Her husband shook his head. “And won’t, Eunice. Licensing is a joke; it has more loopholes than the tax laws. Compulsory methods inevitably involve political tests—no, thanks, I prefer the Four Horsemen. And the only effect that voluntary contraception has ever had has been to change the ratio, unfavorably, between the productive and the parasites; the population climbs anyhow. If we were as hard-boiled about weeding the culls as China is, it might not work that way. But we aren’t, we never have been—and I’m not sure I’d like it if we were.”
“Then there isn’t any solution.”
“Oh, there is, I mentioned it. The Four Horsemen. They never sleep, they’re never off duty. And there.” He pointed at the Moon. “Eunice, I suspect that our race’s tragedy has been played endless times. It may be that an intelligent race has to expand right up to its disaster point to achieve what is needed to break out of its planet and reach for the stars. It may always—or almost always—be a photo finish, with the outcome uncertain to the last moment, just as it is with us. It may take endless wars and unbearable population pressure to force-feed a technology to the point where it can cope with space. In the universe, space travel may be the normal birth pangs of an otherwise dying race. A test. Some races pass, some fail.”
She shivered. “Gruesome.”
“Yes. And no way to talk to a gal in what used to be called a ‘delicate condition.’ Sorry, darling.”
“A gruesome thought at any time, Jake. I’m not in a ‘delicate condition.’ I’m doing what this body is designed for. Building a baby. Feels good. Fm enjoying it.”
“So it appears and that makes me happy. But, Eunice, before you shut down your house and move into a yacht, I must mention one thing. I think you must put it off until you’ve had this baby.”
“Why, Jake? No morning sickness. I doubt if seasickness will be a problem.”
“Because you are in a delicate condition, no matter how good it feels. I’d feel happier if you were never more than five minutes from medical attention. You’d be okay at home; Bob and Winnie are there. You’re okay here—a hotel resident physician and a good one—believe me, I checked on him—and a modern hospital over there, in sight. But at sea? Suppose you had a seven-month preemie? We’d lose the baby and probably you, too. No, Eunice.”
“Oh.” (Eunice, any point in telling him that you carried your first one full term and no trouble?) (No, twin. How are you going to prove it? If you mention me now, you’re just a female with pregnancy delusions. Boss, this is one argument you’re going to lose. So concede it at once. Fall back and find another route.) “Jacob, I can’t argue. I lost my first wife with her first baby; I know it can happen. But what would you think of this? Could you persuade Roberto and Winnie to come with us? Then not go very far to sea. If we were anchored where that trimaran is, that hospital could be just as close… and Roberto would be aboard. This hotel physician must be all right as you have checked on him but I would rather have Roberto. He knows me inside and out. And never mind wisecracks; I mean as my physician. Or does the fact that you know that Roberto has slept with me make him unacceptable to you as my O.B. man?” (Whew! Twin, that was a foul blow.) (Oh, pooh, Eunice, I’m just confusing the issue.)
Jake Salomon cocked one eyebrow and grinned down at her. “Little one, you can’t embarrass me that easily. If Bob is the baby-cotcher you want, I’ll do my best to persuade him. . . as long as you don’t mind Bob’s wife being around.”
“Pooh to you, sir. If you and Winnie want to stroll down memory’s lane, I’ll tuck you in and kiss you good-night. She’s certain to console you while I’m benched—and you’ll need it.”
“Thereby giving you carte blanche later. A woman almost always falls in love with the doctor who delivers her