Spatial Delivery

"Spatial Delivery" by Randall Garrett is a science fiction story set on Space Station One, where Lieutenant Alice Britton unexpectedly goes into labor. The story explores the challenges of childbirth in space, as Major Peter Banes, the station’s doctor, struggles with limited medical resources. The tension rises as Banes organizes a risky rocket mission to get crucial supplies and a specialist. Alice's quick thinking leads to the discovery that the space station itself can act as an incubator, allowing for the safe delivery of her son, James Edward Britton II. The narrative emphasizes human adaptability and ingenuity in extreme conditions.