glow of the permalights, they moved with purpose. Gently Reiki blew air into her friend's lungs and turned her head to feel the soft exhalation on her cheek. Breathe, listen ... breathe, listen ...