When little Colonists ask, "Mommy, where did I come from?" the answer is, of course, "the Nursery, dear." Given that birth rates are an important element in colony survival, that all able-bodied adults work, and that maternity leaves are necessarily short, the Nursery's functions are nothing less than vital to colony survival.

The Nursery provides a wide range of services for Children from conception through teens. This starts with a fertility clinic. While about 50 percent of the colony's Children are conceived naturally, the rest are born of DNA taken from the colony's Gene Bank. The bank represents the full genetic diversity of Earth's population, and it saves the colony's small population from excessive inbreeding.

Genotypes taken from the bank are carefully chosen to represent the 99th percentile in key survival areas such as intelligence, strength, life-span, health, productivity, and emotional stability. The decision to engage in such a eugenics program is an ethically uncomfortable one; it was judged necessary for the survival of the species. The intent has always been to pick genetic material at random once a permanent and stable colony has been established.

After conception, the Nursery provides birthing classes, routine prenatal screenings, routine deliveries, infant care, child care, and limited primary schooling (the rest being provided by home schooling, online classes, and mentoring programs throughout the community). The Nursery coordinates closely with the Medical Center on birth and Children's health issues.

The Nursery manages all this with a tiny staff, thanks to extensive use of robot "nannies" and of volunteers from the community. Research has shown that participation in child care substantially raises colony Morale, and the Nursery provides an important emotional hub for the community.

Operational Notes: An Active Nursery is required for Colonists to produce new Children; it also improves Morale and reduces infant mortality rates.

Tales from New Terra

Sixteen-year-old Echo Van Dozier thought that "Echo" was an excellent name for a clone. She was a clone, she liked to remind everyone. Most people were, the good people anyway. The colony couldn't afford to carry any dead weight, so they pulled only the best genetic material from the Gene Bank to make only the best people.

Of course, some people still elected to have babies the old-fashioned way, but Echo thought that was silly. The babies didn't turn out too bad, since usually both of their parents were superior clones, but why try to improve on perfection? This random mixing of genes, hoping for something acceptable to come out of it, was just madness as far as she was concerned.

She volunteered at the Nursery as frequently as possible, and she got to see all the babies. She thought it was obvious that the clone babies were better: healthier, stronger, more active. Why other people couldn't see that, she didn't understand.

But she'd already decided to attend the University, study medicine, child development, and genetics, and make the Nursery her life's work. Someday she'd be in charge of this place, and then she'd find a way to break people of this gene-mixing notion. There'd be nothing but clones when she was in charge.

She'd find a way. She was sure of it.

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