Erika Hernandez sat in the captain's chair of the NX-02. "Steady as she goes, Ensign Brody."
"Aye, Captain."
"Captain," said the Communications officer, "we're being hailed. It's a distress call," he said.
"On screen, Mister Tate."
An alien with furry brown foxlike features said, "This is the Prisk. We have a medical emergency."
"What can we do for you?" asked Erika.
"A female cap – how strange," the alien said, momentarily distracted, "this is a pleasure craft. One of ours has taken ill, and we are far from our home world. We are called Daranaeans."
"We'll see what we can do. I'll come over with our doctor," Erika said.
They closed the connection, and she had Tate open a channel to Sick Bay. "Ready to get your feet wet?"
"Am I ever!" Doctor An Nguyen exclaimed. He grabbed his medical scanner and about as many things as he thought he would need. He was a newly minted doctor, top of his class at the Nereid Medical Academy, class of 2159. And now here it was February of 2160 and he was about to treat some alien species that no humans had ever seen before. It reminded him of why he had signed on in the first place.
He met Captain Hernandez in the launch bay. "Forget anything?" she joked.
"I didn't bring the Sick Bay sink," he said, smiling under a load of portable medical equipment, "I'm hoping they have their own water source."
=/\=
The ship was small, but seemed to be incredibly luxurious. The scents of jasmine, cantaloupe and, what was that? Maybe hibiscus? Those scents floated in the air when the airlock was opened between the shuttle and the Prisk. The alien they had seen during the distress call greeted them. "My name is Elemus," he said, "this ship belongs to me."
"I am Doctor Varelle," said another alien with him, who was pied brown and white.
"Wait, I don't understand," Doctor Nguyen said, "if you already have a doctor, might I ask why you needed our help?"
"Doctor Varelle doesn't treat that kind," Elemus said.
An gave Erika a look behind the aliens' backs. New cultures, he kept reminding himself.
There were several children in the halls, mostly, Erika figured, between the ages of perhaps two and six, if their sizes were at all comparable to how human children develop. Most were boys although there were a few girls in the mix. Most had tan fur. The children ran and skipped and played, much like any children, although they did quiet down when Elemus went by.
They finally arrived at a door. Without knocking or hitting any sort of a chime, Elemus went right in. "This is my Prime Wife Thessa," he said, introducing a woman. Unlike Elemus, she was rather grey.
"I was very expensive," Thessa said, "Are you his Prime Wife?" she asked Erika, referring to An.
"No, actually, I'm the captain of the vessel out there," Erika indicated through a window.
"How very strange," Thessa said.
"I'm the doctor," An said, "are you the patient?"
"No. A moment," Thessa disappeared into another room and then returned, with a very pregnant tan-furred woman, "this is the patient."
"I was somewhat expensive," said the tannish one.
"Um, okay," An said, "what seems to be the trouble?"
"I'll be all right," said the tan one.
"No, you are ill," insisted Thessa, "you must think of the child."
"Yes," said the tan one.
"What's your name?" An asked, getting out a hand scanner.
"That's not important," Thessa said.
"Well, I'd like to know her name anyway," An said, "so long as it isn't classified or something."
"Libba," the tan one whispered.
"Okay," An said, "just relax. Ah, I see the trouble; you've got a bit of an infection."
"Is the child all right?" asked Elemus.
"I'd like to take her to our ship and use our equipment, if that's all right," An said, "I can mainly just guess here, but on the Columbia, I can get better readings."
"You have quite a bit of equipment with you. Are you sure you need to remove her?" asked Doctor Varelle.
"We have an imaging chamber," An said, "it was a bit too big for me to carry."
Thessa, Doctor Varelle and Elemus conferred elsewhere. Another female Daranaean came in, also pregnant. She had more reddish fur and quickly departed without speaking. "Who was that?" Erika asked.
"Cama," Libba said softly, "she was not too expensive."
"Oh," Erika said. Whatever that meant.
"We will allow this if Thessa can come along," Elemus said.
"I don't see any reason why not," Erika said, "in fact, why don't you come along as well? My chef could prepare a meal and we could get to know one another better. We've never had contact with Daranaeans before."
"That won't be necessary for that one. Thessa will bring our food with her. It is very important for a developing fetus that there be proper nutrition," Doctor Varelle said.
"Um, yes, of course," An said.
=/\=
In the Sick Bay on the Columbia, An had Libba lie down on a bed which he slowly moved into the imaging chamber. "You all right in there?" he asked her.
"I am strong," she said.
"I have no doubt," he replied.
After a few minutes, he let her out and injected her with a hypospray. "The infection should clear up in about an hour. You are, it looks like, about six months along, if I am interpreting this correctly."
"Oh, then labor will come soon."
"Labor? Your baby is very small," An said, showing her the scan. "See? He's only a few centimeters long."
"A boy child? Elemus will be pleased. And, the size is good. Here, I will show you why." She lifted her top.
There was a fold of skin over her bare abdomen. "Is that what I think it is?" An asked.
"What do you think it is?"
"If I'm not mistaken, it's a pouch. Are you marsupials, by chance?"
"I do not know this word," she replied.
"That's okay, we, uh, on Earth, there are two kinds of mammals, those that bear their young pretty fully formed, and those who have it early and it develops outside, in a pouch. And I think you're that kind, which is called a marsupial."
"Is that a very expensive kind?" she asked.
"Libba, we don't really buy and sell marsupials. Or people, for that matter."
"How strange. It is, our people, the females are bought. The first caste is most expensive – they become prime wives. Those who are in the middle are secondaries like I am. The last wife is like Cama is," she explained.
Thessa came in. "Are you finished with the cure?"
"Almost," An said, "she says she's going to be in labor soon. Will Doctor Varelle be able to deliver her child?"
"Doctor Varelle does not treat this caste," Thessa said.
"How is she expected to have the baby?" An asked, incredulous.
"The way they have had litters for generations," Thessa sniffed haughtily, "the other one will deliver it."
"Other one? You mean Cama?" An asked.
"You talk too much," Thessa said to Libba, who looked down.
=/\=
Erika sat down to dinner with Elemus, Doctor Varelle, Thessa, An and the First Officer, Hamilton Roget. "Do all Earth vessels have female captains?" Elemus asked.
"Oh, no," Erika replied, "the NX-01 – the Enterprise – is our counterpart ship. That one is under the command of a man named Jonathan Archer. There are lots of other ships, and there are going to be two more NX-class star ships, at least for now – the Challenger and the Discovery. I don't know who'll be in command of them, but we don't look at gender as a requirement for leadership."
"How odd," Thessa said, "we only have males in charge of things."
"Do, um, do all Daranaeans have three wives?" Roget asked.
"Only the wealthy ones," Elemus explained, "it's a perk of having money. A Prime Wife, like Thessa – they are very expensive! Then the secondary costs less but they usually have the majority of the offspring. And then the lowest, well, they are for extra offspring, of course," he said, "but they aren't very useful. The one I have is," he sighed, "well, she only cost one hundred and sixty Stonds. So you can imagine how unimportant she is."
"I have told you, Elemus," Doctor Varelle said, "A bargain is never really a bargain! The lowest one has only had two – this one will be the third. But the secondary, well, this one will be the eighth."
"Do you have any children, Thessa?" An asked.
"Three," she said, "They are older and already off to have families. Two males!"
"Yes, you have been very useful," Elemus said.
"Libba's child is due soon," An said, "or, at least, that's what she tells me. It's small, but I was able to determine its gender."
"Oh, and is it a male?" asked Elemus.
"It is."
"Definitely more useful than the lowest one!" Elemus crowed.
"Well, she was purchased for nine hundred and thirty Stonds," Doctor Varelle said, "as for the other one, well; you get what you pay for."
=/\=
Erika was back in her Ready Room when there was a communications chime. "Yes?"
"Captain, the Daranaean ship is hailing us again," Tate said.
"I'll take it in here. Yes?"
"As we had expected, the secondary one is in labor. Could your doctor take care of things? There appear to be some complications," Doctor Varelle explained.
"I'll get him. Bring her here," Erika said.
=/\=
An reversed the bed's direction to bring Libba out of the imaging chamber. It was just the two of them. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, but I am in pain."
"I know, here, this will help," he gave her a low dose analgesic, "who is the baby's father?"
"Elemus, of course," she said, "there can be no other."
"I see. And the children with tan fur? Are they all yours?"
"They are Elemus's."
"But you gave birth to them, right?" An asked.
"I was privileged to be the vessel."
"I learned that this is your eighth child," he said, "wait, I'll tell you when to push."
"It is, this is better than most times. I have been in dark rooms and sometimes the ones I have been with are not well-versed."
"Doesn't Thessa know what to do?"
"Thessa does not do these things." Libba said, "It is for the lowest caste to do."
"Okay, ready to push?"
Libba nodded.
It was all over quickly, because the baby was so tiny, only a few centimeters long. Libba tied her top up high on her chest and placed the baby in the pouch. He wriggled around a little until he was situated. "Now he won't come out for a half a year or more."
"Do you, uh, how many more children are you planning on having?" An asked.
"Plan?"
"Yes. Don't you, um, doesn't anyone plan how long you're going to continue having babies? You can't have them forever, you know."
"I almost – may I tell you something in confidence?"
"Yes, of course," he said.
"I don't, I don't want anymore. They, the pregnancies, they are getting tougher each time. You saw what happened this time. I am afraid that next time there will not be a doctor like you, and the child or I will die."
"Can you tell Elemus that you don't want anymore?"
"I don't understand," she said.
"Can you go on birth control, or just not have relations?" An asked.
"I do not understand," she repeated, "there is no refusal of relations; my opinion in this matter is not important."
"Libba, it is important," he said, "you're entitled to decide what happens with your own body."
"I am not," she said softly.
"What, um, what would happen if you could no longer have children?" he asked, suddenly getting an idea, "would you be punished somehow, or lose your status and become a part of the lowest caste?"
"No, at least, I don't think so – we cannot change castes," she said, "When we are done having children, we take care of the ones that exist already. Could, um, could you do that? Make it so that I could have no more?"
"Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked, beginning to back pedal. He didn't want to offer that, at least, not without talking to someone about it first.
"I am not sure of anything," Libba said, "for it cannot be anything where he," she indicated the pouch, where the baby was moving around a bit, "can possibly be hurt."
"I'll make sure that he's safe," An said.
"And you, you won't tell Thessa or the others?"
"No."
"Then please proceed."
"Hmm, before I do anything," An said, "I should talk to two people."
"Elemus?" Libba asked, frightened.
"No. Just my captain and, well, and another doctor, who's been a mentor to me. And you, you should talk to Cama."
"Cama?" she asked, "but she wasn't that expensive."
"Does it matter? She's in the same boat you are. She's also supposed to be a baby-making machine, right?"
"She has miscarried several times," Libba said.
"Then I can have her brought here. And that would be a good idea, anyway. She should be examined while she's pregnant. Maybe I could prevent another miscarriage."
"They don't believe in medicine," Libba said, "none of the lowest caste do."
"Maybe they just don't have access to it."
=/\=
With Libba sleeping on one of the Sick Bay beds, An clicked open his Communicator, "I'd like to speak with Doctor Phlox."
"Doctor Nguyen! This is a pleasant surprise! How goes it on the NX-02?"
"I, uh, I have an ethical question."
"I see. Well, I'll do my best to answer it, or at least help you to get to the answer."
"Doctor Phlox, we made first contact with a species. They're, uh, well, they're sentient marsupials."
"How intriguing."
"But they also have a rigid caste system, although I think that's only for the women."
"Oh?" Phlox asked.
"Yes. The, uh, the women seemed to be divvied up into three classes. And they're bought and sold like commodities. The most expensive get, I believe, the most privileges. They seem to be well-educated, and it appears that they might even have some control over their bodies. I admit my sample size is rather small."
"You said there were other castes."
"Right," An said, "the second class isn't too well-educated, but at least they let me treat that one. She, uh, she's almost like a brood mare. She's just had her eighth child. She tells me she's not allowed to refuse if her husband wants to have relations. She doesn't even know what birth control is."
"And the third class?" Phlox asked.
"I met that one only briefly. She didn't even speak to me. The one in the second class says that the lowest caste doesn't even believe in medical care. She's pregnant, too, but no one, at least I don't think so, no one has examined her."
"What is the problem that you need my guidance for?"
"It's like this. The second caste woman – Libba – she's asked me to sterilize her. And I got to thinking. The third caste one, Cama, she might want that as well. Or, at the very least, I should examine her. Libba says that Cama has miscarried several times."
"No wonder, if there is no prenatal care. Doctor Nguyen, you know we are not supposed to interfere with other cultures. It rarely works out the way one expects."
"I know that," An said, "but they came to us because Libba had an infection. Their own doctor wouldn't even look at her! But they're the ones who've opened the door – at least when it came to her. Plus with Cama, there's a child involved. She might refuse care, but don't the needs of the fetus at least tie with her needs and wants?"
"It is also possible that this, this Cama, she might not refuse medical intervention at all," Phlox mused, "I would say, offering an examination of her is perfectly fine, and justifiable under the circumstances. As for the remainder, have you spoken with Captain Hernandez yet?"
"I wanted to talk to you first."
"I see. Speak with her and see what she has to say before you go any further. Let me know how it goes. Phlox out."
=/\=
"Captain, may I speak with you a moment?"
"Sure, Doctor, come on in."
"I received a call from the doctor on the NX-02 today. You may remember An Nguyen – he and his class were here for a residential rotation a few years ago," Phlox said.
"I'll take your word for it."
"Captain Archer, he's got a serious ethical dilemma."
"Oh? Uh, and not that I mind the company but, uh, what can I do?" Jonathan asked.
"Well, I told him to speak with Captain Hernandez. Perhaps she will wish to speak with you. I figured you should be ready for that."
"Oh, uh, well, thanks."
"Captain, it's somewhat similar to when we encountered the Vissians."
"So they have three genders?"
"Well, they have what is essentially a caste system," Phlox explained, "but it appears to be solely confined to the females of the species."
=/\=
"So Captain," An continued, "I just feel like Libba and Cama are being exploited. It's like the only organs that they have that anyone is interested in are their uteruses and their pouches."
"And …" Captain Hernandez said.
"Well, that, too," An admitted, "I just, I can't help feeling morally squeamish about the whole thing. How can a purportedly advanced species treat some of its members as if the only thing they're good for is to be barefoot and pregnant?"
"Let me think about this," Erika said, "I don't have a problem with you asking to give Cama an examination. But if Elemis, Thessa or Varelle refuse, there isn't a lot that anyone can do about it. You'll have to let it go."
"And what about Libba?"
"I would rather that she didn't have any expectations. Dismissed."
=/\=
Erika dictated.
Captain's log, supplemental. February sixth, 2160. We have had first contact with a humanoid marsupial species called the Daranaeans. Their culture appears to be rigidly defined by castes. I can't say whether the people we met are typical. Maybe they aren't.
If they are typical, then the implications are troubling. This is a society where women are divided into three types. Bought and sold like cattle, the most expensive seem to be educated and privileged and, I suspect, in some control of their reproductive lives. The second caste is less expensive apparently, and seems to serve as little more than incubators, producing children at the whims of the men and with little control over their reproductive destinies. As for the third type, they seem to be the most isolated. Being a member of the bargain basement caste is, I suspect, not a life that any Daranaean would want to live.
=/\=
"I'm not sure," Elemus said, "we don't normally do this."
"Well, I was thinking, since you're here anyway, and since Cama has reportedly had a few miscarriages, it might be a good idea for me to give her an examination," An explained.
"There's little reason to go to such trouble for one that is so inexpensive," Thessa said.
An played his trump card. "Well, what if she's carrying a male child? If I can prevent a miscarriage, then that would be worthwhile, wouldn't it?"
"The other one did have a male child today," Doctor Varelle said, "and by all accounts the child is healthy."
"Don't you wish to see your son?" An asked Elemus.
"I don't do such things until they are out of the pouch," Elemus said, "right now, there's nothing to see."
"Got it," An cringed, "And about Cama?"
"Very well," Elemus said, "but don't hold her for too long. You already have the other one."
"Well, I'd like to hold Libba and your son for observation for a little while, and make sure that that infection doesn't come back," An said, "your son could still die."
"Very well," Elemus said, but it was clear that he was losing his patience.
Thessa went into the back room, and could be heard to say, "Come!" she clapped her hands twice, "You will go to the other ship. You will not touch anything! You will only speak when you are spoken to!"
Thessa returned with Cama, who seemed a bit bowed. "Ready," Thessa said.
An opened the door, "I'm Doctor Nguyen," he said to Cama, who just stared as they walked.
Once they got onto the Columbia, she turned to him, "Are you purchasing me?"
"No," An said, "I'm just going to give you a physical examination, make sure you and the baby are okay. And, um, Libba is in Sick Bay; you could visit with her."
"She is foolish," Cama said.
"How so?"
"She gives it all up even when she doesn't need to. It would be smarter to wait until it's absolutely necessary. That way, maybe it can be bargained for more value."
"What are you talking about?" An asked.
"Sex," she said, "we are compensated with food or blankets or the like, for being compliant. I learned, when I was little, to hold out until it was vital."
"Is that why you're valued the, uh, way you are?"
"No, I was born this way," Cama explained, "we can't move from caste to caste. I will be this way forever, until I die."
"Here we are at Sick Bay." They walked in. "Ah, Libba, you're awake. Let's get you something to eat."
"I can eat what Thessa had sent with me."
"It's no trouble; I'm sure there's plenty of food in the galley."
"No, I am not allowed," Libba said.
An gave up on that, "Here, Cama, if you could get on this bed, please, I'll move you into the imaging chamber."
"You are unfamiliar with our ways," Cama said as she hopped onto the bed, "for no one would ever say please to the last caste."
An just stood there and swallowed, trying not to comment. He looked at the screen and then reversed the bed to get it out of the chamber. "I see you're going to have a boy as well."
"Ah, it's good to know that modern science confirms the ancient tests," Cama said.
"Tests?" An asked.
"Yes. You see, we can tell, by testing the mother's saliva, whether the child is male or female. For a male, I allow the pregnancy to go forward. For a female, no," Cama said.
"So those weren't miscarriages," An said.
"Induced miscarriages, yes," Cama said, "for it does me little good to have girls."
"I don't understand," Libba said.
"In the last caste, we pick and choose our children, for there is little to lose, but even that little bit will be lost if there are too many girl children. So I have chosen to only allow the boys to live," Cama said.
"Cama, what if – the doctor here says that I could make it so that I would have no more babies. Wouldn't that sort of operation also fix things for you?"
Cama looked at An, "You should not do that for her."
"Why not?" Libba asked. "I will, one of these days, I will die. I keep getting more and more tired, and weaker. The last time, it was less than a month from when I gave birth to when I became pregnant again. I was sick and weak and still pouch feeding, but already moved onto this one," she indicated the baby in her pouch. "I do not think I can do this anymore. I don't want to do it anymore."
"You must," Cama said, "for they will not allow you to stay if they find out you have voluntarily stopped your ability to bear children."
"And if they find out you have been voluntarily miscarrying, how will they feel about that?"
"I can scarcely be treated any worse," Cama said, "I will manage."
"But when I am done, they are supposed to allow me to live, and care for the children," Libba said.
"You have the chance to do that, yes," Cama said, "for me, that day, when it happens, when I can no longer have babies, it will be my last day. And I, I need for you to live, so that at least this one," she patted her belly, "and my two others will be raised by you, and not by Thessa. Can you do that?"
Libba thought for only a moment. "I will do that, if I live."
"I take it that Thessa doesn't have such restrictions," An said.
"No, she does not," Cama said, "she is already past the time of bearing children, yet she stays, and will stay until her death. She does nearly nothing, preferring to have us fetch and carry for her, even when we are huge with children."
"Is your entire society like this?" An asked.
"I suspect it is," Cama said, "they do not let me out much; I know what I do from before I was purchased."
There was a communications chime. An answered it, "Sick Bay."
"Doctor," it was Captain Hernandez, "the Daranaeans want to leave. Can they?"
An looked at the two women. "Yeah, I, uh, I guess they can."
=/\=
Medical log, February sixth, 2160. We have had first contact with a sentient marsupial species called the Daranaeans. Females carry their fetuses for about six months and then the child, who is only a few centimeters long, is placed inside the mother's pouch, which is located on her abdomen. The child then stays there for about a half a year.
Daranaean society is a rigid class system oppressing the women. The highest level are treated the best but are well aware of their position and use it to further exploit the other two, lower, castes. The secondary caste is sandwiched in between and mainly serves as a producer of infants for the men. They are expected to bear children until they die doing so or, if they are fortunate enough to survive to menopause, they are granted a retirement whereby they are still required to care for children. As for the lowest caste, they are perhaps the most heartbreaking. With no birth control and no rights, they are locked in their homes, also expected to be baby-making machines. However, because male children are preferred, and because lowest caste women don't wish to pass their misery on to another generation, they voluntarily miscarry as many female children as they can without rousing suspicion or losing their place. When menopause comes for them, they are reportedly euthanized, considered to be worthless to their society. For them, menopause is a death sentence.
An offer to permanently sterilize a secondary caste member was rejected, as being found out by the man would have proven fatal, and the third caste woman needed the other one to survive and ensure the future of the third caste children. Hence, in some ways, what should have been a cure would have only resulted in a worsening of the women's situations.
I do not wish, normally, to add my own value judgments into my medical logs, but I feel, in this instance, that I must. I hope, even though such a species is medically intriguing, that I never have to encounter Daranaeans again.
Respectfully submitted,
An Nguyen, MD