Chapter 18

Jo could hear drums. She had been floating along in a boat made of flowers, the sound of the water beneath the boat a gentle murmuring and then the drums started. She felt Acorus leap up beside her, and then she woke up fully, someone was banging on the door.

Acorus jumped out of bed and shouted “What is it?” while picking up his kaftan and pulling it on.

The door opened and Tsera gasped “Lord, it is Kylie. She is not well”.

At that Acorus strode to the door, quickly crossing the living room to Kylie’s room. Jo got out of bed and opening a cupboard grabbed a kaftan for herself. She hurried to Kylie’s room to find that she did look extremely ill. Her face was grey and she was moaning with pain.

Tsera was saying to Acorus that they had sent for Lady Ileya, and that they’d never seen anything like this before, and didn’t know what to do. Acorus was by Kylie’s side, holding her hand and stroking her head. Teya and Tsuma were wringing out cloths in cold water and bathing her body with them, trying to reduce her temperature.

As Jo took in the scene, her mind went back to a medical lecture she had attended, on illness in pregnancy. She had toyed with medicine before she settled on rare species to study at uni. Her brain screamed pre-eclampsia, but she wasn’t sure enough to say it out loud so all she said was “We can’t wait for Ileya, I think we should take her to Ileya’s surgery and she can come there. It’s closer to her rooms, also I think she may have to take the baby, so we’d have to take her to the operating theatre, after Ileya had seen her here”.

Acorus looked at Jo, then getting to his feet, he lifted Kylie in his arms and issuing orders to the Escorii and his guards, carried her gently towards Ileya’s surgery. One of the guards ran ahead to take Ileya to her surgery, and when Acorus reached there with Kylie, Ileya took one look at her and said “Operating theatre”.

Kylie was sobbing that it was too soon, she had another three weeks to go and Acorus tried to reassure her without success.

As he laid her on the operating table, Ileya was scrubbing up, and the Escorii were running around getting the equipment ready. Jo was standing just inside the door not knowing what to do when Ileya turned to her and said “Jo take Acorus’ place holding Kylie’s hand. This is no place for a male”.

Acorus insisted that he stay but Kylie told him to leave, Jo would take care of her. A strange machine was slid under and around Kylie’s stomach and then the Escorii placed a screen between her stomach and chest. The machine gave off a very slight buzzing noise and Kylie immediately relaxed.

When asked if her pain was gone, she answered “Yes” So Ileya took up her scalpel and quickly and efficiently removed the baby from Kylie’s womb. It was over so fast, Jo couldn’t believe it.

Ileya passed the baby to one of her Escorii who took her to a table at the side of the room. It was very quiet and Kylie started to cry that it was dead. She was so distressed that she attempted to move and Ileya told Jo to hold her down.

Instead Jo told Kylie that if she lay still and let Ileya finish operating, she would go and help the baby. Kylie agreed and Jo went to the table where the baby had been taken.

She immediately realised that they weren’t trying too hard to make it breathe.

Feeling angry she pushed them aside and looking at the baby even she could see that its mouth and nose were full of mucous. Looking around she found a thin tube that she used to suck the mucous out. Then very gently she turned the baby over one hand and patted it firmly on its back. Then she moved it quickly through the air and suddenly it sneezed and let out a squeak which quickly turned into a yell of complaint at the treatment it was getting.

Jo cleaned her up and wrapping her in a fluffy towel took her to her mother. Laying the baby on her mother’s chest she told her that she had another beautiful baby girl. Tears were running down Kylie’s face and Jo couldn’t keep her tears back, no matter how hard she tried. When Kylie asked for Acorus, Jo looked at Ileya for permission, and she nodded and said “I am just tidying you up, but he can come to your head end”.

Jo went to the door and called Acorus in; he came in quickly, asking if all was well. Ileya told him that the baby was born and she was just seeing to Kylie. Acorus then spoke to Ileya in Sceria, as he realised that she was not telling him everything. When Ileya replied his tone changed and he spoke in the kind of tone that he used to issue orders to his soldiers. Ileya spoke back sharply and Acorus stood up and going to her growled out more orders.

Jo could see that Ileya wasn’t happy with how he had growled at her, but she lowered her head and carried on with her work.

Acorus stood by Kylie, holding her hand, and soothing her worries. She knew something was wrong but he calmed her just by his presence.

It took another good thirty minutes before Ileya was finished with Kylie. When she was satisfied that all was as it should be, she instructed the Escorii to remove the screen, although they still left the machine round Kylie.

Ileya moved up the operating table to listen to Kylie’s heart, and an Escorii put a machine round her arm to take her blood pressure. When Kylie asked if everything was alright Ileya told her that her heart was fine but her blood pressure was still too high, so she would have to rest completely for a few days and then take things very slowly for quite a few weeks.

Jo quietly asked Ileya what the problem had been, but looking at Kylie, she shook her head. Then Ileya said that Kylie should stay in the hospital area for a while, but she became upset and told them that she wanted to be in her own room with Tsera and Jo looking after her. Acorus spoke to Ileya in Sceria again and finally she sighed and nodded agreement that Kylie could go home.

They transferred Kylie; baby and pain management machine onto a trolley and Acorus pushed her back to her room.

When they got there, Acorus and his two guards lifted the whole mattress, Kylie and the machine onto the bed. Cuddling the baby, Jo felt such a surge of broodiness it left her breathless. She had the most perfect heart shaped face, almond dark blue eyes surrounded with long lashes, and ash blonde hair, she could have been a doll.

Once Kylie was settled comfortably in her bed, Jo placed the baby in her arms. They looked so beautiful together that Jo felt the tears gather once. Tsera was fussing around, moving Acorus out of her way, saying that they should let Kylie rest after her ordeal.

Jo leaned over, kissing the baby on her forehead and then Kylie, telling her to rest and that she would be just next door if needed. Acorus asked Kylie if she wanted him to stay but she said no, she was very tired and would probably sleep now, at which he kissed her tenderly and taking Jo’s hand led her out of the room.

In the living room Jo was surprised to discover that it was late morning. Then she realised that she was very hungry and very tired. She sank down onto a couch and after he had sent Kheta and Khala for food, Acorus joined her. Taking her hand in his Acorus said “I know you are wanting to ask what happened between me and Ileya in the operating room”.

Jo nodded “I saw that something was very wrong in there. The Escorii weren’t trying to make the baby breathe and Ileya, who was so quick doing the caesarean, was so slow stitching Kylie up”.

Acorus took a deep breath “The only thing that matters is that Kylie is alive and I think that that is because of you. She had something wrong with her blood pressure which could lead to fits and death”.

“Eclampsia” Jo murmured.

“Yes I think that was it. Because the baby is three weeks too soon, she will not be as developed as she should be”.

“But she’s beautiful” Jo cut in.

“Not behind in her body but in her brain. That is why the Escorii didn’t try too hard”.

“That’s absolutely disgusting” said Jo, her voice rising.

“What you must remember is that they were probably thinking what a hard time she will have, with all the other females at nursery and later” sighed Acorus.

“But you don’t know if there is going to be anything wrong with her”.

“Unfortunately we do. Remember, in our pregnancies, in the first four and a half months, the baby grows to full term, and then in the last weeks of the pregnancy the brain grows, more developed than in a human baby” Acorus explained.

Jo sat taking in what he was meaning. Then the door opened and the Escorii arrived with food and drink. They fussed around laying it out, until Jo felt ready to scream. As they left she said “Then she will have the brain of a human baby, won’t she?”

He sighed as he answered “We just don’t know how she will develop. No baby has survived at this prematurity”.

Jo snapped “What you mean is, no baby has been allowed to survive!”

Acorus looked at her in horror “You mean that babies were killed?”

“Not killed, just not given the care to enable them to live” Jo replied, feeling her eyes fill with tears yet again.

“Oh Jo, please don’t judge us too harshly. We are a people striving to survive. We don’t claim to be perfect. I’m aware how we might be judged but would another species on the verge of extinction have done things any better than us?”

Jo thought back to what she had wanted to study at university and suddenly felt ashamed of her disgust at the way Kylie’s baby had been left to die. Would humans have tried as hard as the Sceriae to make a horrific situation as good as possible? She cuddled up to Acorus and told him that she hadn’t the right to judge the Sceriae, because she was pretty certain that humans wouldn’t have treated ‘aliens’ with such care.

Then her stomach rumbled and Acorus laughed “I think you should eat something or your baby will complain that you are starving her”.

Jo grinned and they went to the table and helped themselves to food and drink. They sat there companionably, both thinking their own thoughts. When they were satisfied they moved back to the couch, and Jo realised that Acorus was quite sad “What’s the matter?” she asked.

“The problem with the baby isn’t all. Evidently Kylie’s womb was not good. Ileya has been worried about her through the last two pregnancies and this proved her right. She will not be able to have any more babies”.

“So what did Ileya want to do?” Jo asked.

Acorus shrugged and looked embarrassed and Jo gasped “She was going to put her down like a brood bitch, that wasn’t useful anymore, wasn’t she?”

“You have to understand what Sceriae females have been through over many generations.

They are desperate to save our race, and they have no feelings for the human females, unlike us males who, of necessity, have had closer knowledge of them” and Acorus couldn’t resist raising a devilish eyebrow at her.

Jo slapped him and said “You are unbelievable!”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to trivialise what has happened, especially with what has happened to Kylie”.

“So what has happened?” Jo demanded.

“I persuaded Ileya to take the damaged womb out”.

Kylie will be devastated, she loves her babies”, Jo said cuddling into him.

“We will have to look after her very carefully”.

Jo smiled at him and said “I’m glad you have included me in that”. Then she had a sudden thought “You know if the baby will have difficulties at the nursery, she could always stay here for Kylie to look after like we do on Earth. After all she is a female who when old enough will provide citizens for Scerior, that is if the Council will allow it!”

Acorus got up and strode round the room, frowning. Then he stopped in front of Jo “You are right. That is a perfect solution”.

“Will it be allowed?”

“The Council have no say in what I choose to do in my own house. Besides it will be a great experiment to see how a human child learns and grows. They will accept that reason, because she could be a problem in nursery” and he pulled Jo to her feet and hugging her tight to him said “You are an amazing female; you save the baby’s life and now what you suggest will save Kylie!”

“It would be best not to tell her until she is stronger and her body has started to heal”, advised Jo. Acorus agreed with Jo and they decided to play it by ear. They would take one day at a time.

Seeing that Jo was worn out Acorus called for Tchu and gave orders that Jo should have a shower, massage, and then be allowed to sleep until she woke up naturally. He promised that he would make sure that Kylie was alright before he went about his duties.

So Acorus had a quick shower, put on his body armour and left Jo to her Escorii’s ministrations.