Free Solbidyum Wars Saga 5: Desolation by Dale C. Musser

this time Reidecor didn’t have a choice, as with one loud grunt Kala pushed him forth from her loins.
    No sooner was Reidecor free from Kala’s womb, than he began crying and instantly Lunnie, who had been crying up until this moment stopped and opened her eyes, and I swear she smiled.  I know they say babies don’t smile at this age, but I tell you she smiled.
    I had little time to reflect on what was going on as the med unit began giving me instructions on how to clean and care for the babies.  The ship’s clothing synthesizer had managed to produce small blankets and thin diaper-like items for the babies.  I had scarcely finished cleaning up Lunnie when Kala asked.
    “Are they all right?  I want to see them.”
    “Yes, yes,” I said as I placed Lunnie in her arms and then began cleaning up Reidecor.  I was surprised to find I was both grinning and shedding tears at the same time, as I wrapped Reidecor in a warm blanket and placed him in Kala’s other arm.
    “Oh Tibby they are beautiful,” Kala exclaimed.  I noted her smile and I reflected on how quickly the pain and agony of previous moments seemed to be replaced with joy as she gazed on the faces of our children.
    “You did a good job,” I said, “how could they be anything but beautiful?”
    Kala looked up at me with a huge grin.  “Yes I did,” she said with a twinkle in her eye, “and just look at you, the proud father with a grin on his face and tears in his eyes.”  I reached up and wiped the tears with the back of my hand as Kala asked, “Could you please get me something to drink?  I’m parched.”
    Both Lunnie and Reidecor had quieted after being placed in Kala’s arms and though I found myself tired, my work was not yet over as med unit began directing me in how to deal with Kala and the placenta afterbirth.  I was able to get Kala from the bed and into the only chair in the small cabin while I changed and disposed of the bedding materials in the recycling replicator.  When I came back in the cabin again it was to find Kala nursing both children and I was awe struck at the beauty that mother and children radiated as the enormity of the miracle of birth struck me, and the realization that these children were a part of me and Kala both.
    I lay down next to Kala with the twins between us and quickly fell asleep.  I have no idea how long I slept but when I woke up Kala was nursing Lunnie and Reidecor again.  I knew I needed to check out the ship and our situation from the outside.  Since our crash landing, events had moved so quickly I hadn’t had any chance to check out the planet.  After making sure Kala and the twins were okay and all their immediate needs were taken care of, I returned to the control room and began consulting the ship’s computer as to both ship’s internal and external conditions.   It seemed the ship was inoperable as far as flight was concerned.  Life systems were still functional, the food synthesizer still worked, and we would not starve as long as it worked.  That was the good news; the bad news was we were light years away from help, we had no GW message pods to launch for help and it would be years before standard messages using the emergency radio beacon would reach any inhabited worlds in the Federation.  Our best hope was that some random ship passing near to us would pick up our distress message and rescue us.  Until then it looked like we were not going anywhere.
    Normally the external ship’s sensors would read the atmosphere for composition outside, but they were damaged in the crash.  Information stored in the ship’s computer about the planet indicated that there was a breathable atmosphere, but I was reluctant to give it a try.  Kala informed me that there were back up atmospheric sensors in the airlock, and once I opened the outer airlock door the view screen on the door controls would provide readout for the air.  I was concerned, wondering if the airlock door would open, as we