<USS Avalon> "Shuttle Baby"
- From: Elizabeth Bethell <ejbethell@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2006 00:27:44 +0000
Shuttle Baby
Dr Ezra Lincoln, Sussanna McEntire and Prater
"Breathe, Anna," Linc urged gently, watching as the first infant crowned.
"Okay, now...push...good Anna..."
Prater watched over Linc's shoulder, his eyes wide and mouth agape. "Whoa,
sonofabitch, will you look at that." he muttered as the doctor eased the
slimy, squalling, big headed thing out of the woman's little love hole,
stretching it beyond imagination. Would it ever grip right again? "Damn!" he
winced in sympathy as she cried out, unable to imagine trying to push
something that big out of a hole that small. "Look at it stretch her all out
like that. Are they supposed to come that big?"
"Actually, this one is small by comparison to most," Linc answered, passing
the tiny little baby girl to him. Prater took it reluctantly, as another
head began to emerge. "Place it in one of the warmers I prepped over there,
Prater, then come back for the next."
"Next!" Prater repeated in amazement. "You mean there's more?" Poor lady!
"Five all total," Linc answered. "Now hurry up."
"Get that nasty little man away from my children!" Anna yelled then threw
her head back and screamed as she pushed. Panting heavily, she laid still
for a moment. "Where's Mac? Did he get off? Did everyone get to a
shuttle?"
"I'm afraid that 'nasty little man' is needed right here at the moment, now
focus on what you're doing, doctor," Linc answered, passing the second baby
to Prater and nodding toward one of the warmers with the ventillator, hoping
he'd take the hint. The second, an extremely tiny boy even by preemie
standards, wasn't breathing.
Prater took the hint. He dragged up everything he could remember about his
emergency medical protocols and worked to rescusitate the little thing, hook
him up, say a quick prayer, then hurried back in case more help was needed.
"And Mac? And the others? Are Annabelle and Josh on their shuttles?" She
gripped Linc's hand as another wave of pain stabbed through her and she
yelled out.
Linc drew a breath, biting back a yelp as she nearly broke his hand. "I
haven't heard of any problems, Anna. So far it sounds like everyone's where
they're supposed to be, now keep your head in the game. Breathe...now push,
Anna...push..."
Prater glanced back at the other babies then, almost as an afterthought,
activated the shuttle EMH. He'd help as much as he could, but he'd be damned
if he'd be the reason them little things died. No way, uh-uh, not him.
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," the EMH asked primly as
it took in the scene.
"For fuck's sake," Anna screamed as she pushed. "Get that thing away from
me. I HATE EMHs."
"Over here," Prater called, drawing the EMH's attention to the helpless
infants he watched over as Linc passed him another.
The EMH quickly assessed the situation and began work on the smallest of the
babies. "How many more?" it asked.
"Two," Linc answered as he focussed on the next crowning head. "There are to
be a total of five infants. The second...the male...requires your immediate
attention."
"I'm a doctor," the EMH said in a peeved voice. "Not a cadet. I can do my
job, even if I am a computer program."
"Then please do," Linc answered shortly.
Anna groaned. "I hate EMHs."
"Me too," Linc admitted quietly. "But Prater did the right thing activating
it. It's needed right now. Now, come on. Number four's waiting. Push,
Anna...push..."
Anna screamed loudly and felt the fourth child leave her. "James," she
breathed.
"You heard her, little man," Linc grinned as he passed the baby to Prater.
"Prater, meet James."
"Hey, James," Prater grinned as he carried him to a warmer and cleaned him
up. "How the hell are you?"
James wriggled and cried until he was set in a warm blanket then went
instantly to sleep.
"One more," Anna breathed then pushed hard. It hurt so much worse than the
others had. This one was worst. She let out a loud scream and the fifth
and final child was born. Not willing to simply lie there, Anna pushed
herself up to look at her children. They were all fine... all...
"She's not moving," Anna said in a strangled whispe when she saw the
youngest baby. It was a light blue and totally still.
"Lay back, Anna," Linc ordered as he began rescusitating the infant as he
had the first boy. Nodding to the EMH, he accepted the assistance hooking up
the ventillator and monitors. Both the first boy and last girl were in bad
shape, with underdeveloped internal organs and poor systemic functions,
though the girl appeared to be worse even than the male. It was unlikely
either would survive, but he wasn't about to mention that to Anna yet as he
delivered the afterbirth and began checking her over.
"Victoria," Anna cried softly, laying back and letting tears run down her
cheeks. "Please don't let her die."
"I don't let my patients die, Anna." Linc assured her curtly. "Now relax."
Anna shook her head and rolled over. Sobbing softly, she curled into a ball
even though it hurt.
More gently, Linc spoke from her children's side. "I've got them, Anna. I
give you my word, I'll do all I can for them. They'll be fine. You all will,
now rest? Try to sleep, and I'll wake you once they're stable enough for you
to see them. Alright?"
She would have argued except she was exhausted. Nodding gently off, Anna
heard a small cry from one of the babies and cringed but still fell asleep.
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