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I kept a close eye on my patient； watched her diet； made her exercise； checked her gizzards daily…and permitted no undue familiarity。
Dr。 Lafayette Hubert； MD； aka Captain Aaron Sheffield aka The Senior； et al。； worried excessively over his one patient。 But he kept her and her husband from seeing it and applied his worry constructively in planning for every obstetric emergency known to the art at that time。 Hardware and supplies he had obtained on Valhalla paralleled in every major respect the equipment of Frigg Temple in Torheim； where fifty births a day were not unmon。
He smiled to himself at the mass of junk he had taken aboard； recalling a country doctor on Ormuzd who had delivered many a baby with nothing but bare hands； while the mother sat in her husband's lap； knees pulled high and wide by her husband so that old Doe Hubert could kneel in front of them and catch the baby。
True…but he had always had with him all the gear a husky pacing born could tote； even though he might never open a saddlebag if everything went right。 That was the point： to have the stuff at hand if things did not go right。
One item purchased in Torheim was not for emergency： the latest improved…model delivery chair…hand grips； padded support arms； leg； foot； and back supports adjustable independently in three axes of translation and rotation with controls accessible both to midwife and patient； quick…release restraints。 It was a marvelously ？lexible piece of mechanical engineering to enable the mother to position herself…or be positioned…so that her birth canal was vertical and as wide open as possible at the moment of truth。
Dr。 Hubert…Sheffield had it set up in his cabin； checked its many adjustments before signing for it…then looked at it and frowned。 A good gadget； and he had paid its high price wjthout a quiver。 But it had no love in it； it was as impersonal as a guillotine。
A husband's arms； a husband's lap； were not as efficient…but there was much to be said； in his opinion； for having parents go through the ordeal together； she with her husband's arms holding her； forting her； while he gave both muscular and emotional support that left the midwife free to concentrate on physical aspects。
A husband who had done this had no doubt that he was a father。 Even if some passing stranger had slipped her the juice； such fact became irrelevant； swallowed up by this greater experience。
So how about it； Doc？ This gadget？ Or Joe's arms？ Did the kids need this second 〃marriage ceremony〃？ Could Joe take it； physically and emotionally？ There was no doubt that Llita was the more rugged member of the team although Joe o黷massed her even when she was near term。 What if Joe fainted and dropped her…at the exact wrong instant？
Sheffield worried these matters while he led auxiliary controls from the gravistat in the control room to the delivery chair~ He had decided that； nuisance though it was； his cabin had to be the delivery room； it was the only partment with enough deck space； a bed at hand； and its own bath。 Oh； well； he could stand the nuisance of squeezing past the pesky thing to reach his desk and wardrobe for the next fifty days…sixty at the outside； if he had Llita's date of conception right and had judged her progress correctly。 Then he could disassemble it and stow it。
Perhaps he could sell it at a profit on Landfall； it was in advance of the art there； he felt sure。
He positioned the chair； bolted it to the deck； ran it up to maximum height； placed its midwife's stool in front of it； adjusted the stool until he was fortable in it； found he could lower the delivery chair ten or twelve centimeters and still have room to work。 That done； he climbed into the delivery chair and fiddled with its adjustments…found that it could be made to fit even a person of his height…predictable； some women on Valhalla were taller than he was。
Minerva； by my figures Llita was about ten days late…which did not worry them； as I had been carefully vague about it； and worried me only a touch； as she checked out normal and healthy in all respects。 I prepared them not only with instruction and drill； but also with hypnosis； and had prepared her with exercises designed to make it as easy on her as possible…I dislike postpartum repairs； that canal should stretch； not tear。
What was really fretting me was possibility that I was going to have to break the neck of a monster。 Kill a baby； 1 mean…I shouldn't dodge the blunt truth。 All calculations I had done one sleepless night still left this chance open…and if I had been wrong in any assumption； the chance might be higher than I liked to think about。
If I had to do it； I wanted to get it over with。
I was far more worried than she was。 I don't think she worried at all； I had worked hard on that hypnotic preparation。
If I had to do this grisly thing； I was going to have to do it fast； while their attentions were elsewhere…then never let them see it and space the pitiful remains at once。 Then tackle the horrid job of trying to put them back together emotionally。 As a married couple？ I did not know； Maybe I would have an opinion after I saw what she was carrying。
At last her contractions were ing close together； so I had them get into the delivery chair…easy； one…quarter gravity。 The chair was already adjusted； and they were used to the position； from drill。 Joe climbed in； sat with his thighs stretched wide； knees over the… rests； heels braced…not too fortable as he was not angleworm…limbed the way she was。 Then I picked her up and sat her in his lap…no trouble； she weighed less than forty pounds at that pseudo…acceleration。 Call it eighteen kilos。
She spread her legs almost in a horizontal split and scooted forward in his lap while Joe kept her from falling between his thighs。 〃Is that far enough； Captain？〃 she asked。
〃Just fine；〃 I said。 The chair might have positioned her a touch better…but she would not have had Joe's arms around her。 I had never told them that there was any other way to do it。 〃Give her a kiss； Joe； while I get the straps。〃
Left knee strap around both their left knees together； same for right knees； and with her feet braced on additional supports I had added…chest and shoulder and thigh straps on him so firmly that he would stay in that chair even if the ship fell apart； but no such straps on her。 Her hands on the hand grips； while his hands and arms were a living； warm； and loving safety belt； just under her tits； just over the bulge but not on it。 He knew how； we had practiced。 If I wanted pressure on her belly； I would tell him…otherwise leave well enough a…lone。
My stool was bolted to the deck； I had added a seat belt。 As I strapped myself down； I reminded them that we had a rough ride ing…and this we had not been able to practice； it would have risked miscarriage。 〃Lock your fingers； Joe； but let her breathe。 fortable； Llita？〃
〃Uh…〃 she said breathlessly。 〃I…I'm starting another one！〃
〃Bear down； dear！〃 I made sure my left foot was positioned for the grav