A pathologist examines two dead young women and passes sections of organs to pathology for examination. The pathologist examines the specimens and questions the accuracy of the collection of tissue. When the collection has been confirmed the answer is devastating. The impact of this finding stretches far beyond the lives and families of the two women.
Joan was sitting by the phone when the call came. It was the General. “Trooper Joan Butler,” the way he addressed her since he met her after the press conference, “I have just FAXed your orders to you. Can you confirm their receipt and your willingness to comply. If you refuse, I’ll have to dispatch a squad of Marines to see that they are carried out.” Although the general was joking with Joan, he technically had the authority to issue such a order.
“Just a minute,” she replied and ran to the machine. She was back in a minute. “Trooper Butler accepts the assignment. You understand this may take a year to complete. These things can’t be rushed.”
“Sure do. I’ll not make any comments except, good luck. We could never have gotten the legislation through without you. It’s clearing the states now, it will take till early next year to finalize.”
Joan hung up and called her secretary, “Schedule me for an appointment at the fertility clinic Stat. Then call Lori Warner-Martin and tell her to make her appointment with them too.”
A few days later Joan was on a table in the knee chest position being implanted with three fertilized ova from Lori. Her husband Gary was holding her hand during the whole procedure. As she waited to give the implant time to settle, he stroked her back.
“You sure you want to do this? You’re getting to be an old broad for this kind of carrying on.”
“I got to keep in practice. You do know I have to do this at least twice more, don’t you?”
“How do you figure that?”
“You do understand why this is so important to me? You realize Jacki and Judi can’t have babies, someone else will have to do it for them. If I can, it’ll be me.”
“You can’t do it all, Judi’s 13 – you’ll be 47 by the time she wants kids. Let’s say they each want two, you’d be having four kids after you’re 45. That borders on dangerous.”
“I know, but I’ll try to do it now, maybe someone else can handle it later.”
“Who will after all of you are too old. By the time the last girls that are sterile are 35, the last ones of before the problem will be 57, too old to have kids.”
“The ones after, those being born now will have to do that.”
“But some of them may have to have a baby for someone else before they have their own.”
“That’s right.”
“Could you ask your daughters to do that?”
“Knowing how critical this is, Yes.” In two weeks it was obvious that something had happened. She looked at the paper strip and saw the color change. She was pregnant. She called Lori with the good news.
The day after Joan’s implant, Beth Warner was in the same position being implanted with ova from one of Joan’s patients. She had signed up because of Lori and had hoped to carry her daughter’s child. The psychologists had strongly recommended this not be done and the Selective Service had been careful to not select close relatives. Joan had been picked for Lori because her position of influence had enabled her to have her pick. Within two weeks Beth had good news too.
Alpha Four Chapter 01: Two Autopsies
Alpha Four Chapter 06: Notifying the Country
Alpha Four Chapter 08: Non-pregnant in the House of Representatives
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