Rachel DycekSurrounded by the whirlwind of the storm, Cora Marisovna gave birth to a daughter. Healthy, and perfect—and human. Rachel stared at the newborn with an amazement and exhilaration that made her feel reborn as well, glowing with life again. It was a strange feeling.
Crouched under the rubble of the avalanche, Percival creaked and groaned as the wind tried to push its way in. The dust and blowing sand grains made a rasping sound against the hull plates, but the shelter remained secure. The deck rocked as Rachel knelt beside Cora, but she felt protected for the miraculous half an hour it took for Cora to give birth….
Boris Tiban waited for them out in the storm, somewhere, but he did not strike again. Rachel secured the rover’s sphincter airlock mechanism, then flicked glances to
