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diff --git a/18492-h/18492-h.htm b/18492-h/18492-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4fdf39 --- /dev/null +++ b/18492-h/18492-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7228 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Star Surgeon, by Alan E. Nourse. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; empty-cells: show; } + + body { margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .note { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; font-size: 90%; border: 1px dashed black; padding: 4px; } + + .blockquot { margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} + + .shorter { width: 45%; } + .longer { width: 65%; } + + .centre {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Star Surgeon, by Alan Nourse + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Star Surgeon + +Author: Alan Nourse + +Release Date: June 2, 2006 [EBook #18492] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STAR SURGEON *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Annika Feilbach and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1>STAR SURGEON</h1> + +<h3><i>by</i></h3> + +<h2>ALAN E. NOURSE</h2> + +<div class="centre"> +<img src="images/titlepage.jpg" +alt="title page" +title="title page" /> +</div> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="centre">DAVID McKAY COMPANY, <span class="smcap">Inc.</span><br /> +NEW YORK</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="centre"><span class="smcap">Copyright © 1959, 1960 by Alan E. Nourse</span></p> + +<p class="centre"><i>All rights reserved</i></p> + +<p class="centre">LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NO. 60-7199</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="centre">Manufactured in the United States of America<br /> +VAN REES PRESS · NEW YORK</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="centre"><i>Typography by Charles M. Todd</i></p> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="centre">Sixth Printing, April 1973</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="centre">Part of this book was published in<br /> +<i>Amazing Science Fiction Stories</i></p> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="note">Transcriber's note:<br /> +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence +that the copyright on this publication was renewed.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<table cellpadding="2" summary="table of contents"> +<tr><td align="right">1</td><td><a href="#chapter1">The Intruder</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page3">3</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">2</td><td><a href="#chapter2">Hospital Seattle</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page15">15</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">3</td><td><a href="#chapter3">The Inquisition</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">4</td><td><a href="#chapter4">The Galactic Pill Peddlers</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">5</td><td><a href="#chapter5">Crisis on Morua VIII</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page54">54</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">6</td><td><a href="#chapter6">Tiger Makes a Promise</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"> <a href="#page66">66</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">7</td><td><a href="#chapter7">Alarums and Excursions</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page78">78</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">8</td><td><a href="#chapter8">Plague!</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page98">98</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">9</td><td><a href="#chapter9">The Incredible People</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page107">107</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">10</td><td><a href="#chapter10">The Boomerang Clue</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page121">121</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">11</td><td><a href="#chapter11">Dal Breaks a Promise</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page136">136</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">12</td><td><a href="#chapter12">The Showdown</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page151">151</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">13</td><td><a href="#chapter13">The Trial</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page165">165</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">14</td><td><a href="#chapter14">Star Surgeon</a></td><td></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page175">175</a></td></tr> +</table> + + + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<h2>STAR SURGEON</h2> + +<hr /> + +<p><a name="page3" id="page3"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter1" id="chapter1"></a>CHAPTER 1</h2> + +<h3>THE INTRUDER</h3> + + +<p>The shuttle plane from the port of Philadelphia to Hospital +Seattle had already gone when Dal Timgar arrived +at the loading platform, even though he had taken great +pains to be at least thirty minutes early for the boarding.</p> + +<p>"You'll just have to wait for the next one," the clerk at +the dispatcher's desk told him unsympathetically. "There's +nothing else you can do."</p> + +<p>"But I <i>can't</i> wait," Dal said. "I have to be in Hospital +Seattle by morning." He pulled out the flight schedule and +held it under the clerk's nose. "Look there! The shuttle +wasn't supposed to leave for another forty-five minutes!"</p> + +<p>The clerk blinked at the schedule, and shrugged. "The +seats were full, so it left," he said. "Graduation time, you +know. Everybody has to be somewhere else, right away. +The next shuttle goes in three hours."</p> + +<p>"But I had a reservation on this one," Dal insisted.</p> + +<p>"Don't be silly," the clerk said sharply. "Only graduates +<a name="page4" id="page4"></a>can get reservations this time of year—" He broke off to +stare at Dal Timgar, a puzzled frown on his face. "Let me +see that reservation."</p> + +<p>Dal fumbled in his pants pocket for the yellow reservation +slip. He was wishing now that he'd kept his mouth shut. +He was acutely conscious of the clerk's suspicious stare, and +suddenly he felt extremely awkward. The Earth-cut trousers +had never really fit Dal very well; his legs were too long +and spindly, and his hips too narrow to hold the pants up +properly. The tailor in the Philadelphia shop had tried three +times to make a jacket fit across Dal's narrow shoulders, and +finally had given up in despair. Now, as he handed the reservation +slip across the counter, Dal saw the clerk staring +at the fine gray fur that coated the back of his hand and +arm. "Here it is," he said angrily. "See for yourself."</p> + +<p>The clerk looked at the slip and handed it back indifferently. +"It's a valid reservation, all right, but there won't be +another shuttle to Hospital Seattle for three hours," he said, +"unless you have a priority card, of course."</p> + +<p>"No, I'm afraid I don't," Dal said. It was a ridiculous +suggestion, and the clerk knew it. Only physicians in the +Black Service of Pathology and a few Four-star Surgeons +had the power to commandeer public aircraft whenever +they wished. "Can I get on the next shuttle?"</p> + +<p>"You can try," the clerk said, "but you'd better be ready +when they start loading. You can wait up on the ramp if you +want to."</p> + +<p>Dal turned and started across the main concourse of the +great airport. He felt a stir of motion at his side, and looked +down at the small pink fuzz-ball sitting in the crook of his +arm. "Looks like we're out of luck, pal," he said gloomily. +"If we don't get on the next plane, we'll miss the hearing altogether. +Not that it's going to do us much good to be there +anyway."<a name="page5" id="page5"></a></p> + +<p>The little pink fuzz-ball on his arm opened a pair of black +shoe-button eyes and blinked up at him, and Dal absently +stroked the tiny creature with a finger. The fuzz-ball quivered +happily and clung closer to Dal's side as he started up +the long ramp to the observation platform. Automatic doors +swung open as he reached the top, and Dal shivered in the +damp night air. He could feel the gray fur that coated his +back and neck rising to protect him from the coldness and +dampness that his body was never intended by nature to +endure.</p> + +<p>Below him the bright lights of the landing fields and +terminal buildings of the port of Philadelphia spread out in +panorama, and he thought with a sudden pang of the great +space-port in his native city, so very different from this one +and so unthinkably far away. The field below was teeming +with activity, alive with men and vehicles. Moments before, +one of Earth's great hospital ships had landed, returning +from a cruise deep into the heart of the galaxy, bringing in +the gravely ill from a dozen star systems for care in one of +Earth's hospitals. Dal watched as the long line of stretchers +poured from the ship's hold with white-clad orderlies in +nervous attendance. Some of the stretchers were encased in +special atmosphere tanks; a siren wailed across the field as +an emergency truck raced up with fresh gas bottles for a +chlorine-breather from the Betelgeuse system, and a derrick +crew spent fifteen minutes lifting down the special +liquid ammonia tank housing a native of Aldebaran's massive +sixteenth planet.</p> + +<p>All about the field were physicians supervising the process +of disembarcation, resplendent in the colors that signified +their medical specialties. At the foot of the landing crane +a Three-star Internist in the green cape of the Medical +Service—obviously the commander of the ship—was talking<a name="page6" id="page6"></a> +with the welcoming dignitaries of Hospital Earth. Half a +dozen doctors in the Blue Service of Diagnosis were checking +new lab supplies ready to be loaded aboard. Three +young Star Surgeons swung by just below Dal with their +bright scarlet capes fluttering in the breeze, headed for customs +and their first Earthside liberty in months. Dal watched +them go by, and felt the sick, bitter feeling in the pit of his +stomach that he had felt so often in recent months.</p> + +<p>He had dreamed, once, of wearing the scarlet cape of the +Red Service of Surgery too, with the silver star of the Star +Surgeon on his collar. That had been a long time ago, over +eight Earth years ago; the dream had faded slowly, but now +the last vestige of hope was almost gone. He thought of the +long years of intensive training he had just completed in the +medical school of Hospital Philadelphia, the long nights of +studying for exams, the long days spent in the laboratories +and clinics in order to become a physician of Hospital +Earth, and a wave of bitterness swept through his mind.</p> + +<p><i>A dream</i>, he thought hopelessly, <i>a foolish idea and nothing +more. They knew before I started that they would never +let me finish. They had no intention of doing so, it just +amused them to watch me beat my head on a stone wall for +these eight years.</i> But then he shook his head and felt a little +ashamed of the thought. It wasn't quite true, and he knew +it. He had known that it was a gamble from the very first. +Black Doctor Arnquist had warned him the day he received +his notice of admission to the medical school. "I can promise +you nothing," the old man had said, "except a slender +chance. There are those who will fight to the very end to +prevent you from succeeding, and when it's all over, you +may not win. But if you are willing to take that risk, at +least you have a chance."</p> + +<p>Dal had accepted the risk with his eyes wide open. He<a name="page7" id="page7"></a> +had done the best he could do, and now he had lost. True, +he had not received the final, irrevocable word that he had +been expelled from the medical service of Hospital Earth, +but he was certain now that it was waiting for him when +he arrived at Hospital Seattle the following morning.</p> + +<p>The loading ramp was beginning to fill up, and Dal saw +half a dozen of his classmates from the medical school burst +through the door from the station below, shifting their day +packs from their shoulders and chattering among themselves. +Several of them saw him, standing by himself against +the guard rail. One or two nodded coolly and turned away; +the others just ignored him. Nobody greeted him, nor even +smiled. Dal turned away and stared down once again at the +busy activity on the field below.</p> + +<p>"Why so gloomy, friend?" a voice behind him said. +"You look as though the ship left without you."</p> + +<p>Dal looked up at the tall, dark-haired young man, towering +at his side, and smiled ruefully. "Hello, Tiger! As a +matter of fact, it <i>did</i> leave. I'm waiting for the next one."</p> + +<p>"Where to?" Frank Martin frowned down at Dal. Known +as "Tiger" to everyone but the professors, the young man's +nickname fit him well. He was big, even for an Earthman, +and his massive shoulders and stubborn jaw only served to +emphasize his bigness. Like the other recent graduates on +the platform, he was wearing the colored cuff and collar of +the probationary physician, in the bright green of the +Green Service of Medicine. He reached out a huge hand +and gently rubbed the pink fuzz-ball sitting on Dal's arm. +"What's the trouble, Dal? Even Fuzzy looks worried. +Where's your cuff and collar?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't get any cuff and collar," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"Didn't you get an assignment?" Tiger stared at him. "Or +are you just taking a leave first?"<a name="page8" id="page8"></a></p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "A permanent leave, I guess," he +said bitterly. "There's not going to be any assignment for +me. Let's face it, Tiger. I'm washed out."</p> + +<p>"Oh, now look here—"</p> + +<p>"I mean it. I've been booted, and that's all there is to it."</p> + +<p>"But you've been in the top ten in the class right +through!" Tiger protested. "You know you passed your +finals. What is this, anyway?"</p> + +<p>Dal reached into his jacket and handed Tiger a blue +paper envelope. "I should have expected it from the first. +They sent me this instead of my cuff and collar."</p> + +<p>Tiger opened the envelope. "From Doctor Tanner," he +grunted. "The Black Plague himself. But what is it?"</p> + +<p>"Read it," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"'You are hereby directed to appear before the medical +training council in the council chambers in Hospital Seattle +at 10:00 A.M., Friday, June 24, 2375, in order that your +application for assignment to a General Practice Patrol ship +may be reviewed. Insignia will not be worn. Signed, Hugo +Tanner, Physician, Black Service of Pathology.'" Tiger +blinked at the notice and handed it back to Dal. "I don't +get it," he said finally. "You applied, you're as qualified as +any of us—"</p> + +<p>"Except in one way," Dal said, "and that's the way that +counts. They don't want me, Tiger. They have never +wanted me. They only let me go through school because +Black Doctor Arnquist made an issue of it, and they didn't +quite dare to veto him. But they never intended to let me +finish, not for a minute."</p> + +<p>For a moment the two were silent, staring down at the +busy landing procedures below. A warning light was flickering +across the field, signaling the landing of an incoming +shuttle ship, and the supply cars broke from their positions<a name="page9" id="page9"></a> +in center of the field and fled like beetles for the security +of the garages. A loudspeaker blared, announcing the incoming +craft. Dal Timgar turned, lifting Fuzzy gently +from his arm into a side jacket pocket and shouldering his +day pack. "I guess this is my flight, Tiger. I'd better get +in line."</p> + +<p>Tiger Martin gripped Dal's slender four-fingered hand +tightly. "Look," he said intensely, "this is some sort of +mistake that the training council will straighten out. I'm +sure of it. Lots of guys have their applications reviewed. +It happens all the time, but they still get their assignments."</p> + +<p>"Do you know of any others in this class? Or the last +class?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe not," Tiger said. "But if they were washing you +out, why would the council be reviewing it? Somebody +must be fighting for you."</p> + +<p>"But Black Doctor Tanner is on the council," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"He's not the only one on the council. It's going to work +out. You'll see."</p> + +<p>"I hope so," Dal said without conviction. He started for +the loading line, then turned. "But where are <i>you</i> going +to be? What ship?"</p> + +<p>Tiger hesitated. "Not assigned yet. I'm taking a leave. +But you'll be hearing from me."</p> + +<p>The loading call blared from the loudspeaker. The tall +Earthman seemed about to say something more, but Dal +turned away and headed across toward the line for the +shuttle plane. Ten minutes later, he was aloft as the tiny +plane speared up through the black night sky and turned +its needle nose toward the west.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>He tried to sleep, but couldn't. The shuttle trip from the +Port of Philadelphia to Hospital Seattle was almost two<a name="page10" id="page10"></a> +hours long because of passenger stops at Hospital Cleveland, +Eisenhower City, New Chicago, and Hospital Billings. In +spite of the help of the pneumatic seats and a sleep-cap, Dal +could not even doze. It was one of the perfect clear nights +that often occurred in midsummer now that weather control +could modify Earth's air currents so well; the stars +glittered against the black velvet backdrop above, and the +North American continent was free of clouds. Dal stared +down at the patchwork of lights that flickered up at him +from the ground below.</p> + +<p>Passing below him were some of the great cities, the +hospitals, the research and training centers, the residential +zones and supply centers of Hospital Earth, medical center +to the powerful Galactic Confederation, physician in charge +of the health of a thousand intelligent races on a thousand +planets of a thousand distant star systems. Here, he knew, +was the ivory tower of galactic medicine, the hub from +which the medical care of the confederation arose. From +the huge hospitals, research centers, and medical schools +here, the physicians of Hospital Earth went out to all +corners of the galaxy. In the permanent outpost clinics, in +the gigantic hospital ships that served great sectors of the +galaxy, and in the General Practice Patrol ships that roved +from star system to star system, they answered the calls for +medical assistance from a multitude of planets and races, +wherever and whenever they were needed.</p> + +<p>Dal Timgar had been on Hospital Earth for eight years, +and still he was a stranger here. To him this was an alien +planet, different in a thousand ways from the world where +he was born and grew to manhood. For a moment now +he thought of his native home, the second planet of a hot +yellow star which Earthmen called "Garv" because they +couldn't pronounce its full name in the Garvian tongue.<a name="page11" id="page11"></a> +Unthinkably distant, yet only days away with the power +of the star-drive motors that its people had developed thousands +of years before, Garv II was a warm planet, teeming +with activity, the trading center of the galaxy and the +governmental headquarters of the powerful Galactic Confederation +of Worlds. Dal could remember the days before +he had come to Hospital Earth, and the many times he had +longed desperately to be home again.</p> + +<p>He drew his fuzzy pink friend out of his pocket and +rested him on his shoulder, felt the tiny silent creature rub +happily against his neck. It had been his own decision to +come here, Dal knew; there was no one else to blame. His +people were not physicians. Their instincts and interests +lay in trading and politics, not in the life sciences, and +plague after plague had swept across his home planet in the +centuries before Hospital Earth had been admitted as a +probationary member of the Galactic Confederation.</p> + +<p>But as long as Dal could remember, he had wanted to +be a doctor. From the first time he had seen a General +Practice Patrol ship landing in his home city to fight the +plague that was killing his people by the thousands, he had +known that this was what he wanted more than anything +else: to be a physician of Hospital Earth, to join the ranks +of the doctors who were serving the galaxy.</p> + +<p>Many on Earth had tried to stop him from the first. He +was a Garvian, alien to Earth's climate and Earth's people. +The physical differences between Earthmen and Garvians +were small, but just enough to set him apart and make him +easily identifiable as an alien. He had one too few digits on +his hands; his body was small and spindly, weighing a bare +ninety pounds, and the coating of fine gray fur that covered +all but his face and palms annoyingly grew longer and +thicker as soon as he came to the comparatively cold climate<a name="page12" id="page12"></a> +of Hospital Earth to live. The bone structure of his face +gave his cheeks and nose a flattened appearance, and his pale +gray eyes seemed abnormally large and wistful. And even +though it had long been known that Earthmen and Garvians +were equal in range of intelligence, his classmates still +assumed just from his appearance that he was either unusually +clever or unusually stupid.</p> + +<p>The gulf that lay between him and the men of Earth +went beyond mere physical differences, however. Earthmen +had differences of skin color, facial contour and physical +size among them, yet made no sign of distinction. Dal's +alienness went deeper. His classmates had been civil enough, +yet with one or two exceptions, they had avoided him carefully. +Clearly they resented his presence in their lecture +rooms and laboratories. Clearly they felt that he did not +belong there, studying medicine.</p> + +<p>From the first they had let him know unmistakably that +he was unwelcome, an intruder in their midst, the first +member of an alien race ever to try to earn the insignia of +a physician of Hospital Earth.</p> + +<p>And now, Dal knew he had failed after all. He had been +allowed to try only because a powerful physician in the +Black Service of Pathology had befriended him. If it had +not been for the friendship and support of another Earthman +in the class, Tiger Martin, the eight years of study +would have been unbearably lonely.</p> + +<p>But now, he thought, it would have been far easier never +to have started than to have his goal snatched away at the +last minute. The notice of the council meeting left no doubt +in his mind. He had failed. There would be lots of talk, +some perfunctory debate for the sake of the record, and +the medical council would wash their hands of him once<a name="page13" id="page13"></a> +and for all. The decision, he was certain, was already +made. It was just a matter of going through the formal +motions.</p> + +<p>Dal felt the motors change in pitch, and the needle-nosed +shuttle plane began to dip once more toward the horizon. +Ahead he could see the sprawling lights of Hospital Seattle, +stretching from the Cascade Mountains to the sea and beyond, +north to Alaska and south toward the great California +metropolitan centers. Somewhere down there was a +council room where a dozen of the most powerful physicians +on Hospital Earth, now sleeping soundly, would be +meeting tomorrow for a trial that was already over, to pass +a judgment that was already decided.</p> + +<p>He slipped Fuzzy back into his pocket, shouldered his +pack, and waited for the ship to come down for its landing. +It would be nice, he thought wryly, if his reservations for +sleeping quarters in the students' barracks might at least be +honored, but now he wasn't even sure of that.</p> + +<p>In the port of Seattle he went through the customary +baggage check. He saw the clerk frown at his ill-fitting +clothes and not-quite-human face, and then read his passage +permit carefully before brushing him on through. Then he +joined the crowd of travelers heading for the city subways. +He didn't hear the loudspeaker blaring until the announcer +had stumbled over his name half a dozen times.</p> + +<p>"<i>Doctor Dal Timgar, please report to the information +booth.</i>"</p> + +<p>He hurried back to central information. "You were +paging me. What is it?"</p> + +<p>"Telephone message, sir," the announcer said, his voice +surprisingly respectful. "A top priority call. Just a minute."</p> + +<p>Moments later he had handed Dal the yellow telephone<a name="page14" id="page14"></a> +message sheet, and Dal was studying the words with a +puzzled frown:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>CALL AT MY QUARTERS ON ARRIVAL REGARDLESS +OF HOUR STOP URGENT THAT I SEE YOU STOP +REPEAT URGENT</p></div> + +<p>The message was signed <span class="smcap">Thorvold Arnquist, Black +Service</span> and carried the priority seal of the Four-star Pathologist. +Dal read it again, shifted his pack, and started once +more for the subway ramp. He thrust the message into his +pocket, and his step quickened as he heard the whistle of +the pressure-tube trains up ahead.</p> + +<p>Black Doctor Arnquist, the man who had first defended +his right to study medicine on Hospital Earth, now wanted +to see him before the council meeting took place.</p> + +<p>For the first time in days, Dal Timgar felt a new flicker +of hope.</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page15" id="page15"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter2" id="chapter2"></a>CHAPTER 2</h2> + +<h3>HOSPITAL SEATTLE</h3> + + +<p>It was a long way from the students' barracks to the +pathology sector where Black Doctor Arnquist lived. +Dal Timgar decided not to try to go to the barracks first. +It was after midnight, and even though the message had +said "regardless of hour," Dal shrank from the thought of +awakening a physician of the Black Service at two o'clock +in the morning. He was already later arriving at Hospital +Seattle than he had expected to be, and quite possibly Black +Doctor Arnquist would be retiring. It seemed better to go +there without delay.</p> + +<p>But one thing took priority. He found a quiet spot in the +waiting room near the subway entrance and dug into his +day pack for the pressed biscuit and the canister of water +he had there. He broke off a piece of the biscuit and held +it up for Fuzzy to see.</p> + +<p>Fuzzy wriggled down onto his hand, and a tiny mouth +appeared just below the shoe-button eyes. Bit by bit Dal +fed his friend the biscuit, with squirts of water in between<a name="page16" id="page16"></a> +bites. Finally, when the biscuit was gone, Dal squirted the +rest of the water into Fuzzy's mouth and rubbed him between +the eyes. "Feel better now?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The creature seemed to understand; he wriggled in Dal's +hand and blinked his eyes sleepily. "All right, then," Dal +said. "Off to sleep."</p> + +<p>Dal started to tuck him back into his jacket pocket, but +Fuzzy abruptly sprouted a pair of forelegs and began +struggling fiercely to get out again. Dal grinned and replaced +the little creature in the crook of his arm. "Don't like that +idea so well, eh? Okay, friend. If you want to watch, that +suits me."</p> + +<p>He found a map of the city at the subway entrance, and +studied it carefully. Like other hospital cities on Earth, +Seattle was primarily a center for patient care and treatment +rather than a supply or administrative center. Here in Seattle +special facilities existed for the care of the intelligent marine +races that required specialized hospital care. The depths of +Puget Sound served as a vast aquatic ward system where +creatures which normally lived in salt-water oceans on their +native planets could be cared for, and the specialty physicians +who worked with marine races had facilities here +for research and teaching in their specialty. The dry-land +sectors of the hospital were organized to support the aquatic +wards; the surgeries, the laboratories, the pharmacies and +living quarters all were arranged on the periphery of the +salt-water basin, and rapid-transit tubes carried medical +workers, orderlies, nurses and physicians to the widespread +areas of the hospital city.</p> + +<p>The pathology sector lay to the north of the city, and +Black Doctor Arnquist was the chief pathologist of Hospital +Seattle. Dal found a northbound express tube, climbed +into an empty capsule, and pressed the buttons for the<a name="page17" id="page17"></a> +pathology sector. Presently the capsule was shifted automatically +into the pressure tube that would carry him thirty +miles north to his destination.</p> + +<p>It was the first time Dal had ever visited a Black Doctor +in his quarters, and the idea made him a little nervous. Of +all the medical services on Hospital Earth, none had the +power of the Black Service of Pathology. Traditionally in +Earth medicine, the pathologists had always occupied a position +of power and discipline. The autopsy rooms had always +been the "Temples of Truth" where the final, inarguable +answers in medicine were ultimately found, and for centuries +pathologists had been the judges and inspectors of +the profession of medicine.</p> + +<p>And when Earth had become Hospital Earth, with status +as a probationary member of the Galactic Confederation of +Worlds, it was natural that the Black Service of Pathology +had become the governors and policy-makers, regimenting +every aspect of the medical services provided by Earth +physicians.</p> + +<p>Dal knew that the medical training council, which would +be reviewing his application in just a few hours, was made +up of physicians from all the services—the Green Service of +Medicine, the Blue Service of Diagnosis, the Red Service of +Surgery, as well as the Auxiliary Services—but the Black +Doctors who sat on the council would have the final say, +the final veto power.</p> + +<p>He wondered now why Black Doctor Arnquist wanted +to see him. At first he had thought there might be special +news for him, word perhaps that his assignment had come +through after all, that the interview tomorrow would not be +held. But on reflection, he realized that didn't make sense. +If that were the case, Doctor Arnquist would have said so, +and directed him to report to a ship. More likely, he thought,<a name="page18" id="page18"></a> +the Black Doctor wanted to see him only to soften the blow, +to help him face the decision that seemed inevitable.</p> + +<p>He left the pneumatic tube and climbed on the jitney +that wound its way through the corridors of the pathology +sector and into the quiet, austere quarters of the resident +pathologists. He found the proper concourse, and moments +later he was pressing his thumb against the identification +plate outside the Black Doctor's personal quarters.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>Black Doctor Thorvold Arnquist looked older now than +when Dal had last seen him. His silvery gray hair was +thinning, and there were tired lines around his eyes and +mouth that Dal did not remember from before. The old +man's body seemed more wispy and frail than ever, and +the black cloak across his shoulders rustled as he led Dal +back into a book-lined study.</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor had not yet gone to bed. On a desk in +the corner of the study several books lay open, and a roll +of paper was inserted in the dicto-typer. "I knew you would +get the message when you arrived," he said as he took Dal's +pack, "and I thought you might be later than you planned. +A good trip, I trust. And your friend here? He enjoys +shuttle travel?" He smiled and stroked Fuzzy with a gnarled +finger. "I suppose you wonder why I wanted to see you."</p> + +<p>Dal Timgar nodded slowly. "About the interview tomorrow?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes. The interview." The Black Doctor made a sour +face and shook his head. "A bad business for you, that interview. +How do you feel about it?"</p> + +<p>Dal spread his hands helplessly. As always, the Black +Doctor's questions cut through the trimming to the heart +of things. They were always difficult questions to answer.<a name="page19" id="page19"></a></p> + +<p>"I ... I suppose it's something that's necessary," he said +finally.</p> + +<p>"Oh?" the Black Doctor frowned. "But why necessary +for you if not for the others? How many were there in +your class, including all the services? Three hundred? And +out of the three hundred only one was refused assignment." +He looked up sharply at Dal, his pale blue eyes very alert +in his aged face. "Right?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"And you really feel it's just normal procedure that your +application is being challenged?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>"How <i>do</i> you feel about it, Dal? Angry, maybe?"</p> + +<p>Dal squirmed. "Yes, sir. You might say that."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps even bitter," the Black Doctor said.</p> + +<p>"I did as good work as anyone else in my class," Dal said +hotly. "I did my part as well as anyone could, I didn't let +up once all the way through. Bitter! Wouldn't you feel +bitter?"</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor nodded slowly. "Yes, I imagine I +would," he said, sinking down into the chair behind the +desk with a sigh. "As a matter of fact, I do feel a little bitter +about it, even though I was afraid that it might come to this +in the end. I can't blame you for your feelings." He took a +deep breath. "I wish I could promise you that everything +would be all right tomorrow, but I'm afraid I can't. The +council has a right to review your qualifications, and it holds +the power to assign you to a patrol ship on the spot, if it +sees fit. Conceivably, a Black Doctor might force the +council's approval, if he were the only representative of the +Black service there. But I will not be the only Black Doctor +sitting on the council tomorrow."<a name="page20" id="page20"></a></p> + +<p>"I know that," Dal said.</p> + +<p>Doctor Arnquist looked up at Dal for a long moment. +"Why do you want to be a doctor in the first place, Dal? +This isn't the calling of your people. You must be the one +Garvian out of millions with the patience and peculiar +mental make-up to permit you to master the scientific disciplines +involved in studying medicine. Either you are +different from the rest of your people—which I doubt—or +else you are driven to force yourself into a pattern foreign +to your nature for very compelling reasons. What are they? +Why do you want medicine?"</p> + +<p>It was the hardest question of all, the question Dal had +dreaded. He knew the answer, just as he had known for +most of his life that he wanted to be a doctor above all else. +But he had never found a way to put the reasons into +words. "I can't say," he said slowly. "I <i>know</i>, but I can't +express it, and whenever I try, it just sounds silly."</p> + +<p>"Maybe your reasons don't make reasonable sense," the +old man said gently.</p> + +<p>"But they do! At least to me, they do," Dal said. "I've +always wanted to be a doctor. There's nothing else I want +to do. To work at home, among my people."</p> + +<p>"There was a plague on Garv II, wasn't there?" Doctor +Arnquist said. "A cyclic thing that came back again and +again. The cycle was broken just a few years ago, when the +virus that caused it was finally isolated and destroyed."</p> + +<p>"By the physicians of Hospital Earth," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"It's happened again and again," the Black Doctor said. +"We've seen the same pattern repeated a thousand times +across the galaxy, and it has always puzzled us, just a little." +He smiled. "You see, our knowledge and understanding of +the life sciences here on Earth have always grown hand in<a name="page21" id="page21"></a> +hand with the physical sciences. We had always assumed +that the same thing would happen on <i>any</i> planet where a +race has developed intelligence and scientific methods of +study. We were wrong, of course, which is the reason for +the existence of Hospital Earth and her physicians today, +but it still amazes us that with all the technology and +civilization in the galaxy, we Earthmen are the only people +yet discovered who have developed a broad knowledge of +the processes of life and illness and death."</p> + +<p>The old man looked up at his visitor, and Dal felt his +pale blue eyes searching his face. "How badly do you want +to be a doctor, Dal?"</p> + +<p>"More than anything else I know," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"Badly enough to do anything to achieve your goal?"</p> + +<p>Dal hesitated, and stroked Fuzzy's head gently. "Well ... +almost anything."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor nodded. "And that, of course, is the +reason I had to see you before this interview, my friend. +I know you've played the game straight right from the beginning, +up to this point. Now I beg of you not to do the +thing that you are thinking of doing."</p> + +<p>For a moment Dal just stared at the little old man in +black, and felt the fur on his arms and back rise up. A +wave of panic flooded his mind. <i>He knows!</i> he thought +frantically. <i>He must be able to read minds!</i> But he thrust +the idea away. There was no way that the Black Doctor +could know. No race of creatures in the galaxy had <i>that</i> +power. And yet there was no doubt that Black Doctor +Arnquist knew what Dal had been thinking, just as surely +as if he had said it aloud.</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head helplessly. "I ... I don't know what +you mean."<a name="page22" id="page22"></a></p> + +<p>"I think you do," Doctor Arnquist said. "Please, Dal. +Trust me. This is not the time to lie. The thing that you +were planning to do at the interview would be disastrous, +even if it won you an assignment. It would be dishonest +and unworthy."</p> + +<p><i>Then he does know!</i> Dal thought. <i>But how? I couldn't +have told him, or given him any hint.</i> He felt Fuzzy give +a frightened shiver on his arm, and then words were +tumbling out of his mouth. "I don't know what you're +talking about, there wasn't anything I was thinking of. I +mean, what could I do? If the council wants to assign me +to a ship, they will, and if they don't, they won't. I don't +know what you're thinking of."</p> + +<p>"Please." Black Doctor Arnquist held up his hand. +"Naturally you defend yourself," he said. "I can't blame you +for that, and I suppose this is an unforgivable breach of +diplomacy even to mention it to you, but I think it must +be done. Remember that we have been studying and observing +your people very carefully over the past two hundred +years, Dal. It is no accident that you have such a warm +attachment to your little pink friend here, and it is no accident +that wherever a Garvian is found, his Fuzzy is with +him, isn't that so? And it is no accident that your people +are such excellent tradesmen, that you are so remarkably +skillful in driving bargains favorable to yourselves ... that +you are in fact the most powerful single race of creatures in +the whole Galactic Confederation."</p> + +<p>The old man walked to the bookshelves behind him and +brought down a thick, bound manuscript. He handed it +across the desk as Dal watched him. "You may read this if +you like, at your leisure. Don't worry, it's not for publication, +just a private study which I have never mentioned<a name="page23" id="page23"></a> +before to anyone, but the pattern is unmistakable. This +peculiar talent of your people is difficult to describe: not +really telepathy, but an ability to create the emotional responses +in others that will be most favorable to you. Just +what part your Fuzzies play in this ability of your people +I am not sure, but I'm quite certain that without them you +would not have it."</p> + +<p>He smiled at Dal's stricken face. "A forbidden topic, +eh? And yet perfectly true. You know right now that if +you wanted to you could virtually paralyze me with fright, +render me helpless to do anything but stand here and shiver, +couldn't you? Or if I were hostile to your wishes, you could +suddenly force me to sympathize with you and like you +enormously, until I was ready to agree to anything you +wanted—"</p> + +<p>"No," Dal broke in. "Please, you don't understand! I've +never done it, not once since I came to Hospital Earth."</p> + +<p>"I know that. I've been watching you."</p> + +<p>"And I wouldn't think of doing it."</p> + +<p>"Not even at the council interview?"</p> + +<p>"Never!"</p> + +<p>"Then let me have Fuzzy now. He is the key to this +special talent of your people. Give him to me now, and go +to the interview without him."</p> + +<p>Dal drew back, trembling, trying to fight down panic. He +brought his hand around to the soft fur of the little pink +fuzz-ball. "I ... can't do that," he said weakly.</p> + +<p>"Not even if it meant your assignment to a patrol ship?"</p> + +<p>Dal hesitated, then shook his head. "Not even then. But +I won't do what you're saying, I promise you."</p> + +<p>For a long moment Black Doctor Arnquist stared at him. +Then he smiled. "Will you give me your word?<a name="page24" id="page24"></a></p> + +<p>"Yes, I promise."</p> + +<p>"Then I wish you good luck. I will do what I can at the +interview. But now there is a bed for you here. You will +need sleep if you are to present your best appearance."</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page25" id="page25"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter3" id="chapter3"></a>CHAPTER 3</h2> + +<h3>THE INQUISITION</h3> + + +<p>The interview was held in the main council chambers +of Hospital Seattle, and Dal could feel the tension the +moment he stepped into the room. He looked at the long +semicircular table, and studied the impassive faces of the +four-star Physicians across the table from him.</p> + +<p>Each of the major medical services was represented this +morning. In the center, presiding over the council, was a +physician of the White Service, a Four-star Radiologist +whose insignia gleamed on his shoulders. There were two +physicians each, representing the Red Service of Surgery, +the Green Service of Medicine, the Blue Service of Diagnosis, +and finally, seated at either end of the table, the representatives +of the Black Service of Pathology. Black Doctor +Thorvold Arnquist sat to Dal's left; he smiled faintly as the +young Garvian stepped forward, then busied himself among +the papers on the desk before him. To Dal's right sat another +Black Doctor who was not smiling.</p> + +<p>Dal had seen him before—the chief co-ordinator of medical<a name="page26" id="page26"></a> +education on Hospital Earth, the "Black Plague" of the +medical school jokes. Black Doctor Hugo Tanner was large +and florid of face, blinking owlishly at Dal over his heavy +horn-rimmed glasses. The glasses were purely decorative; +with modern eye-cultures and transplant techniques, no +Earthman had really needed glasses to correct his vision for +the past two hundred years, but on Hugo Tanner's angry +face they added a look of gravity and solemnity that the +Black Doctor could not achieve without them. Still glaring +at Dal, Doctor Tanner leaned over to speak to the Blue +Doctor on his right, and they nodded and laughed unpleasantly +at some private joke.</p> + +<p>There was no place for him to sit, so Dal stood before +the table, as straight as his five-foot height would allow +him. He had placed Fuzzy almost defiantly on his shoulder, +and from time to time he could feel the little creature quiver +and huddle against his neck as though to hide from sight +under his collar.</p> + +<p>The White Doctor opened the proceedings, and at first +the questions were entirely medical. "We are meeting to +consider this student's application for assignment to a +General Practice Patrol ship, as a probationary physician in +the Red Service of Surgery. I believe you are all acquainted +with his educational qualifications?"</p> + +<p>There was an impatient murmur around the table. The +White Doctor looked up at Dal. "Your name, please?"</p> + +<p>"Dal Timgar, sir."</p> + +<p>"Your <i>full</i> name," Black Doctor Tanner rumbled from +the right-hand end of the table.</p> + +<p>Dal took a deep breath and began to give his full Garvian +name. It was untranslatable and unpronounceable to Earthmen, +who could not reproduce the sequence of pops and +whistles that made up the Garvian tongue. The doctors<a name="page27" id="page27"></a> +listened, blinking, as the complex family structure and +ancestry which entered into every Garvian's full name continued +to roll from Dal's lips. He was entering into the +third generation removed of his father's lineage when +Doctor Tanner held up his hand.</p> + +<p>"All right, all right! We will accept the abbreviated name +you have used on Hospital Earth. Let it be clear on the +record that the applicant is a native of the second planet of +the Garv system." The Black Doctor settled back in his +chair and began whispering again to the Blue Doctor next +to him.</p> + +<p>A Green Doctor cleared his throat. "Doctor Timgar, +what do you consider to be the basic principle that underlies +the work and services of physicians of Hospital Earth?"</p> + +<p>It was an old question, a favorite on freshman medical +school examinations. "The principle that environments and +life forms in the universe may be dissimilar, but that biochemical +reactions are universal throughout creation," Dal +said slowly.</p> + +<p>"Well memorized," Black Doctor Tanner said sourly. +"What does it mean?"</p> + +<p>"It means that the principles of chemistry, physiology, +pathology and the other life sciences, once understood, can +be applied to any living creature in the universe, and will be +found valid," Dal said. "As different as the various life +forms may be, the basic life processes in one life form are +the same, under different conditions, as the life processes in +any other life form, just as hydrogen and oxygen will combine +to form water anywhere in the universe where the +proper physical conditions prevail."</p> + +<p>"Very good, very good," the Green Doctor said. "But +tell me this: what in your opinion is the place of surgery in +a Galactic practice of medicine?"<a name="page28" id="page28"></a></p> + +<p>A more difficult question, but one that Dal's training +had prepared him well to answer. He answered it, and faced +another question, and another. One by one, the doctors +interrogated him, Black Doctor Arnquist among them. The +questions came faster and faster; some were exceedingly +difficult. Once or twice Dal was stopped cold, and forced +to admit that he did not know the answer. Other questions +which he knew would stop other students happened to +fall in fields he understood better than most, and his answers +were full and succinct.</p> + +<p>But finally the questioning tapered off, and the White +Doctor shuffled his papers impatiently. "If there are no +further medical questions, we can move on to another +aspect of this student's application. Certain questions of +policy have been raised. Black Doctor Tanner had some +things to say, I believe, as co-ordinator of medical education."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor rose ponderously to his feet. "I have +some things to say, you can be sure of that," he said, "but +they have nothing to do with this Dal Timgar's educational +qualifications for assignment to a General Practice Patrol +ship." Black Doctor Tanner paused to glare in Dal's direction. +"He has been trained in a medical school on Hospital +Earth, and apparently has passed his final qualifying examinations +for the Red Service of Surgery. I can't argue about +that."</p> + +<p>Black Doctor Arnquist's voice came across the room. +"Then why are we having his review, Hugo? Dal Timgar's +classmates all received their assignments automatically."</p> + +<p>"Because there are other things to consider here than +educational qualifications," Hugo Tanner said. "Gentlemen, +consider our position for a moment. We have thousands of +probationary physicians abroad in the galaxy at the present<a name="page29" id="page29"></a> +time, fine young men and women who have been trained in +medical schools on Hospital Earth, and now are gaining +experience and judgment while fulfilling our medical service +contracts in every part of the confederation. They are probationers, +but we must not forget that we physicians of +Hospital Earth are also probationers. We are seeking a +permanent place in this great Galactic Confederation, which +was in existence many thousands of years before we even +knew of its existence. It was not until our own scientists +discovered the Koenig star-drive, enabling us to break +free of our own solar system, that we were met face to face +with a confederation of intelligent races inhabiting the +galaxy—among others, the people from whom this same +Dal Timgar has come."</p> + +<p>"The history is interesting," Black Doctor Arnquist broke +in, "but really, Hugo, I think most of us know it already."</p> + +<p>"Maybe we do," Doctor Tanner said, flushing a little. +"But the history is significant. Permanent membership in +the confederation is contingent on two qualifications. First, +we must have developed a star-drive of our own, a qualification +of intelligence, if you will. The confederation has ruled +that only races having a certain level of intelligence can +become members. A star-drive could only be developed with +a far-reaching understanding of the physical sciences, so +this is a valid criterion of intelligence. But the second qualification +for confederation membership is nothing more nor +less than a question of usefulness."</p> + +<p>The presiding White Doctor looked up, frowning. "Usefulness?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly. The Galactic Confederation, with its exchange +of ideas and talents, and all the wealth of civilization it has +to offer, is based on a division of labor. Every member must +have something to contribute, some special talent. For<a name="page30" id="page30"></a> +Earthmen, the talent was obvious very early. Our technology +was primitive, our manufacturing skills mediocre, +our transport and communications systems impossible. But +in our understanding of the life sciences, we have far outstripped +any other race in the galaxy. We had already solved +the major problems of disease and longevity among our +own people, while some of the most advanced races in the +confederation were being reduced to helplessness by cyclic +plagues which slaughtered their populations, and were +caused by nothing more complex than a simple parasitic +virus. Garv II is an excellent example."</p> + +<p>One of the Red Doctors cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I +don't quite see the connection. Nobody is arguing about +our skill as doctors."</p> + +<p>"Of course not," Black Doctor Tanner said. "The point +is that in all the galaxy, Earthmen are by their very nature +the <i>best</i> doctors, outstripping the most advanced physicians +on any other planet. And this, gentlemen, is our bargaining +point. We are useful to the Galactic Confederation only as +physicians. The confederation needed us badly enough to +admit us to probational membership, but if we ever hope to +become full members of the confederation, we must demonstrate +our usefulness, our unique skill, as physicians. We +have worked hard to prove ourselves. We have made Hospital +Earth the galactic center of study and treatment of +diseases of many races. Earthmen on the General Practice +Patrol ships visit planets in the remotest sections, and their +reputation as physicians has grown. Every year new planets +are writing full medical service contracts with us ... as +Earthmen serving the galaxy—"</p> + +<p>"As <i>physicians</i> serving the galaxy," Black Doctor Arnquist's +voice shot across the room.</p> + +<p>"As far as the confederation has been concerned, the two<a name="page31" id="page31"></a> +have been synonymous," Hugo Tanner roared. "<i>Until now.</i> +But now we have an alien among us. We have allowed a +non-Earthman to train in our medical schools. He has completed +the required work, his qualifications are acceptable, +and now he proposes to go out on a patrol ship as a physician +of the Red Service of Surgery. But think of what you are +doing if you permit him to go! You will be proving to +every planet in the confederation that they don't really need +Earthmen after all, that any race from any planet might +produce physicians just as capable as Earthmen."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor turned slowly to face Dal, his mouth +set in a grim line. As he talked, his face had grown dark with +anger. "Understand that I have nothing against this creature +as an individual. Perhaps he would prove to be a competent +physician, although I cannot believe it. Perhaps he would +carry on the traditions of medical service we have worked +so long to establish, although I doubt it. But I do know that +if we permit him to become a qualified physician, it will be +the beginning of the end for Hospital Earth. We will be +selling out our sole bargaining position. We can forget our +hopes for membership in the confederation, because one +like him this year will mean two next year, and ten the next, +and there will be no end to it. We should have stopped it +eight years ago, but certain ones prevailed to admit Dal +Timgar to training. If we do not stop it now, for all time, +we will never be able to stop it."</p> + +<p>Slowly the Black Doctor sat down, motioning to an +orderly at the rear of the room. The orderly brought a +glass of water and a small capsule which Black Doctor +Tanner gulped down. The other doctors were talking heatedly +among themselves as Black Doctor Arnquist rose to +his feet. "Then you are claiming that our highest calling is<a name="page32" id="page32"></a> +to keep medicine in the hands of Earthmen alone?" he +asked softly.</p> + +<p>Doctor Tanner flushed. "Our highest calling is to provide +good medical care for our patients," he said.</p> + +<p>"The best possible medical care?"</p> + +<p>"I never said otherwise."</p> + +<p>"And yet you deny the ancient tradition that a physician's +duty is to help his patients help themselves," Black +Doctor Arnquist said.</p> + +<p>"I said no such thing!" Hugo Tanner cried, jumping to +his feet. "But we must protect ourselves. We have no other +power, nothing else to sell."</p> + +<p>"And I say that if we must sell our medical skill for our +own benefit first, then we are not worthy to be physicians +to anyone," Doctor Arnquist snapped. "You make a very +convincing case, but if we examine it closely, we see that +it amounts to nothing but fear and selfishness."</p> + +<p>"Fear?" Doctor Tanner cried. "What do we have to +fear if we can maintain our position? But if we must yield +to a Garvian who has no business in medicine in the first +place, what can we have left but fear?"</p> + +<p>"If I were really convinced that Earthmen were the best +physicians in the galaxy," Black Doctor Arnquist replied, +"I don't think I'd have to be afraid."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor at the end of the table stood up, +shaking with rage. "Listen to him!" he cried to the others. +"Once again he is defending this creature and turning his +back on common sense. All I ask is that we keep our skills +among our own people and avoid the contamination that +will surely result—"</p> + +<p>Doctor Tanner broke off, his face suddenly white. He +coughed, clutching at his chest, and sank down groping for +his medicine box and the water glass. After a moment he<a name="page33" id="page33"></a> +caught his breath and shook his head. "There's nothing +more I can say," he said weakly. "I have done what I +could, and the decision is up to the rest of you." He +coughed again, and slowly the color came back into his +face. The Blue Doctor had risen to help him, but Tanner +waved him aside. "No, no, it's nothing. I allowed myself +to become angry."</p> + +<p>Black Doctor Arnquist spread his hands. "Under the circumstances, +I won't belabor the point," he said, "although +I think it would be good if Doctor Tanner would pause in +his activities long enough for the surgery that would make +his anger less dangerous to his own life. But he represents +a view, and his right to state it is beyond reproach." Doctor +Arnquist looked from face to face along the council table. +"The decision is yours, gentlemen, I would ask only that +you consider what our highest calling as physicians really is—a +duty that overrides fear and selfishness. I believe Dal +Timgar would be a good physician, and that this is more +important than the planet of his origin. I think he would +uphold the honor of Hospital Earth wherever he went, and +give us his loyalty as well as his service. I will vote to accept +his application, and thus cancel out my colleague's negative +vote. The deciding votes will be cast by the rest of you."</p> + +<p>He sat down, and the White Doctor looked at Dal +Timgar. "It would be good if you would wait outside," he +said. "We will call you as soon as a decision is reached."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>Dal waited in an anteroom, feeding Fuzzy and trying to +put out of his mind for a moment the heated argument still +raging in the council chamber. Fuzzy was quivering with +fright; unable to speak, the tiny creature nevertheless clearly +experienced emotions, even though Dal himself did not +know how he received impressions, nor why.<a name="page34" id="page34"></a></p> + +<p>But Dal knew that there was a connection between the +tiny pink creature's emotions and the peculiar talent that +Black Doctor Arnquist had spoken of the night before. It +was not a telepathic power that Dal and his people possessed. +Just <i>what</i> it was, was difficult to define, yet Dal knew that +every Garvian depended upon it to some extent in dealing +with people around him. He knew that when Fuzzy was +sitting on his arm he could sense the emotions of those +around him—the anger, the fear, the happiness, the suspicion—and +he knew that under certain circumstances, in a +way he did not clearly understand, he could wilfully change +the feelings of others toward himself. Not a great deal, +perhaps, nor in any specific way, but just enough to make +them look upon him and his wishes more favorably than +they otherwise might.</p> + +<p>Throughout his years on Hospital Earth he had vigilantly +avoided using this strange talent. Already he was different +enough from Earthmen in appearance, in ways of thinking, +in likes and dislikes. But these differences were not advantages, +and he had realized that if his classmates had ever +dreamed of the advantage that he had, minor as it was, his +hopes of becoming a physician would have been destroyed +completely.</p> + +<p>And in the council room he had kept his word to Doctor +Arnquist. He had felt Fuzzy quivering on his shoulder; he +had sensed the bitter anger in Black Doctor Tanner's mind, +and the temptation deliberately to mellow that anger had +been almost overwhelming, but he had turned it aside. He +had answered questions that were asked him, and listened +to the debate with a growing sense of hopelessness.</p> + +<p>And now the chance was gone. The decision was being +made.</p> + +<p>He paced the floor, trying to remember the expressions<a name="page35" id="page35"></a> +of the other doctors, trying to remember what had been +said, how many had seemed friendly and how many hostile, +but he knew that only intensified the torture. There was +nothing he could do now but wait.</p> + +<p>At last the door opened, and an orderly nodded to him. +Dal felt his legs tremble as he walked into the room and +faced the semi-circle of doctors. He tried to read the answer +on their faces, but even Black Doctor Arnquist sat impassively, +doodling on the pad before him, refusing to +meet Dal's eyes.</p> + +<p>The White Doctor took up a sheet of paper. "We have +considered your application, and have reached a decision. +You will be happy to know that your application for assignment +has been tentatively accepted."</p> + +<p>Dal heard the words, and it seemed as though the room +were spinning around him. He wanted to shout for joy and +throw his arms around Black Doctor Arnquist, but he +stood perfectly still, and suddenly he noticed that Fuzzy was +very quiet on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"You will understand that this acceptance is not irrevocable," +the White Doctor went on. "We are not willing to +guarantee your ultimate acceptance as a fully qualified Star +Surgeon at this point. You will be allowed to wear a collar +and cuff, uniform and insignia of a probationary physician, +in the Red Service, and will be assigned aboard the General +Practice Patrol ship <i>Lancet</i>, leaving from Hospital Seattle +next Tuesday. If you prove your ability in that post, your +performance will once again be reviewed by this board, +but you alone will determine our decision then. Your final +acceptance as a Star Surgeon will depend entirely upon +your conduct as a member of the patrol ship's crew." He +smiled at Dal, and set the paper down. "The council wishes +you well. Do you have any questions?"<a name="page36" id="page36"></a></p> + +<p>"Just one," Dal managed to say. "Who will my crewmates +be?"</p> + +<p>"As is customary, a probationer from the Green Service +of Medicine and one from the Blue Service of Diagnosis. +Both have been specially selected by this council. Your +Blue Doctor will be Jack Alvarez, who has shown great +promise in his training in diagnostic medicine."</p> + +<p>"And the Green Doctor?"</p> + +<p>"A young man named Frank Martin," the White Doctor +said. "Known to his friends, I believe, as 'Tiger.'"</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page37" id="page37"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter4" id="chapter4"></a>CHAPTER 4</h2> + +<h3>THE GALACTIC PILL PEDDLERS</h3> + + +<p>The ship stood tall and straight on her launching pad, +with the afternoon sunlight glinting on her hull. Half +a dozen crews of check-out men were swarming about her, +inspecting her engine and fuel supplies, riding up the gantry +crane to her entrance lock, and guiding the great cargo nets +from the loading crane into her afterhold. High up on her +hull Dal Timgar could see a golden caduceus emblazoned, +the symbol of the General Practice Patrol, and beneath it +the ship's official name:</p> + +<div class="centre"> +GPPS 238<br /> +<i>LANCET</i> +</div> + +<p>Dal shifted his day pack down from his shoulders, ridiculously +pleased with the gleaming scarlet braid on the collar +and cuff of his uniform, and lifted Fuzzy up on his shoulder +to see. It seemed to Dal that everyone he had passed in the +terminal had been looking at the colorful insignia; it was all<a name="page38" id="page38"></a> +he could do to keep from holding his arm up and waving it +like a banner.</p> + +<p>"You'll get used to it," Tiger Martin chuckled as they +waited for the jitney to take them across to the launching +pad. "At first you think everybody is impressed by the +colors, until you see some guy go past with the braid all +faded and frazzled at the edges, and then you realize that +you're just the latest greenhorn in a squad of two hundred +thousand men."</p> + +<p>"It's still good to be wearing it," Dal said. "I couldn't +really believe it until Black Doctor Arnquist turned the +collar and cuff over to me." He looked suspiciously at Tiger. +"You must have known a lot more about that interview +than you let on. Or, was it just coincidence that we were +assigned together?"</p> + +<p>"Not coincidence, exactly." Tiger grinned. "I didn't +know what was going to happen. I'd requested assignment +with you on my application, and then when yours was held +up, Doctor Arnquist asked me if I'd be willing to wait for +assignment until the interview was over. So I said okay. He +seemed to think you had a pretty good chance."</p> + +<p>"I'd never have made it without his backing," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"Well, anyway, he figured that if you <i>were</i> assigned, it +would be a good idea to have a friend on the patrol ship +team."</p> + +<p>"I won't argue about <i>that</i>," Dal said. "But who is the +Blue Service man?"</p> + +<p>Tiger's face darkened. "I don't know much about him," +he said. "He trained in California, and I met him just once, +at a diagnosis and therapy conference. He's supposed to be +plenty smart, according to the grapevine. I guess he'd have +to be, to pass Diagnostic Service finals." Tiger chuckled.<a name="page39" id="page39"></a> +"Any dope can make it in the Medical or Surgical Services, +but diagnosis is something else again."</p> + +<p>"Will he be in command?"</p> + +<p>"On the <i>Lancet</i>? Why should he? We'll share command, +just like any patrol ship crew. If we run into problems we +can't agree on, we holler for help. But if he acts like most +of the Blue Doctors I know, he'll <i>think</i> he's in command."</p> + +<p>A jitney stopped for them, and then zoomed out across +the field toward the ship. The gantry platform was just +clanging to the ground, unloading three technicians and a +Four-bar Electronics Engineer. Tiger and Dal rode the +platform up again and moments later stepped through the +entrance lock of the ship that would be their home base +for months and perhaps years.</p> + +<p>They found the bunk room to the rear of the control and +lab sections. A duffel bag was already lodged on one of the +bunks; one of the foot lockers was already occupied, and +a small but expensive camera and a huge pair of field glasses +were hanging from one of the wall brackets.</p> + +<p>"Looks like our man has already arrived," Tiger said, +tossing down his own duffel bag and looking around the +cramped quarters. "Not exactly a luxury suite, I'd say. +Wonder where he is?"</p> + +<p>"Let's look up forward," Dal said. "We've plenty to do +before we take off. Maybe he's just getting an early start."</p> + +<p>They explored the ship, working their way up the central +corridor past the communications and computer rooms and +the laboratory into the main control and observation room. +Here they found a thin, dark-haired young man in a bright +blue collar and cuff, sitting engrossed with a tape-reader.</p> + +<p>For a moment they thought he hadn't heard them. Then, +as though reluctant to tear himself away, the Blue Doctor<a name="page40" id="page40"></a> +sighed, snapped off the reader, and turned on the swivel +stool.</p> + +<p>"So!" he said. "I was beginning to wonder if you were +ever going to get here."</p> + +<p>"We ran into some delays," Tiger said. He grinned and +held out his hand. "Jack Alvarez? Tiger Martin. We met +each other at that conference in Chicago last year."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I remember," the Blue Doctor said. "You found +some holes in a paper I gave. Matter of fact, I've plugged +them up very nicely since then. You'd have trouble finding +fault with the work now." Jack Alvarez turned his eyes to +Dal. "And I suppose this is the Garvian I've been hearing +about, complete with his little pink stooge."</p> + +<p>The moment they had walked in the door, Dal had felt +Fuzzy crouch down tight against his shoulder. Now a wave +of hostility struck his mind like a shower of ice water. He +had never seen this thin, dark-haired youth before, or even +heard of him, but he recognized this sharp impression of +hatred and anger unmistakably. He had felt it a thousand +times among his medical school classmates during the past +eight years, and just hours before he had felt it in the +council room when Black Doctor Tanner had turned on +him.</p> + +<p>"It's really a lucky break that we have Dal for a Red +Doctor," Tiger said. "We almost didn't get him."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I heard all about how lucky we are," Jack Alvarez +said sourly. He looked Dal over from the gray fur on the +top of his head to the spindly legs in the ill-fitting trousers. +Then the Blue Doctor shrugged in disgust and turned +back to the tape-reader. "A Garvian and his Fuzzy!" he +muttered. "Let's hope one or the other knows something +about surgery."</p> + +<p>"I think we'll do all right," Dal said slowly.<a name="page41" id="page41"></a></p> + +<p>"I think you'd better," Jack Alvarez replied.</p> + +<p>Dal and Tiger looked at each other, and Tiger shrugged. +"It's all right," he said. "We know our jobs, and we'll +manage."</p> + +<p>Dal nodded, and started back for the bunk room. No +doubt, he thought, they would manage.</p> + +<p>But if he had thought before that the assignment on the +<i>Lancet</i> was going to be easy, he knew now that he was +wrong.</p> + +<p>Tiger Martin may have been Doctor Arnquist's selection +as a crewmate for him, but there was no question in his +mind that the Blue Doctor on the <i>Lancet</i>'s crew was Black +Doctor Hugo Tanner's choice.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>The first meeting with Jack Alvarez hardly seemed +promising to either Dal or Tiger, but if there was trouble +coming, it was postponed for the moment by common +consent. In the few days before blast-off there was no time +for conflict, or even for much talk. Each of the three crewmen +had two full weeks of work to accomplish in two +days; each knew his job and buried himself in it with a will.</p> + +<p>The ship's medical and surgical supplies had to be inventoried, +and missing or required supplies ordered up. +New supplies coming in had to be checked, tested, and +stored in the ship's limited hold space. It was like preparing +for an extended pack trip into wilderness country; once +the <i>Lancet</i> left its home base on Hospital Earth it was a +world to itself, equipped to support its physician-crew and +provide the necessary equipment and data they would need +to deal with the problems they would face. Like all patrol +ships, the <i>Lancet</i> was equipped with automatic launching, +navigation and drive mechanisms; no crew other than the<a name="page42" id="page42"></a> +three doctors was required, and in the event of mechanical +failures, maintenance ships were on continual call.</p> + +<p>The ship was responsible for patrolling an enormous area, +including hundreds of stars and their planetary systems—yet +its territory was only a tiny segment of the galaxy. +Landings were to be made at various specified planets maintaining +permanent clinic outposts of Hospital Earth; certain +staple supplies were carried for each of these check points. +Aside from these lonely clinic contacts, the nearest port of +call for the <i>Lancet</i> was one of the hospital ships that continuously +worked slow orbits through the star systems of +the confederation.</p> + +<p>But a hospital ship, with its staff of Two-star and Three-star +Physicians, was not to be called except in cases of +extreme need. The probationers on the patrol ships were +expected to be self-sufficient. Their job was to handle +diagnosis and care of all but the most difficult problems that +arose in their travels. They were the first to answer the +medical calls from any planet with a medical service contract +with Hospital Earth.</p> + +<p>It was an enormous responsibility for doctors-in-training +to assume, but over the years it had proven the best way to +train and weed out new doctors for the greater responsibilities +of hospital ship and Hospital Earth assignments. +There was no set period of duty on the patrol ships; how +long a young doctor remained in the General Practice Patrol +depended to a large extent upon how well he handled the +problems and responsibilities that faced him; and since +the first years of Hospital Earth, the fledgling doctors in +the General Practice Patrol—the self-styled "Galactic Pill +Peddlers"—had lived up to their responsibilities. The reputation +of Hospital Earth rested on their shoulders, and they +never forgot it.<a name="page43" id="page43"></a></p> + +<p>As he worked on his inventories, Dal Timgar thought of +Doctor Arnquist's words to him after the council had +handed down its decision. "Remember that judgment and +skill are two different things," he had said. "Without skill +in the basic principles of diagnosis and treatment, medical +judgment isn't much help, but skill without the judgment +to know how and when to use it can be downright +dangerous. You'll be judged both on the judgment you +use in deciding the right thing to do, and on the skill you +use in doing it." He had given Dal the box with the coveted +collar and cuff. "The colors are pretty, but never forget +what they stand for. Until you can convince the council +that you have both the skill and the judgment of a good +physician, you will never get your Star. And you will be +watched closely; Black Doctor Tanner and certain others +will be waiting for the slightest excuse to recall you from +the <i>Lancet</i>. If you give them the opportunity, nothing I can +do will stop it."</p> + +<p>And now, as they worked to prepare the ship for service, +Dal was determined that the opportunity would not arise. +When he was not working in the storerooms, he was in the +computer room, reviewing the thousands of tapes that carried +the basic information about the contract planets where +they would be visiting, and the races that inhabited them. +If errors and fumbles and mistakes were made by the crew +of the <i>Lancet</i>, he thought grimly, it would not be Dal +Timgar who made them.</p> + +<p>The first night they met in the control room to divide the +many extracurricular jobs involved in maintaining a patrol +ship.</p> + +<p>Tiger's interest in electronics and communications made +him the best man to handle the radio; he accepted the post +without comment. "Jack, you should be in charge of the<a name="page44" id="page44"></a> +computer," he said, "because you'll be the one who'll need +the information first. The lab is probably your field too. Dal +can be responsible for stores and supplies as well as his own +surgical instruments."</p> + +<p>Jack shrugged. "I'd just as soon handle supplies, too," +he said.</p> + +<p>"Well, there's no need to overload one man," Tiger said.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't mind that. But when there's something I need, +I want to be sure it's going to be there without any goof-ups," +Jack said.</p> + +<p>"I can handle it all right," Dal said.</p> + +<p>Jack just scowled. "What about the contact man when +we make landings?" he asked Tiger.</p> + +<p>"Seems to me Dal would be the one for that, too," Tiger +said. "His people are traders and bargainers; right, Dal? +And first contact with the people on unfamiliar planets can +be important."</p> + +<p>"It sure can," Jack said. "Too important to take chances +with. Look, this is a ship from Hospital Earth. When somebody +calls for help, they expect to see an Earthman turn +up in response. What are they going to think when a patrol +ship lands and <i>he</i> walks out?"</p> + +<p>Tiger's face darkened. "They'll be able to see his collar +and cuff, won't they?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe. But they may wonder what he's doing wearing +them."</p> + +<p>"Well, they'll just have to learn," Tiger snapped. "And +you'll have to learn, too, I guess."</p> + +<p>Dal had been sitting silently. Now he shook his head. "I +think Jack is right on this one," he said. "It would be better +for one of you to be contact man."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Tiger said angrily. "You're as much of a doctor +from Hospital Earth as we are, and the sooner we get your<a name="page45" id="page45"></a> +position here straight, the better. We aren't going to have +any ugly ducklings on this ship, and we aren't going to +hide you in the hold every time we land on a planet. If we +want to make anything but a mess of this cruise, we've got +to work as a team, and that means everybody shares the +important jobs."</p> + +<p>"That's fine," Dal said, "but I still think Jack is right on +this point. If we are walking into a medical problem on a +planet where the patrol isn't too well known, the contact +man by rights ought to be an Earthman."</p> + +<p>Tiger started to say something, and then spread his hands +helplessly. "Okay," he said. "If you're satisfied with it, +let's get on to these other things." But obviously he wasn't +satisfied, and when Jack disappeared toward the storeroom, +Tiger turned to Dal. "You shouldn't have given in," he said. +"If you give that guy as much as an inch, you're just asking +for trouble."</p> + +<p>"It isn't a matter of giving in," Dal insisted. "I think he +was right, that's all. Don't let's start a fight where we don't +have to."</p> + +<p>Tiger yielded the point, but when Jack returned, Tiger +avoided him, keeping to himself the rest of the evening. +And later, as he tried to get to sleep, Dal wondered for a +moment. Maybe Tiger was right. Maybe he was just dodging +a head-on clash with the Blue Doctor now and setting +the stage for a real collision later.</p> + +<p>Next day the argument was forgotten in the air of rising +excitement as embarkation orders for the <i>Lancet</i> came +through. Preparations were completed, and only last-minute +double-checks were required before blast-off.</p> + +<p>But an hour before count-down began, a jitney buzzed +across the field, and a Two-star Pathologist climbed aboard +with his three black-cloaked orderlies. "Shakedown inspection,"<a name="page46" id="page46"></a> +he said curtly. "Just a matter of routine." And with +that he stalked slowly through the ship, checking the +storage holds, the inventories, the lab, the computer with +its information banks, and the control room. As he went +along he kept firing medical questions at Dal and Tiger, +hardly pausing long enough for the answers, and ignoring +Jack Alvarez completely. "What's the normal range of +serum cholesterol in a vegetarian race with Terran environment? +How would you run a Wenberg electrophoresis? +How do you determine individual radiation tolerance? How +would you prepare a heart culture for cardiac transplant +on board this ship?" The questions went on until Tiger and +Dal were breathless, as count-down time grew closer and +closer. Finally the Black Doctor turned back toward the +entrance lock. He seemed vaguely disappointed as he checked +the record sheets the orderlies had been keeping. With an +odd look at Dal, he shrugged. "All right, here are your clearance +papers," he said to Jack. "Your supply of serum globulin +fractions is up to black-book requirements, but you'll run +short if you happen to hit a virus epidemic; better take on +a couple of more cases. And check central information just +before leaving. We've signed two new contracts in the past +week, and the co-ordinator's office has some advance information +on both of them."</p> + +<p>When the inspector had gone, Tiger wiped his forehead +and sighed. "That was no routine shakedown!" he said. +"What <i>is</i> a Wenberg electrophoresis?"</p> + +<p>"A method of separating serum proteins," Jack Alvarez +said. "You ran them in third year biochemistry. And if we +<i>do</i> hit a virus epidemic, you'd better know how, too."</p> + +<p>He gave Tiger an unpleasant smile, and started back down +the corridor as the count-down signal began to buzz.<a name="page47" id="page47"></a></p> + +<p>But for all the advance arrangements they had made to +divide the ship's work, it was Dal Timgar who took complete +control of the <i>Lancet</i> for the first two weeks of its +cruise. Neither Tiger nor Jack challenged his command; not +a word was raised in protest. The Earthmen were too sick +to talk, much less complain about anything.</p> + +<p>For Dal the blast-off from the port of Seattle and the +conversion into Koenig star-drive was nothing new. His +father owned a fleet of Garvian trading ships that traveled +to the far corners of the galaxy by means of a star-drive so +similar to the Koenig engines that only an electronic engineer +could tell them apart. All his life Dal had traveled on +the outgoing freighters with his father; star-drive conversion +was no surprise to him.</p> + +<p>But for Jack and Tiger, it was their first experience in a +star-drive ship. The <i>Lancet</i>'s piloting and navigation were +entirely automatic; its destination was simply coded into the +drive computers, and the ship was ready to leap across light +years of space in a matter of hours. But the conversion to +star-drive, as the <i>Lancet</i> was wrenched, crew and all, out +of the normal space-time continuum, was far outside of +normal human experience. The physical and emotional shock +of the conversion hit Jack and Tiger like a sledge hammer, +and during the long hours while the ship was traveling +through the time-less, distance-less universe of the drive to +the pre-set co-ordinates where it materialized again into +conventional space-time, the Earthmen were retching violently, +too sick to budge from the bunk room. It took over +two weeks, with stops at half a dozen contract planets, +before Jack and Tiger began to adjust themselves to the +frightening and confusing sensations of conversion to star-drive. +During this time Dal carried the load of the ship's<a name="page48" id="page48"></a> +work alone, while the others lay gasping and exhausted in +their bunks, trying to rally strength for the next shift.</p> + +<p>To his horror, Dal discovered that the first planetary stop-over +was traditionally a hazing stop. It had been a well-kept +patrol secret; the outpost clinic on Tempera VI was waiting +eagerly for the arrival of the new "green" crew, knowing +full well that the doctors aboard would hardly be able to +stumble out of their bunks, much less to cope with medical +problems. The outpost men had concocted a medical "crisis" +of staggering proportions to present to the <i>Lancet</i>'s crew; +they were so clearly disappointed to find the ship's Red +Doctor in full command of himself that Dal obligingly became +violently ill too, and did his best to mimick Jack and +Tiger's floundering efforts to pull themselves together and +do <i>something</i> about the "problem" that suddenly descended +upon them.</p> + +<p>Later, there was a party and celebration, with music and +food, as the clinic staff welcomed the pale and shaken doctors +into the joke. The outpost men plied Dal for the latest +news from Hospital Earth. They were surprised to see a +Garvian aboard the <i>Lancet</i>, but no one at the outpost showed +any sign of resentment at the scarlet braid on Dal's collar +and cuff.</p> + +<p>Slowly Jack and Tiger got used to the peculiarities of +popping in and out of hyperspace. It was said that immunity +to star-drive sickness was hard to acquire, but lasted a lifetime, +and would never again bother them once it was +achieved. Bit by bit the Earthmen crept out of their shells, +to find the ship in order and a busy Dal Timgar relieved and +happy to have them aboard again.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the medical problems that came to the <i>Lancet</i> +in the first few weeks were largely routine. The ship stopped +at the specified contact points—some far out near the rim<a name="page49" id="page49"></a> +of the galactic constellation, others in closer to the densely +star-populated center. At each outpost clinic the <i>Lancet</i> +was welcomed with open arms. The outpost men were hungry +for news from home, and happy to see fresh supplies; +but they were also glad to review the current medical problems +on their planets with the new doctors, exchanging +opinions and arguing diagnosis and therapy into the small +hours of the night.</p> + +<p>Occasionally calls came in to the ship from contract planets +in need of help. Usually the problems were easy to handle. +On Singall III, a tiny planet of a cooling giant star, help was +needed to deal with a new outbreak of a smallpox-like +plague that had once decimated the population; the disease +had finally been controlled after a Hospital Earth research +team had identified the organism that caused it, determined +its molecular structure, and synthesized an antibiotic that +could destroy it without damaging the body of the host. +But now a flareup had occurred. The <i>Lancet</i> brought in +supplies of the antibiotic, and Tiger Martin spent two days +showing Singallese physicians how to control further outbreaks +with modern methods of immunization and antisepsis.</p> + +<p>Another planet called for a patrol ship when a bridge-building +disaster occurred; one of the beetle-like workmen +had been badly crushed under a massive steel girder. Dal +spent over eighteen hours straight with the patient in the +<i>Lancet</i>'s surgery, carefully repairing the creature's damaged +exoskeleton and grafting new segments of bone for regeneration +of the hopelessly ruined parts, with Tiger administering +anaesthesia and Jack preparing the grafts from the freezer.</p> + +<p>On another planet Jack faced his first real diagnostic challenge +and met the test with flying colors. Here a new cancer-like +degenerative disease had been appearing among the +natives of the planet. It had never before been noted. Initial<a name="page50" id="page50"></a> +attempts to find a causative agent had all three of the <i>Lancet</i>'s +crew spending sleepless nights for a week, but Jack's careful +study of the pattern of the disease and the biochemical +reactions that accompanied it brought out the answer: the +disease was caused by a rare form of genetic change which +made crippling alterations in an essential enzyme system. +Knowing this, Tiger quickly found a drug which could be +substituted for the damaged enzyme, and the problem was +solved. They left the planet, assuring the planetary government +that laboratories on Hospital Earth would begin working +at once to find a way actually to rebuild the damaged +genes in the embryonic cells, and thus put a permanent end +to the disease.</p> + +<p>These were routine calls, the kind of ordinary general +medical work that the patrol ships were expected to handle. +But the visits to the various planets were welcome breaks +in the pattern of patrol ship life. The <i>Lancet</i> was fully +equipped, but her crew's quarters and living space were +cramped. Under the best conditions, the crewmen on patrol +ships got on each other's nerves; on the <i>Lancet</i> there was an +additional focus of tension that grew worse with every passing +hour.</p> + +<p>From the first Jack Alvarez had made no pretense of +pleasure at Dal's company, but now it seemed that he deliberately +sought opportunities to annoy him. The thin Blue +Doctor's face set into an angry mold whenever Dal was +around. He would get up and leave when Dal entered the +control room, and complained loudly and bitterly at minor +flaws in Dal's shipboard work. Nothing Dal did seemed to +please him.</p> + +<p>But Tiger had a worse time controlling himself at the +Blue Doctor's digs and slights than Dal did. "It's like living +in an armed camp," he complained one night when Jack had<a name="page51" id="page51"></a> +stalked angrily out of the bunk room. "Can't even open your +mouth without having him jump down your throat."</p> + +<p>"I know," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"And he's doing it on purpose."</p> + +<p>"Maybe so. But it won't help to lose your temper."</p> + +<p>Tiger clenched a huge fist and slammed it into his palm. +"He's just deliberately picking at you and picking at you," +he said. "You can't take that forever. Something's got to +break."</p> + +<p>"It's all right," Dal assured him. "I just ignore it."</p> + +<p>But when Jack began to shift his attack to Fuzzy, Dal +could ignore it no longer.</p> + +<p>One night in the control room Jack threw down the report +he was writing and turned angrily on Dal. "Tell your +friend there to turn the other way before I lose my temper +and splatter him all over the wall," he said, pointing to Fuzzy. +"All he does is sit there and stare at me and I'm getting fed +up with it."</p> + +<p>Fuzzy drew himself up tightly, shivering on Dal's shoulder. +Dal reached up and stroked the tiny creature, and Fuzzy's +shoe-button eyes disappeared completely. "There," Dal +said. "Is that better?"</p> + +<p>Jack stared at the place the eyes had been, and his face +darkened suspiciously. "Well, what happened to them?" +he demanded.</p> + +<p>"What happened to what?"</p> + +<p>"To his eyes, you idiot!"</p> + +<p>Dal looked down at Fuzzy. "I don't see any eyes."</p> + +<p>Jack jumped up from the stool. He scowled at Fuzzy as +if commanding the eyes to come back again. All he saw was +a small ball of pink fur. "Look, he's been blinking them at +me for a week," he snarled. "I thought all along there was +something funny about him. Sometimes he's got legs and<a name="page52" id="page52"></a> +sometimes he hasn't. Sometimes he looks fuzzy, and other +times he hasn't got any hair at all."</p> + +<p>"He's a pleomorph," Dal said. "No cellular structure at +all, just a protein-colloid matrix."</p> + +<p>Jack glowered at the inert little pink lump. "Don't be +silly," he said, curious in spite of himself. "What holds him +together?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows? I don't. Some kind of electro-chemical +cohesive force. The only reason he has 'eyes' is because he +thinks I want him to have eyes. If you don't like it, he won't +have them any more."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's very obliging," Jack said. "But why do you +keep him around? What good does he do you, anyhow? +All he does is eat and drink and sleep."</p> + +<p>"Does he have to do something?" Dal said evasively. "He +isn't bothering you. Why pick on him?"</p> + +<p>"He just seems to worry you an awful lot," Jack said +unpleasantly. "Let's see him a minute." He reached out for +Fuzzy, then jerked his finger back with a yelp. Blood dripped +from the finger tip.</p> + +<p>Jack's face slowly went white. "Why, he—he <i>bit</i> me!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and you're lucky he didn't take a finger off," Dal +said, trembling with anger. "He doesn't like you any more +than I do, and you'll get bit every time you come near him, +so you'd better keep your hands to yourself."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry," Jack Alvarez said, "he won't get another +chance. You can just get rid of him."</p> + +<p>"Not a chance," Dal said. "You leave him alone and he +won't bother you, that's all. And the same thing goes for me."</p> + +<p>"If he isn't out of here in twelve hours, I'll get a warrant," +Jack said tightly. "There are laws against keeping dangerous +pets on patrol ships."</p> + +<p>Somewhere in the main corridor an alarm bell began buzzing.<a name="page53" id="page53"></a> +For a moment Dal and Jack stood frozen, glaring at +each other. Then the door burst open and Tiger Martin's +head appeared. "Hey, you two, let's get moving! We've got +a call coming in, and it looks like a tough one. Come on +back here!"</p> + +<p>They headed back toward the radio room. The signal was +coming through frantically as Tiger reached for the pile of +punched tape running out on the floor. But as they crowded +into the radio room, Dal felt Jack's hand on his arm. "If you +think I was fooling, you're wrong," the Blue Doctor said +through his teeth. "You've got twelve hours to get rid of +him."</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page54" id="page54"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter5" id="chapter5"></a>CHAPTER 5</h2> + +<h3>CRISIS ON MORUA VIII</h3> + + +<p>The three doctors huddled around the teletype, watching +as the decoded message was punched out on the tape. +"It started coming in just now," Tiger said. "And they've +been beaming the signal in a spherical pattern, apparently +trying to pick up the nearest ship they could get. There's +certainly some sort of trouble going on."</p> + +<p>The message was brief, repeated over and over: REQUIRE +MEDICAL AID URGENT REPLY AT ONCE. This was followed by +the code letters that designated the planet, its location, and +the number of its medical service contract.</p> + +<p>Jack glanced at the code. "Morua VIII," he said. "I think +that's a grade I contract." He began punching buttons on +the reference panel, and several screening cards came down +the slot from the information bank. "Yes. The eighth planet +of a large Sol-type star, the only inhabited planet in the +system with a single intelligent race, ursine evolutionary +pattern." He handed the cards to Tiger. "Teddy-bears, yet!"</p> + +<p>"Mammals?" Tiger said.<a name="page55" id="page55"></a></p> + +<p>"Looks like it. And they even hibernate."</p> + +<p>"What about the contract?" Dal asked.</p> + +<p>"Grade I," said Tiger. "And they've had a thorough survey. +Moderately advanced in their own medical care, but +they have full medical coverage any time they think they +need it. We'd better get an acknowledgment back to them. +Jack, get the ship ready to star-jump while Dal starts digging +information out of the bank. If this race has its own doctors, +they'd only be hollering for help if they're up against a tough +one."</p> + +<p>Tiger settled down with earphones and transmitter to try +to make contact with the Moruan planet, while Jack went +forward to control and Dal started to work with the tape +reader. There was no argument now, and no dissension. The +procedure to be followed was a well-established routine: +acknowledge the call, estimate arrival time, relay the call +and response to the programmers on Hospital Earth, prepare +for star-drive, and start gathering data fast. With no hint of +the nature of the trouble, their job was to get there, equipped +with as much information about the planet and its people +as time allowed.</p> + +<p>The Moruan system was not distant from the <i>Lancet</i>'s +present location. Tiger calculated that two hours in Koenig +drive would put the ship in the vicinity of the planet, with +another hour required for landing procedures. He passed +the word on to the others, and Dal began digging through +the mass of information in the tape library on Morua VIII +and its people.</p> + +<p>There was a wealth of data. Morua VIII had signed one +of the first medical service contracts with Hospital Earth, +and a thorough medical, biochemical, social and psychological +survey had been made on the people of that world. Since +the original survey, much additional information had been<a name="page56" id="page56"></a> +amassed, based on patrol ship reports and dozens of specialty +studies that had been done there.</p> + +<p>And out of this data, a picture of Morua VIII and its +inhabitants began to emerge.</p> + +<p>The Moruans were moderately intelligent creatures, +warm-blooded air breathers with an oxygen-based metabolism. +Their planet was cold, with 17 per cent oxygen and +much water vapor in its atmosphere. With its vast snow-fields +and great mountain ranges, the planet was a popular +resort area for oxygen-breathing creatures; most of the +natives were engaged in some work related to winter sports. +They were well fitted anatomically for their climate, with +thick black fur, broad flat hind feet and a four-inch layer +of fat between their skin and their vital organs.</p> + +<p>Swiftly Dal reviewed the emergency file, checking for +common drugs and chemicals that were poisonous to +Moruans, accidents that were common to the race, and +special problems that had been met by previous patrol ships. +The deeper he dug into the mass of data, the more worried +he became. Where should he begin? Searching in the dark, +there was no way to guess what information would be +necessary and what part totally useless.</p> + +<p>He buzzed Tiger. "Any word on the nature of the +trouble?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Just got through to them," Tiger said. "Not too much +to go on, but they're really in an uproar. Sounds like they've +started some kind of organ-transplant surgery and their +native surgeon got cold feet halfway through and wants us +to bail him out." Tiger paused. "I think this is going to be +your show, Dal. Better check up on Moruan anatomy."</p> + +<p>It was better than no information, but not much better. +Fuzzy huddled on Dal's shoulder as if he could sense his +master's excitement. Very few races under contract with<a name="page57" id="page57"></a> +Hospital Earth ever attempted their own major surgery. +If a Moruan surgeon had walked into a tight spot in the +operating room, it could be a real test of skill to get him—and +his patient—out of it, even on a relatively simple procedure. +But organ-transplantation, with the delicate vascular +surgery and micro-surgery that it entailed, was never simple. +In incompetent hands, it could turn into a nightmare.</p> + +<p>Dal took a deep breath and began running the anatomical +atlas tapes through the reader, checking the critical points +of Moruan anatomy. Oxygen-transfer system, circulatory +system, renal filtration system—at first glance, there was +little resemblance to any of the "typical" oxygen-breathing +mammals Dal had studied in medical school. But then something +struck a familiar note, and he remembered studying +the peculiar Moruan renal system, in which the creature's +chemical waste products were filtered from the bloodstream +in a series of tubules passing across the peritoneum, and re-absorbed +into the intestine for excretion. Bit by bit other +points of the anatomy came clear, and in half an hour of +intense study Dal began to see how the inhabitants of +Morua VIII were put together.</p> + +<p>Satisfied for the moment, he then pulled the tapes that +described the Moruans' own medical advancement. What +were they doing attempting organ-transplantation, anyway? +That was the kind of surgery that even experienced Star +Surgeons preferred to take aboard the hospital ships, or back +to Hospital Earth, where the finest equipment and the most +skilled assistants were available.</p> + +<p>There was a signal buzzer, the two-minute warning before +the Koenig drive took over. Dal tossed the tape spools back +into the bin for refiling, and went forward to the control +room.</p> + +<p>Just short of two hours later, the <i>Lancet</i> shifted back to<a name="page58" id="page58"></a> +normal space drive, and the cold yellow sun of the Moruan +system swam into sight in the viewscreen. Far below, the +tiny eighth planet glistened like a snowball in the reflection +of the sun, with only occasional rents in the cloud blanket +revealing the ragged surface below. The doctors watched as +the ship went into descending orbit, skimming the outer +atmosphere and settling into a landing pattern.</p> + +<p>Beneath the cloud blanket, the frigid surface of the planet +spread out before them. Great snow-covered mountain +ranges rose up on either side. A forty-mile gale howled +across the landing field, sweeping clouds of powdery snow +before it.</p> + +<p>A huge gawky vehicle seemed to be waiting for the ship +to land; it shot out from the huddle of gray buildings almost +the moment they touched down. Jack slipped into the furs +that he had pulled from stores, and went out through the +entrance lock and down the ladder to meet the dark furry +creatures that were bundling out of the vehicle below. The +electronic language translator was strapped to his chest.</p> + +<p>Five minutes later he reappeared, frost forming on his +blue collar, his face white as he looked at Dal. "You'd better +get down there right away," he said, "and take your +micro-surgical instruments. Tiger, give me a hand with the +anaesthesia tanks. They're keeping a patient alive with a +heart-lung machine right now, and they can't finish the job. +It looks like it might be bad."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>The Moruan who escorted them across the city to the +hospital was a huge shaggy creature who left no question +of the evolutionary line of his people. Except for the flattened +nose, the high forehead and the fur-less hand with +opposing thumb, he looked for all the world like a mammoth +edition of the Kodiak bears Dal had seen displayed at the<a name="page59" id="page59"></a> +natural history museum in Hospital Philadelphia. Like all +creatures with oxygen-and-water based metabolisms, the +Moruans could trace their evolutionary line to minute one-celled +salt-water creatures; but with the bitter cold of the +planet, the first land-creatures to emerge from the primeval +swamp of Morua VIII had developed the heavy furs and +the hibernation characteristics of bear-like mammals. They +towered over Dal, and even Tiger seemed dwarfed by their +immense chest girth and powerful shoulders.</p> + +<p>As the surface car hurried toward the hospital, Dal probed +for more information. The Moruan's voice was a hoarse +growl which nearly deafened the Earthmen in the confined +quarters of the car but Dal with the aid of the translator +could piece together what had happened.</p> + +<p>More sophisticated in medical knowledge than most races +in the galaxy, the Moruans had learned a great deal from +their contact with Hospital Earth physicians. They actually +did have a remarkable grasp of physiology and biochemistry, +and constantly sought to learn more. They had already +found ways to grow replacement organs from embryonic +grafts, the Moruan said, and by copying the techniques used +by the surgeons of Hospital Earth, their own surgeons had +attempted the delicate job of replacing a diseased organ +with a new, healthy one in a young male afflicted with +cancer.</p> + +<p>Dal looked up at the Moruan doctor. "What organ were +you replacing?" he asked suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"Oh, not the entire organ, just a segment," the Moruan +said. "The tumor had caused an obstructive pneumonia—"</p> + +<p>"Are you talking about a segment of <i>lung</i>?" Dal said, +almost choking.</p> + +<p>"Of course. That's where the tumor was."<a name="page60" id="page60"></a></p> + +<p>Dal swallowed hard. "So you just decided to replace a +segment."</p> + +<p>"Yes. But something has gone wrong, we don't know +what."</p> + +<p>"I see." It was all Dal could do to keep from shouting at +the huge creature. The Moruans had no duplication of +organs, such as Earthmen and certain other races had. A +tumor of the lung would mean death ... but the technique +of grafting a culture-grown lung segment to a portion of +natural lung required enormous surgical skill, and the finest +microscopic instruments that could be made in order to +suture together the tiny capillary walls and air tubules. And +if one lung were destroyed, a Moruan had no other to take +its place. "Do you have any micro-surgical instruments +at all?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," the Moruan rumbled proudly. "We made them +ourselves, just for this case."</p> + +<p>"You mean you've never attempted this procedure before?"</p> + +<p>"This was the first time. We don't know where we went +wrong."</p> + +<p>"You went wrong when you thought about trying it," +Dal muttered. "What anaesthesia?"</p> + +<p>"Oxygen and alcohol vapor."</p> + +<p>This was no surprise. With many species, alcohol vapor +was more effective and less toxic than other anaesthetic +gases. "And you have a heart-lung machine?"</p> + +<p>"The finest available, on lease from Hospital Earth."</p> + +<p>All the way through the city Dal continued the questioning, +and by the time they reached the hospital he had an +idea of the task that was facing him. He knew now that it +was going to be bad; he didn't realize just how bad until +he walked into the operating room.<a name="page61" id="page61"></a></p> + +<p>The patient was barely alive. Recognizing too late that +they were in water too deep for them, the Moruan surgeons +had gone into panic, and neglected the very fundamentals +of physiological support for the creature on the table. Dal +had to climb up on a platform just to see the operating field; +the faithful wheeze of the heart-lung machine that was sustaining +the creature continued in Dal's ears as he examined +the work already done, first with the naked eye, then scanning +the operative field with the crude microscopic eyepiece.</p> + +<p>"How long has he been anaesthetized?" he asked the +shaggy operating surgeon.</p> + +<p>"Over eighteen hours already."</p> + +<p>"And how much blood has he received?"</p> + +<p>"A dozen liters."</p> + +<p>"Any more on hand?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps six more."</p> + +<p>"Well, you'd better get it into him. He's in shock right +now."</p> + +<p>The surgeon scurried away while Dal took another look +at the micro field. The situation was bad; the anaesthesia had +already gone on too long, and the blood chemistry record +showed progressive failure.</p> + +<p>He stepped down from the platform, trying to clear his +head and decide the right thing to do.</p> + +<p>He had done micro-surgery before, plenty of it, and he +knew the techniques necessary to complete the job, but the +thought of attempting it chilled him. At best, he was on +unfamiliar ground, with a dozen factors that could go +wrong. By now the patient was a dreadful risk for any +surgeon. If he were to step in now, and the patient died, +how would he explain not calling for help?</p> + +<p>He stepped out to the scrub room where Tiger was waiting. +"Where's Jack?" he said.<a name="page62" id="page62"></a></p> + +<p>"Went back to the ship for the rest of the surgical pack."</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "I don't know what to do. I think +we should get him to a hospital ship."</p> + +<p>"Is it more than you can handle?" Tiger said.</p> + +<p>"I could probably do it all right—but I could lose him, +too."</p> + +<p>A frown creased Tiger's face. "Dal, it would take six +hours for a hospital ship to get here."</p> + +<p>"I know that. But on the other hand...." Dal spread his +hands. He felt Fuzzy crouching in a tight frightened lump +in his pocket. He thought again of the delicate, painstaking +microscopic work that remained to be done to bring the +new section of lung into position to function, and he shook +his head. "Look, these creatures hibernate," he said. "If we +could get him cooled down enough, we could lighten the +anaesthesia and maintain him as is, indefinitely."</p> + +<p>"This is up to you," Tiger said. "I don't know anything +about surgery. If you think we should just hold tight, that's +what we'll do."</p> + +<p>"All right. I think we'd better. Have them notify Jack +to signal for a hospital ship. We'll just try to stick it out."</p> + +<p>Tiger left to pass the word, and Dal went back into the +operating room. Suddenly he felt as if a great weight had +been lifted from his shoulders. There would be Three-star +Surgeons on a Hospital Ship to handle this; it seemed an +enormous relief to have the task out of his hands. Yet something +was wriggling uncomfortably in the back of his mind, +a quiet little voice saying <i>this isn't right, you should be doing +this yourself right now instead of wasting precious time....</i></p> + +<p>He thrust the thought away angrily and ordered the +Moruan physicians to bring in ice packs to cool the patient's +huge hulk down to hibernation temperatures. "We're going +to send for help," Dal told the Moruan surgeon who had<a name="page63" id="page63"></a> +met them at the ship. "This man needs specialized care, and +we'd be taking too much chance to try to do it this way."</p> + +<p>"You mean you're sending for a hospital ship?"</p> + +<p>"That's right," Dal said.</p> + +<p>This news seemed to upset the Moruans enormously. +They began growling among themselves, moving back from +the operating table.</p> + +<p>"Then you can't save him?" the operating surgeon said.</p> + +<p>"I think he can be saved, certainly!"</p> + +<p>"But we thought you could just step in—"</p> + +<p>"I could, but that would be taking chances that we don't +need to take. We can maintain him until the hospital ship +arrives."</p> + +<p>The Moruans continued to growl ominously, but Dal +brushed past them, checking the vital signs of the patient as +his body temperature slowly dropped. Tiger had taken over +the anaesthesia, keeping the patient under as light a dosage +of medication as was possible.</p> + +<p>"What's eating them?" he asked Dal quietly.</p> + +<p>"They don't want a hospital ship here very much," Dal +said. "Afraid they'll look like fools all over the Confederation +if the word gets out. But that's their worry. Ours is to +keep this bruiser alive until the ship gets here."</p> + +<p>They settled back to wait.</p> + +<p>It was an agonizing time for Dal. Even Fuzzy didn't seem +to be much comfort. The patient was clearly not doing well, +even with the low body temperatures Dal had induced. His +blood pressure was sagging, and at one time Tiger sat up +sharply, staring at his anaesthesia dials and frowning in +alarm as the nervous-system reactions flagged. The Moruan +physicians hovered about, increasingly uneasy as they saw +the doctors from Hospital Earth waiting and doing nothing. +One of them, unable to control himself any longer, tore off<a name="page64" id="page64"></a> +his sterile gown and stalked angrily out of the operating +suite.</p> + +<p>A dozen times Dal was on the verge of stepping in. It was +beginning to look now like a race with time, and precious +minutes were passing by. He cursed himself inwardly for +not taking the bit in his teeth at the beginning and going +ahead the best he could; it had been a mistake in judgment +to wait. Now, as minutes passed into hours it looked more +and more like a mistake that was going to cost the life of +a patient.</p> + +<p>Then there was a murmur of excitement outside the +operating room, and word came in that another ship had +been sighted making landing maneuvers. Dal clenched his +fists, praying that the patient would last until the hospital +ship crew arrived.</p> + +<p>But the ship that was landing was not a hospital ship. +Someone turned on a TV scanner and picked up the image +of a small ship hardly larger than a patrol ship, with just +two passengers stepping down the ladder to the ground. +Then the camera went close-up. Dal saw the faces of the +two men, and his heart sank.</p> + +<p>One was a Four-star Surgeon, resplendent in flowing red +cape and glistening silver insignia. Dal did not recognize +the man, but the four stars meant that he was a top-ranking +physician in the Red Service of Surgery.</p> + +<p>The other passenger, gathering his black cloak and hood +around him as he faced the blistering wind on the landing +field, was Black Doctor Hugo Tanner.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>Moments after the Four-star Surgeon arrived at the hospital, +he was fully and unmistakably in command of the +situation. He gave Dal an icy stare, then turned to the +Moruan operating surgeon, whom he seemed to know very<a name="page65" id="page65"></a> +well. After a short barrage of questions and answers, he +scrubbed and gowned, and stalked past Dal to the crude +Moruan micro-surgical control table.</p> + +<p>It took him exactly fifteen seconds to scan the entire +operating field through the viewer, discussing the anatomy +as the Moruan surgeon watched on a connecting screen. +Then, without hesitation, he began manipulating the micro-instruments. +Once or twice he murmured something to +Tiger at the anaesthesia controls, and occasionally he nodded +reassurance to the Moruan surgeon. He did not even invite +Dal to observe.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later he rose from the control table and threw +the switch to stop the heart-lung machine. The patient took +a gasping breath on his own, then another and another. The +Four-star Surgeon stripped off his gown and gloves with a +flourish. "It will be all right," he said to the Moruan physician. +"An excellent job, Doctor, excellent!" he said. "Your +technique was flawless, except for the tiny matter you have +just observed."</p> + +<p>It was not until they were outside the operating room and +beyond earshot of the Moruan doctors that the Four-star +surgeon turned furiously to Dal. "Didn't you even bother +to examine the operating field, Doctor? Where did you +study surgery? Couldn't you tell that the fools had practically +finished the job themselves? All that was needed was +a simple great-vessel graft, which an untrained idiot could +have done blindfolded. And for this you call me clear from +Hospital Earth!"</p> + +<p>The surgeon threw down his mask in disgust and stalked +away, leaving Dal and Tiger staring at each other in dismay.</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page66" id="page66"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter6" id="chapter6"></a>CHAPTER 6</h2> + +<h3>TIGER MAKES A PROMISE</h3> + + +<p>"I think," Black Doctor Hugo Tanner said ominously, +"that an explanation is in order. I would now like to hear +it. And believe me, gentlemen, it had better be a very sensible +explanation, too."</p> + +<p>The pathologist was sitting in the control room of the +<i>Lancet</i>, his glasses slightly askew on his florid face. He had +climbed through the entrance lock ten minutes before, +shaking snow off his cloak and wheezing like a boiler about +to explode; now he faced the patrol ship's crew like a small +but ominous black thundercloud. Across the room, Jack +Alvarez was staring through the viewscreen at the blizzard +howling across the landing field below, a small satisfied +smile on his face, while Tiger sulked with his hands jammed +into his trousers. Dal sat by himself feeling very much alone, +with Fuzzy peering discreetly out of his jacket pocket.</p> + +<p>He knew the Black Doctor was speaking to him, but he +didn't try to reply. He had known from the moment the +surgeon came out of the operating room that he was in<a name="page67" id="page67"></a> +trouble. It was just a matter of time before he would have +to answer for his decision here, and it was even something +of a relief that the moment came sooner rather than later.</p> + +<p>And the more Dal considered his position, the more indefensible +it appeared. Time after time he had thought of +Dr. Arnquist's words about judgment and skill. Without one +the other was of little value to a doctor, and whatever his +skill as a surgeon might have been in the Moruan operating +room, he now realized that his judgment had been poor. +He had allowed himself to panic at a critical moment, and +had failed to see how far the surgery had really progressed. +By deciding to wait for help to arrive instead of taking over +at once, he had placed the patient in even greater jeopardy +than before. In looking back, Dal could see clearly that it +would have been far better judgment to proceed on his own.</p> + +<p>But that was how it looked <i>now</i>, not <i>then</i>, and there was +an old saying that the "retrospectoscope" was the only infallible +instrument in all medicine.</p> + +<p>In any event, the thing was done, and couldn't be changed, +and Dal knew that he could only stand on what he had done, +right or wrong.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm waiting," Black Doctor Tanner said, scowling +at Dal through his thick-rimmed glasses. "I want to know +who was responsible for this fiasco, and why it occurred +in the first place."</p> + +<p>Dal spread his hands hopelessly. "What do you want me +to say?" he asked. "I took a careful history of the situation +as soon as we arrived here, and then I examined the patient +in the operating room. I thought the surgery might be over +my head, and couldn't see attempting it if a hospital ship +could be reached in time. I thought the patient could be +maintained safely long enough for us to call for help."<a name="page68" id="page68"></a></p> + +<p>"I see," the Black Doctor said. "You've done micro-surgery +before?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"And organ transplant work?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor opened a folder and peered at it over +his glasses. "As a matter of fact, you spent two solid years +in micro-surgical training in Hospital Philadelphia, with all +sorts of glowing reports from your preceptors about what +a flair you had for the work."</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "I—I did some work in the field, yes, +but not on critical cases under field conditions."</p> + +<p>"You mean that this case required some different kind of +technique than the cases you've worked on before?"</p> + +<p>"No, not really, but—"</p> + +<p>"But you just couldn't quite shoulder the responsibility +the job involved when you got into a pinch without any +help around," the Black Doctor growled.</p> + +<p>"I just thought it would be safer to wait," Dal said helplessly.</p> + +<p>"A good conservative approach," Dr. Tanner sneered. +"Of course, you realized that prolonged anaesthesia in itself +could threaten that patient's life?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"And you saw the patient's condition steadily deteriorating +while you waited, did you not?"</p> + +<p>"It was too late to change my mind then," Dal said desperately. +"We'd sent for you. We knew that it would be +only a matter of hours before you arrived."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," the Black Doctor said. "Unfortunately, it takes +only seconds for a patient to cross the line between life and +death, not hours. And I suppose you would have stood there<a name="page69" id="page69"></a> +quietly and allowed him to expire if we had not arrived at +the time we did?"</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head miserably. There was nothing he could +answer to that, and he realized it. What could he say? That +the situation seemed quite different now than it had under +pressure in the Moruan operating room? That he would +have been blamed just as much if he had gone ahead, and +then lost the case? His fingers stole down to Fuzzy's soft +warm body for comfort, and he felt the little creature cling +closer to his side.</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor looked up at the others. "Well? What +do the rest of you have to say?"</p> + +<p>Jack Alvarez shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not a surgeon," +he said, "but even I could see that <i>something</i> should be done +without delay."</p> + +<p>"And what does the Green Doctor think?"</p> + +<p>Tiger shrugged. "We misjudged the situation, that's all. +It came out fortunately for the patient, why make all this +fuss about it?"</p> + +<p>"Because there are other things at stake than just medical +considerations," the Black Doctor shot back. "This planet +has a grade I contract with Hospital Earth. We guarantee +them full medical coverage of all situations and promise them +immediate response to any call for medical help that they +may send us. It is the most favorable kind of contract we +have; when Morua VIII calls for help they expect their call +to be answered by expert medical attention, not by inept +bungling."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor leafed through the folder in his hands. +"We have built our reputation in the Galactic Confederation +on this kind of contract, and our admission to full +membership in the Confederation will ultimately depend +upon how we fulfill our promises. Poor medical judgment<a name="page70" id="page70"></a> +cannot be condoned under any circumstances—but above +all, we cannot afford to jeopardize a contract."</p> + +<p>Dal stared at him. "I—I had no intention of jeopardizing +a contract," he faltered.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not," the Black Doctor said. "But you were the +doctor on the spot, and you were so obviously incompetent +to handle the situation that even these clumsy Moruan surgeons +could see it. Their faith in the doctors from Hospital +Earth has been severely shaken. They are even talking of +letting their contract lapse at the end of this term."</p> + +<p>Tiger Martin jumped to his feet. "Doctor Tanner, even +Four-star Surgeons lose patients sometimes. These people +should be glad that the doctor they call has sense enough to +call for help if he needs it."</p> + +<p>"But no help was needed," the Black Doctor said angrily. +"Any half-decent surgeon would have handled the case. +If the Moruans see a patrol ship bring in one incompetent +doctor, what are they going to expect the next time they +have need for help? How can they feel sure that their medical +needs are well taken care of?" He shook his head grimly. +"This is the sort of responsibility that doctors on the patrol +ships are expected to assume. If you call for help where there +is need for help, no one will ever complain; but when you +turn and run the moment things get tough, you are not fit +for patrol ship service."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor turned to Dal Timgar. "You had ample +warning," he said. "It was clearly understood that your +assignment on this ship depended upon the fulfillment of the +duties of Red Doctor here, and now at the first real test you +turn and run instead of doing your job. All right. You had +your opportunity. You can't complain that we haven't given +you a chance. According to the conduct code of the General +Practice Patrol, section XIV, paragraph 2, any physician<a name="page71" id="page71"></a> +in the patrol on probationary status who is found delinquent +in executing his duties may be relieved of his assignment at +the order of any Black Doctor, or any other physician of +four-star rank." Doctor Tanner closed the folder with a snap +of finality. "It seems to me that the case is clear. Dal Timgar, +on the authority of the Code, I am now relieving you of +duty—"</p> + +<p>"Just a minute," Tiger Martin burst out.</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor looked up at him. "Well?"</p> + +<p>"This is ridiculous," Tiger said. "Why are you picking on +<i>him</i>? Or do you mean that you're relieving all three of us?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I'm not relieving all three of you," the Black +Doctor snapped. "You and Dr. Alvarez will remain on duty +and conduct the ship's program without a Red Doctor until +a man is sent to replace this bungler. That also is provided +for in the code."</p> + +<p>"But I understood that we were operating as a diagnostic +and therapeutic team," Tiger protested. "And I seem to +remember something in the code about fixing responsibility +before a man can be relieved."</p> + +<p>"There's no question where the responsibility lies," the +Black Doctor said, his face darkening. "This was a surgical +problem, and Dal Timgar made the decisions. I don't see +anything to argue."</p> + +<p>"There's plenty to argue," Tiger said. "Dal, don't you +see what he's trying to do?"</p> + +<p>Across the room Dal shook his head wearily. "You'd better +keep out of it, Tiger," he said.</p> + +<p>"Why should I keep out of it and let you be drummed +out of the patrol for something that wasn't even your fault?" +Tiger said. He turned angrily to the Black Doctor. "Dal +wasn't the one that wanted the hospital ship called," he said.<a name="page72" id="page72"></a> +"I was. If you're going to relieve somebody, you'd better +make it me."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor pulled off his glasses and glared at +Tiger. "Whatever are you talking about?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Just what I said. We had a conference after he'd examined +the patient in the operating room, and I insisted that +we call the hospital ship. Why, Dal—Dal wanted to go ahead +and try to finish the case right then, and I wouldn't let him," +Tiger blundered on. "I didn't think the patient could take it. +I thought that it would be too great a risk with the facilities +we had here."</p> + +<p>Dal was staring at Tiger, and he felt Fuzzy suddenly +shivering violently in his pocket. "Tiger, don't be foolish—"</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor slammed the file down on the table +again. "Is this true, what he's saying?" he asked Dal.</p> + +<p>"No, not a word of it," Dal said. "I wanted to call the +hospital ship."</p> + +<p>"Of course he won't admit it," Tiger said angrily. "He's +afraid you'll kick me out too, but it's true just the same in +spite of what he says."</p> + +<p>"And what do <i>you</i> say?" the Black Doctor said, turning +to Jack Alvarez.</p> + +<p>"I say it's carrying this big brother act too far," Jack said. +"I didn't notice any conferences going on."</p> + +<p>"You were back at the ship getting the surgical pack," +Tiger said. "You didn't know anything about it. You didn't +hear us talking, and we didn't see any reason to consult you +about it."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor stared from Dal to Tiger, his face +growing angrier by the minute. He jerked to his feet, and +stalked back and forth across the control room, glaring at +them. Then he took a capsule from his pocket, gulped it +down with some water, and sat back down. "I ought to<a name="page73" id="page73"></a> +throw you both out on your ears," he snarled. "But I am +forced to control myself. I mustn't allow myself to get +angry—" He crashed his fist down on the control panel. +"I suppose that you would swear to this statement of yours +if it came to that?" he asked Tiger.</p> + +<p>Tiger nodded and swallowed hard. "Yes, sir, I certainly +would."</p> + +<p>"All right," the Black Doctor said tightly. "Then you win +this one. The code says that two opinions can properly +decide any course of action. If you insist that two of you +agreed on this decision, then I am forced to support you +officially. I will make a report of the incident to patrol +headquarters, and it will go on the permanent records of all +three of this ship's crew—including my personal opinion of +the decision." He looked up at Dal. "But be very careful, +my young friend. Next time you may not have a technicality +to back you up, and I'll be watching for the first plausible +excuse to break you, and your Green Doctor friend as well. +One misstep, and you're through. And I assure you that is +not just an idle threat. I mean every word of it."</p> + +<p>And trembling with rage, the Black Doctor picked up the +folder, wrapped his cape around him, and marched out of +the control room.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>"Well, you put on a great show," Jack Alvarez said later +as they prepared the ship for launching from the snow-swept +landing field on Morua VIII. An hour before the ground +had trembled as the Black Doctor's ship took off with Dr. +Tanner and the Four-star Surgeon aboard; now Jack broke +the dark silence in the <i>Lancet</i>'s control room for the first +time. "A really great show. You missed your calling, Tiger. +You should have been on the stage. If you think you fooled +Dr. Tanner with that story for half a second, you're crazy,<a name="page74" id="page74"></a> +but I guess you got what you wanted. You kept your pal's +cuff and collar for him, and you put a black mark on all of +our records, including mine. I hope you're satisfied."</p> + +<p>Tiger Martin took off his earphones and set them carefully +on the control panel. "You know," he said to Jack, +"you're lucky."</p> + +<p>"Really?"</p> + +<p>"You're lucky I don't wipe that sneer off your face and +scrub the walls with it. And you'd better not crowd your +luck, because all I need right now is an invitation." He +stood up, towering over the dark-haired Blue Doctor. "You +bet I'm satisfied. And if you got a black mark along with +the rest of us, you earned it all the way."</p> + +<p>"That still doesn't make it right," Dal said from across +the room.</p> + +<p>"You just keep out of this for a minute," Tiger said. +"Jack has got to get a couple of things straight, and this is +the time for it right now."</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "I can't keep out of it," he said. "You +got me off the hook by shifting the blame, but you put +yourself in trouble doing it. Dr. Tanner could just as well +have thrown us both out of the service as not."</p> + +<p>Tiger snorted. "On what grounds? For a petty little error +like this? He wouldn't dare! You ought to read the log books +of some of the other GPP ships some time and see the kind +of bloopers they pull without even a reprimand. Don't +worry, he was mad enough to throw us both out if he +thought he could make it stick, but he knew he couldn't. +He knew the council would just review the case and reverse +his decision."</p> + +<p>"It was still my error, not yours," Dal protested. "I should +have gone ahead and finished the case on the spot. I knew it +at the time, and I just didn't quite dare."<a name="page75" id="page75"></a></p> + +<p>"So you made a mistake," Tiger said. "You'll make a +dozen more before you get your Star, and if none of them +amount to any more than this one, you can be very happy." +He scowled at Jack. "It's only thanks to our friend here +that the Black Doctor heard about this at all. A hospital ship +would have come to take the patient aboard, and the local +doctors would have been quieted down and that would have +been all there was to it. This business about losing a contract +is a lot of nonsense."</p> + +<p>"Then you think this thing was just used as an excuse +to get at me?"</p> + +<p>"Ask him," Tiger said, looking at Jack again. "Ask him +why a Black Doctor and a Four-star Surgeon turned up +when we just called for a hospital ship."</p> + +<p>"I called the hospital ship," Jack said sullenly.</p> + +<p>"But you called Dr. Tanner too," said Tiger. "Your nose +has been out of joint ever since Dal came aboard this ship. +You've made things as miserable for him as you could, and +you just couldn't wait for a chance to come along to try +to scuttle him."</p> + +<p>"All right," Jack said, "but he was making a mistake. Anybody +could see that. What if the patient had died while he +was standing around waiting? Isn't that important?"</p> + +<p>Tiger started to answer, and then threw up his hands in +disgust. "It's important—but something else is more important. +We've got a job to do on this ship, and we can't do it +fighting each other. Dal misjudged a case and got in trouble. +Fine, he won't make that mistake again. It could just as well +have been you, or me. We'll all make mistakes, but if we +can't work as a team, we're sunk. We'll all be drummed out +of the patrol before a year is out." Tiger stopped to catch +his breath, his face flushed with anger. "Well, I'm fed up +with this back-stabbing business. I don't want a fight any<a name="page76" id="page76"></a> +more than Dal does, but if I have to fight, I'll fight to get it +over with, and you'd better be careful. If you pull any more +sly ones, you'd better include me in the deal, because if Dal +goes, I go too. And that's a promise."</p> + +<p>There was silence for a moment as Jack stared up at Tiger's +angry face. He shook his head and blinked, as though he +couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He looked +across at Dal, and then back at Tiger again. "You mean +you'd turn in your collar and cuff?" he said.</p> + +<p>"If it came to that."</p> + +<p>"I see." Jack sat down at the control panel, still shaking +his head. "I think you really mean it," he said soberly. "This +isn't just a big brother act. You really like the guy, don't +you?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe I do," Tiger said, "but I don't like to watch anybody +get kicked around just because somebody else doesn't +happen to like him."</p> + +<p>The control room was very quiet. Then somewhere below +a motor clicked on, and the ventilation fan made a quiet +whirring sound. The teletype clicked sporadically down the +corridor in the communications room. Dal sat silently, rubbing +Fuzzy between the eyes and watching the two Earthmen. +It seemed suddenly as if they were talking about somebody +a million miles away, as if he were not even in the +room.</p> + +<p>Then the Blue Doctor shrugged and rose to his feet. "All +right," he said to Tiger. "I guess I just didn't understand +where you stood, and I suppose it wasn't my job to let the +Black Doctor know about the situation here. I don't plan +to be making all the mistakes you think we're going to make, +and I won't take the blame for anybody else's, but I guess +we've got to work together in the tight spots." He gave Dal +a lop-sided grin. "Welcome aboard," he said. "We'd better<a name="page77" id="page77"></a> +get this crate airborne before the people here come and cart +it away."</p> + +<p>They moved then, and the subject was dropped. Half an +hour later the <i>Lancet</i> lifted through the atmospheric pull of +the Moruan planet and moved on toward the next contact +point, leaving the recovering patient in the hands of the native +physicians. It was not until hours later that Dal noticed +that Fuzzy had stopped quivering, and was resting happily +and securely on his shoulder even when the Blue Doctor +was near.</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page78" id="page78"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter7" id="chapter7"></a>CHAPTER 7</h2> + +<h3>ALARUMS AND EXCURSIONS</h3> + + +<p>Once more the crew of the <i>Lancet</i> settled down to +routine, and the incident on Morua VIII seemed almost +forgotten.</p> + +<p>But a change had come about in the relations between the +three doctors, and in every way the change was for the +better. If Jack Alvarez was not exactly cordial to Dal Timgar, +at least he had dropped the open antagonism that he had +shown before. Apparently Tiger's angry outburst had +startled Jack, as though he had never really considered that +the big Earthman might honestly be attached to his friend +from Garv II, and the Blue Doctor seemed sincere in his +agreement to work with Dal and Tiger as a team.</p> + +<p>But bit by bit Dal could sense that the change in Jack's +attitude went deeper than the surface. "You know, I really +think he was <i>scared</i> of me," Dal said one night when he and +Tiger were alone. "Sounds silly, but I think it's true. He +pretends to be so sure of himself, but I think he's as worried +about doing things wrong as we are, and just won't admit it.<a name="page79" id="page79"></a> +And he really thought I was a threat when I came aboard."</p> + +<p>"He probably had a good thorough briefing from Black +Doctor Tanner before he got the assignment," Tiger said +grimly.</p> + +<p>"Maybe—but somehow I don't think he cares for the +Black Doctor much more than we do."</p> + +<p>But whatever the reason, much of the tension was gone +when the <i>Lancet</i> had left the Moruan system behind. A great +weight seemed to have been lifted, and if there was not quite +peace on board, at least there was an uneasy truce. Tiger +and Jack were almost friendly, talking together more often +and getting to know each other better. Jack still avoided +Dal and seldom included him in conversations, but the open +contempt of the first few weeks on the ship now seemed +tempered somewhat.</p> + +<p>Once again the <i>Lancet</i>'s calls fell into a pattern. Landings +on the outpost planets became routine, bright spots in a +lonely and wandering existence. The calls that came in represented +few real problems. The ship stopped at one contract +planet to organize a mass inoculation program against a +parasitic infestation resembling malaria. They paused at +another place to teach the native doctors the use of some +new surgical instruments that had been developed in Hospital +Earth laboratories just for them. Frantic emergency +calls usually proved to involve trivial problems, but once +or twice potentially serious situations were spotted early, +before they could develop into real trouble.</p> + +<p>And as the three doctors got used to the responsibilities +of a patrol ship's rounds, and grew more confident of their +ability to handle the problems thrust upon them, they found +themselves working more and more efficiently as a team.</p> + +<p>This was the way the General Practice Patrol was supposed +to function. Each doctor had unsuspected skills that<a name="page80" id="page80"></a> +came to light. There was no questioning Jack Alvarez's skill +as a diagnostician, but it seemed uncanny to Dal the way the +slender, dark-haired Earthman could listen carefully to a +medical problem of an alien race on a remote planet, and +then seem to know exactly which questions to ask to draw +out the significant information about the situation. Tiger +was not nearly as quick and clever as Jack; he needed more +time to ponder a question of medical treatment, and he +would often spend long hours poring over the data tapes +before deciding what to do in a given case—but he always +seemed to come up with an answer, and his answers usually +worked. Above all, Tiger's relations with the odd life-forms +they encountered were invariably good; the creatures seemed +to like him, and would follow his instructions faithfully.</p> + +<p>Dal, too, had opportunities to demonstrate that his surgical +skill and judgment was not universally faulty in spite +of the trouble on Morua VIII. More than once he succeeded +in almost impossible surgical cases where there was no time +to call for help, and little by little he could sense Jack's +growing confidence in his abilities, grudging though it +might be.</p> + +<p>Dal had ample time to mull over the thing that had happened +on Morua VIII and to think about the interview with +Black Doctor Tanner afterward. He knew he was glad that +Tiger had intervened even on the basis of a falsehood; until +Tiger had spoken up Dal had been certain that the Black +Doctor fully intended to use the incident as an excuse to +discharge him from the General Practice Patrol. There was +no question in his mind that the Black Doctor's charges had +been exaggerated into a trumped-up case against him, and +there was no question that Tiger's insistence on taking the +blame had saved him; he could not help being thankful.</p> + +<p>Yet there was something about it that disturbed Dal, nibbling<a name="page81" id="page81"></a> +away persistently at his mind. He couldn't throw off +the feeling that his own acceptance of Tiger's help had been +wrong.</p> + +<p>Part of it, he knew, was his native, inbred loathing for +falsehood. Fair or unfair, Dal had always disliked lying. +Among his people, the truth might be bent occasionally, but +frank lying was considered a deep disgrace, and there was a +Garvian saying that "a false tongue wins no true friends." +Garvian traders were known throughout the Galaxy as +much for their rigid adherence to their word as they were +for the hard bargains they could drive; Dal had been enormously +confused during his first months on Hospital Earth +by the way Earthmen seemed to accept lying as part of their +daily life, unconcerned about it as long as the falsehood +could not be proven.</p> + +<p>But something else about Tiger's defense of him bothered +Dal far more than the falsehood—something that had vaguely +disturbed him ever since he had known the big Earthman, +and that now seemed to elude him every time he tried to +pinpoint it. Lying in his bunk during a sleep period, Dal +remembered vividly the first time he had met Tiger, early +in the second year of medical school. Dal had almost despaired +by then of making friends with his hostile and +resentful classmates and had begun more and more to avoid +contact with them, building up a protective shell and relying +on Fuzzy for company or comfort. Then Tiger had found +him eating lunch by himself in the medical school lounge +one day and flopped down in the seat beside him and began +talking as if Dal were just another classmate. Tiger's open +friendliness had been like a spring breeze to Dal who was +desperately lonely in this world of strangers; their friendship +had grown rapidly, and gradually others in the class had +begun to thaw enough at least to be civil when Dal was<a name="page82" id="page82"></a> +around. Dal had sensed that this change of heart was largely +because of Tiger and not because of him, yet he had welcomed +it as a change from the previous intolerable coldness +even though it left him feeling vaguely uneasy. Tiger was +well liked by the others in the class; Dal had been grateful +more than once when Tiger had risen in hot defense of the +Garvian's right to be studying medicine among Earthmen +in the school on Hospital Earth.</p> + +<p>But that had been in medical school, among classmates. +Somehow that had been different from the incident that +occurred on Morua VIII, and Dal's uneasiness grew stronger +than ever the more he thought of it. Talking to Tiger about +it was no help; Tiger just grinned and told him to forget it, +but even in the rush of shipboard activity it stubbornly +refused to be forgotten.</p> + +<p>One minor matter also helped to ease the tension between +the doctors as they made their daily rounds. Tiger brought +a pink dispatch sheet in to Dal one day, grinning happily. +"This is from the weekly news capsule," he said. "It ought +to cheer you up."</p> + +<p>It was a brief news note, listed under "incidental items." +"The Black Service of Pathology," it said, "has announced +that Black Doctor Hugo Tanner will enter Hospital Philadelphia +within the next week for prophylactic heart surgery. +In keeping with usual Hospital Earth administrative policy, +the Four-star Black Doctor will undergo a total cardiac +transplant to halt the Medical education administrator's progressively +disabling heart disease." The note went on to +name the surgeons who would officiate at the procedure.</p> + +<p>Dal smiled and handed back the dispatch. "Maybe it will +improve his temper," he said, "even if it does give him another +fifty years of active life."</p> + +<p>"Well, at least it will take him out of <i>our</i> hair for a while,"<a name="page83" id="page83"></a> +Tiger said. "He won't have time to keep us under too close +scrutiny."</p> + +<p>Which, Dal was forced to admit, did not make him too +unhappy.</p> + +<p>Shipboard rounds kept all three doctors busy. Often, with +contact landings, calls, and studying, it seemed only a brief +time from sleep period to sleep period, but still they had +some time for minor luxuries. Dal was almost continuously +shivering, with the ship kept at a temperature that was comfortable +for Tiger and Jack; he missed the tropical heat of +his home planet, and sometimes it seemed that he was chilled +down to the marrow of his bones in spite of his coat of gray +fur. With a little home-made plumbing and ingenuity, he +finally managed to convert one of the ship's shower units +into a steam bath. Once or twice each day he would retire +for a blissful half hour warming himself up to Garv II +normal temperatures.</p> + +<p>Fuzzy also became a part of shipboard routine. Once he +grew accustomed to Tiger and Jack and the surroundings +aboard the ship, the little creature grew bored sitting on +Dal's shoulder and wanted to be in the middle of things. +Since the early tension had eased, he was willing to be apart +from his master from time to time, so Dal and Tiger built +him a platform that hung from the ceiling of the control +room. There Fuzzy would sit and swing by the hour, blinking +happily at the activity going on all around him.</p> + +<p>But for all the appearance of peace and agreement, there +was still an undercurrent of tension on board the <i>Lancet</i> +which flared up from time to time when it was least expected, +between Dal and Jack. It was on one such occasion that a +major crisis almost developed, and once again Fuzzy was the +center of the contention.<a name="page84" id="page84"></a></p> + +<p>Dal Timgar knew that disaster had struck at the very +moment it happened, but he could not tell exactly what was +wrong. All he knew was that something fearful had happened +to Fuzzy.</p> + +<p>There was a small sound-proof cubicle in the computer +room, with a chair, desk and a tape-reader for the doctors +when they had odd moments to spend reading up on recent +medical bulletins or reviewing their textbooks. Dal spent +more time here than the other two; the temperature of the +room could be turned up, and he had developed a certain +fondness for the place with its warm gray walls and its soft +relaxing light. Here on the tapes were things that he could +grapple with, things that he could understand. If a problem +here eluded him, he could study it out until he had mastered +it. The hours he spent here were a welcome retreat from the +confusing complexities of getting along with Jack and Tiger.</p> + +<p>These long study periods were boring for Fuzzy who +wasn't much interested in the oxygen-exchange mechanism +of the intelligent beetles of Aldebaran VI. Frequently Dal +would leave him to swing on his platform or explore about +the control cabin while he spent an hour or two at the +tape-reader. Today Dal had been working for over an hour, +deeply immersed in a review of the intermediary metabolism +of chlorine-breathing mammals, when something abruptly +wrenched his attention from the tape.</p> + +<p>It was as though a light had snapped off in his mind, or +a door slammed shut. There was no sound, no warning; yet, +suddenly, he felt dreadfully, frighteningly alone, as if in a +split second something inside him had been torn away. He +sat bolt upright, staring, and he felt his skin crawl and his +fingers tremble as he listened, trying to spot the source of +the trouble.</p> + +<p>And then, almost instinctively, he knew what was wrong.<a name="page85" id="page85"></a> +He leaped to his feet, tore open the door to the cubicle and +dashed down the hallway toward the control room. "Fuzzy!" +he shouted. "Fuzzy, <i>where are you</i>?"</p> + +<p>Tiger and Jack were both at the control panel dictating +records for filing. They looked up in surprise as the Red +Doctor burst into the room. Fuzzy's platform was hanging +empty, gently swaying back and forth. Dal peered frantically +around the room. There was no sign of the small pink +creature.</p> + +<p>"Where is he?" he demanded. "What's happened to +Fuzzy?"</p> + +<p>Jack shrugged in disgust. "He's up on his perch. Where +else?"</p> + +<p>"He's not either! Where is he?"</p> + +<p>Jack blinked at the empty perch. "He was there just a +minute ago. I saw him."</p> + +<p>"Well, he's not there now, and something's wrong!" In a +panic, Dal began searching the room, knocking over stools, +scattering piles of paper, peering in every corner where +Fuzzy might be concealed.</p> + +<p>For a moment the others sat frozen, watching him. Then +Tiger jumped to his feet. "Hold it, hold it! He probably +just wandered off for a minute. He does that all the time."</p> + +<p>"No, it's something worse than that." Dal was almost +choking on the words. "Something terrible has happened. +I know it."</p> + +<p>Jack Alvarez tossed the recorder down in disgust. "You +and your miserable pet!" he said. "I knew we shouldn't have +kept him on board."</p> + +<p>Dal stared at Jack. Suddenly all the anger and bitterness +of the past few weeks could no longer be held in. Without +warning he hurled himself at the Blue Doctor's throat. +"Where is he?" he cried. "What have you done with him?<a name="page86" id="page86"></a> +What have you done to Fuzzy? You've done something to +him! You've hated him every minute just like you hate me, +only he's easier to pick on. Now where is he? What have +you done to him?"</p> + +<p>Jack staggered back, trying to push the furious little +Garvian away. "Wait a minute! Get away from me! I didn't +do anything!"</p> + +<p>"You did too! Where is he?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know." Jack struggled to break free, but there +was powerful strength in Dal's fingers for all his slight body +build. "I tell you, he was here just a minute ago."</p> + +<p>Dal felt a hand grip his collar then, and Tiger was dragging +them apart like two dogs in a fight. "Now stop this!" +he roared, holding them both at arm's length. "I said <i>stop it</i>! +Jack didn't do anything to Fuzzy, he's been sitting here +with me ever since you went back to the cubicle. He hasn't +even budged."</p> + +<p>"But he's <i>gone</i>," Dal panted. "Something's happened to +him. I <i>know</i> it."</p> + +<p>"How do you know?"</p> + +<p>"I—I just know. I can feel it."</p> + +<p>"All right, then let's find him," Tiger said. "He's got to +be somewhere on the ship. If he's in trouble, we're wasting +time fighting."</p> + +<p>Tiger let go, and Jack brushed off his shirt, his face very +white. "I saw him just a little while ago," he said. "He was +sitting up on that silly perch watching us, and then swinging +back and forth and swinging over to that cabinet and back."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's get started looking," Tiger said.</p> + +<p>They fanned out, with Jack still muttering to himself, +and searched the control room inch by inch. There was no +sign of Fuzzy. Dal had control of himself now, but he<a name="page87" id="page87"></a> +searched with a frantic intensity. "He's not in here," he said +at last, "he must have gone out somewhere."</p> + +<p>"There was only one door open," Tiger said. "The one +you just came through, from the rear corridor. Dal, you +search the computer room. Jack, check the lab and I'll go +back to the reactors."</p> + +<p>They started searching the compartments off the rear +corridor. For ten minutes there was no sound in the ship but +the occasional slamming of a hatch, the grate of a desk +drawer, the bang of a cabinet door. Dal worked through the +maze of cubby-holes in the computer room with growing +hopelessness. The frightening sense of loneliness and loss +in his mind was overwhelming; he was almost physically +ill. The warm, comfortable feeling of <i>contact</i> that he had +always had before with Fuzzy was gone. As the minutes +passed, hopelessness gave way to despair.</p> + +<p>Then Jack gave a hoarse cry from the lab. Dal tripped +and stumbled in his haste to get down the corridor, and +almost collided with Tiger at the lab door.</p> + +<p>"I think we're too late," Jack said. "He's gotten into the +formalin."</p> + +<p>He lifted one of the glass beakers down from the shelf +to the work bench. It was obvious what had happened. Fuzzy +had gone exploring and had found the laboratory a fascinating +place. Several of the reagents bottles had been knocked +over as if he had been sampling them. The glass lid to the +beaker of formalin which was kept for tissue specimens had +been pushed aside just enough to admit the little creature's +two-inch girth. Now Fuzzy lay in the bottom of the beaker, +immersed in formalin, a formless, shapeless blob of sickly +gray jelly.</p> + +<p>"Are you sure it's formalin?" Dal asked.</p> + +<p>Jack poured off the fluid, and the acrid smell of formaldehyde<a name="page88" id="page88"></a> +that filled the room answered the question. "It's no +good, Dal," he said, almost gently. "The stuff destroys protein, +and that's about all he was. I'm sorry—I was beginning +to like the little punk, even if he did get on my nerves. But +he picked the one thing to fall into that could kill him. +Unless he had some way to set up a protective barrier...."</p> + +<p>Dal took the beaker. "Get me some saline," he said tightly. +"And some nutrient broth."</p> + +<p>Jack pulled out two jugs and poured their contents into +an empty beaker. Dal popped the tiny limp form into the +beaker and began massaging it. Layers of damaged tissue +peeled off in his hand, but he continued massaging and +changing the solutions, first saline, then nutrient broth. +"Get me some sponges and a blade."</p> + +<p>Tiger brought them in. Carefully Dal began debriding +the damaged outer layers. Jack and Tiger watched; then +Jack said, "Look, there's a tinge of pink in the middle."</p> + +<p>Slowly the faint pink in the center grew more ruddy. +Dal changed solutions again, and sank down on a stool. "I +think he'll make it," he said. "He has enormous regenerative +powers as long as any fragment of him is left." He looked +up at Jack who was still watching the creature in the beaker +almost solicitously. "I guess I made a fool of myself back +there when I jumped you."</p> + +<p>Jack's face hardened, as though he had been caught off +guard. "I guess you did, all right."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm sorry. I just couldn't think straight. It was +the first time I'd ever been—apart from him."</p> + +<p>"I still say he doesn't belong aboard," Jack said. "This +is a medical ship, not a menagerie. And if you ever lay your +hands on me again, you'll wish you hadn't."</p> + +<p>"I said I was sorry," Dal said.<a name="page89" id="page89"></a></p> + +<p>"I heard you," Jack said. "I just don't believe you, that's +all."</p> + +<p>He gave Fuzzy a final glance, and then headed back to +the control room.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>Fuzzy recovered, a much abashed and subdued Fuzzy, +clinging timorously to Dal's shoulder and refusing to budge +for three days, but apparently basically unharmed by his +inadvertent swim in the deadly formalin bath. Presently he +seemed to forget the experience altogether, and once again +took his perch on the platform in the control room.</p> + +<p>But Dal did not forget. He said little to Tiger and Jack, +but the incident had shaken him severely. For as long as +he could remember, he had always had Fuzzy close at hand. +He had never before in his life experienced the dreadful +feeling of emptiness and desertion, the almost paralyzing +fear and helplessness that he had felt when Fuzzy had lost +contact with him. It had seemed as though a vital part of +him had suddenly been torn away, and the memory of the +panic that followed sent chills down his back and woke him +up trembling from his sleep. He was ashamed of his unwarranted +attack on Jack, yet even this seemed insignificant in +comparison to the powerful fear that had been driving him.</p> + +<p>Happily, the Blue Doctor chose to let the matter rest +where it was, and if anything, seemed more willing than +before to be friendly. For the first time he seemed to take +an active interest in Fuzzy, "chatting" with him when he +thought no one was around, and bringing him occasional +tid-bits of food after meals were over.</p> + +<p>Once more life on the <i>Lancet</i> settled back to routine, only +to have it shattered by an incident of quite a different nature. +It was just after they had left a small planet in the Procyon +system, one of the routine check-in points, that they made +contact with the Garvian trading ship.<a name="page90" id="page90"></a></p> + +<p>Dal recognized the ship's design and insignia even before +the signals came in, and could hardly contain his excitement. +He had not seen a fellow countryman for years except for +an occasional dull luncheon with the Garvian ambassador +to Hospital Earth during medical school days. The thought +of walking the corridors of a Garvian trading ship again +brought an overwhelming wave of homesickness. He was so +excited he could hardly wait for Jack to complete the radio-sighting +formalities. "What ship is she?" he wanted to know. +"What house?"</p> + +<p>Jack handed him the message transcript. "The ship is the +<i>Teegar</i>," he said. "Flagship of the SinSin trading fleet. They +want permission to approach us."</p> + +<p>Dal let out a whoop. "Then it's a space trader, and a big +one. You've never seen ships like these before."</p> + +<p>Tiger joined them, staring at the message transcript. "A +SinSin ship! Send them the word, Jack, and be quick, before +they get disgusted and move on."</p> + +<p>Jack sent out the approach authorization, and they +watched with growing excitement as the great trading vessel +began its close-approach maneuvers.</p> + +<p>The name of the house of SinSin was famous throughout +the galaxy. It was one of the oldest and largest of the great +trading firms that had built Garv II into its position of leadership +in the Confederation, and the SinSin ships had penetrated +to every corner of the galaxy, to every known planet +harboring an intelligent life-form.</p> + +<p>Tiger and Jack had seen the multitudes of exotic products +in the Hospital Earth stores that came from the great Garvian +ships on their frequent visits. But this was more than a +planetary trader loaded with a few items for a single planet. +The space traders roamed from star system to star system, +their holds filled with treasures beyond number. Such ships<a name="page91" id="page91"></a> +as these might be out from Garv II for decades at a time, +tempting any ship they met with the magnificent variety of +wares they carried.</p> + +<p>Slowly the trader approached, and Dal took the speaker, +addressing the commander of the <i>Teegar</i> in Garvian. "This +is the General Practice Patrol Ship <i>Lancet</i>," he said, "out +from Hospital Earth with three physicians aboard, including +a countryman of yours."</p> + +<p>"Is that Dal Timgar?" the reply came back. "By the +Seven Moons! We'd heard that there was now a Garvian +physician, and couldn't believe our ears. Come aboard, all +of you, you'll be welcome. We'll send over a lifeboat!"</p> + +<p>The <i>Teegar</i> was near now, a great gleaming ship with the +sign of the house of SinSin on her hull. A lifeboat sprang +from a launching rack and speared across to the <i>Lancet</i>. +Moments later the three doctors were climbing into the +sleek little vessel and moving across the void of space to the +huge Garvian ship.</p> + +<p>It was like stepping from a jungle outpost village into +a magnificent, glittering city. The Garvian ship was enormous; +she carried a crew of several hundred, and the wealth +and luxury of the ship took the Earthmen's breath away. +The cabins and lounges were paneled with expensive fabrics +and rare woods, the furniture inlaid with precious metals. +Down the long corridors goods of the traders were laid out +in resplendent display, surpassing the richest show cases in +the shops on Hospital Earth.</p> + +<p>They received a royal welcome from the commander of +the <i>Teegar</i>, an aged, smiling little Garvian with a pink fuzz-ball +on his shoulder that could have been Fuzzy's twin. He +bowed low to Tiger and Jack, leading them into the reception +lounge where a great table was spread with foods and +pastries of all varieties. Then he turned to Dal and embraced<a name="page92" id="page92"></a> +him like a long-lost brother. "Your father Jai Timgar has +long been an honored friend of the house of SinSin, and +anyone of the house of Timgar is the same as my own son +and my son's son! But this collar! This cuff! Is it really +possible that a man of Garv has become a physician of +Hospital Earth?"</p> + +<p>Dal touched Fuzzy to the commander's fuzz-ball in the +ancient Garvian greeting. "It's possible, and true," he said. +"I studied there. I am the Red Doctor on this patrol ship."</p> + +<p>"Ah, but this is good," the commander said. "What better +way to draw our worlds together, eh? But come, you must +look and see what we have in our storerooms, feast your +eyes on the splendors we carry. For all of you, a thousand +wonders are to be found here."</p> + +<p>Jack hesitated as the commander led them back toward +the display corridors. "We'd be glad to see the ship, but you +should know that patrol ship physicians have little money +to spend."</p> + +<p>"Who speaks of money?" the commander cried. "Did I +speak of it? Come and look! Money is nothing. The Garvian +traders are not mere money-changers. Look and enjoy; if +there is something that strikes your eye, something that +would fulfill the desires of your heart, it will be yours." +He gave Dal a smile and a sly wink. "Surely our brother here +has told you many times of the wonders to be seen in a +space trader, and terms can be arranged that will make any +small purchase a painless pleasure."</p> + +<p>He led them off, like a head of state conducting visiting +dignitaries on a tour, with a retinue of Garvian underlings +trailing behind them. For two delirious hours they wandered +the corridors of the great ship, staring hungrily at the dazzling +displays. They had been away from Hospital Earth +and its shops and stores for months; now it seemed they were<a name="page93" id="page93"></a> +walking through an incredible treasure-trove stocked with +everything that they could possibly have wanted.</p> + +<p>For Jack there was a dress uniform, specially tailored for +a physician in the Blue Service of Diagnosis, the insignia +woven into the cloth with gold and platinum thread. Reluctantly +he turned away from it, a luxury he could never +dream of affording. For Tiger, who had been muttering for +weeks about getting out of condition in the sedentary life +of the ship, there was a set of bar bells and gymnasium equipment +ingeniously designed to collapse into a unit no larger +than one foot square, yet opening out into a completely +equipped gym. Dal's eyes glittered at the new sets of surgical +instruments, designed to the most rigid Hospital Earth specifications, +which appeared almost without his asking to see +them. There were clothes and games, precious stones and +exotic rings, watches set with Arcturian dream-stones, and +boots inlaid with silver.</p> + +<p>They made their way through the corridors, reluctant to +leave one display for the next. Whenever something caught +their eyes, the commander snapped his fingers excitedly, +and the item was unobtrusively noted down by one of the +underlings. Finally, exhausted and glutted just from looking, +they turned back toward the reception room.</p> + +<p>"The things are beautiful," Tiger said wistfully, "but +impossible. Still, you were very kind to take your time—"</p> + +<p>"Time? I have nothing but time." The commander smiled +again at Dal. "And there is an old Garvian proverb that to the +wise man 'impossible' has no meaning. Wait, you will see!"</p> + +<p>They came out into the lounge, and the doctors stopped +short in amazement. Spread out before them were all of the +items that had captured their interest earlier.</p> + +<p>"But this is ridiculous," Jack said staring at the dress<a name="page94" id="page94"></a> +uniform. "We couldn't possibly buy these things, it would +take our salaries for twenty years to pay for them."</p> + +<p>"Have we mentioned price even once?" the commander +protested. "You are the crewmates of one of our own people! +We would not dream of setting prices that we would normally +set for such trifles as these. And as for terms, you have +no worry. Take the goods aboard your ship, they are already +yours. We have drawn up contracts for you which require +no payment whatever for five years, and then payments of +only a fiftieth of the value for each successive year. And for +each of you, with the compliments of the house of SinSin, +a special gift at no charge whatever."</p> + +<p>He placed in Jack's hands a small box with the lid tipped +back. Against a black velvet lining lay a silver star, and the +official insignia of a Star Physician in the Blue Service. "You +cannot wear it yet, of course," the commander said. "But +one day you will need it."</p> + +<p>Jack blinked at the jewel-like star. "You are very kind," +he said. "I—I mean perhaps—" He looked at Tiger, and then +at the display of goods on the table. "Perhaps there are <i>some</i> +things—"</p> + +<p>Already two of the Garvian crewmen were opening the +lock to the lifeboat, preparing to move the goods aboard. +Then Dal Timgar spoke up sharply. "I think you'd better +wait a moment," he said.</p> + +<p>"And for you," the commander continued, turning to Dal +so smoothly that there seemed no break in his voice at all, +"as one of our own people, and an honored son of Jai Timgar, +who has been kind to the house of SinSin for many years, +I have something out of the ordinary. I'm sure your crewmates +would not object to a special gift at my personal +expense."</p> + +<p>The commander lifted a scarf from the table and revealed<a name="page95" id="page95"></a> +the glittering set of surgical instruments, neatly displayed in +a velvet-lined carrying case. The commander took it up +from the table and thrust it into Dal's hands. "It is yours, +my friend. And for this, there will be no contract whatever."</p> + +<p>Dal stared down at the instruments. They were beautiful. +He longed just to touch them, to hold them in his hands, +but he shook his head and set the case back on the table. +He looked up at Tiger and Jack. "You should be warned +that the prices on these goods are four times what they +ought to be, and the deferred-payment contracts he wants +you to sign will permit as much as 24 per cent interest on +the unpaid balance, with no closing-out clause. That means +you would be paying many times the stated price for the +goods before the contract is closed. You can go ahead and +sign if you want but understand what you're signing."</p> + +<p>The Garvian commander stared at him, and then shook +his head, laughing. "Of course your friend is not serious," +he said. "These prices can be compared on any planet and +you will see their fairness. Here, read the contracts, see what +they say and decide for yourselves." He held out a sheaf of +papers.</p> + +<p>"The contracts may sound well enough," Dal said, "but +I'm telling you what they actually say."</p> + +<p>Jack looked stricken. "But surely just one or two things—"</p> + +<p>Tiger shook his head. "Dal knows what he's talking about. +I don't think we'd better buy anything at all."</p> + +<p>The Garvian commander turned to Dal angrily. "What +are you telling them? There is nothing false in these contracts!"</p> + +<p>"I didn't say there was. I just can't see them taking a +beating with their eyes shut, that's all. Your contracts are +legal enough, but the prices and terms are piracy, and you +know it."<a name="page96" id="page96"></a></p> + +<p>The commander glared at him for a moment. Then he +turned away scornfully. "So what I have heard is true, after +all," he said. "You really have thrown in your lot with these +pill-peddlers, these idiots from Earth who can't even wipe +their noses without losing in a trade." He signaled the lifeboat +pilot. "Take them back to their ship, we're wasting our +time. There are better things to do than to deal with traitors."</p> + +<p>The trip back to the <i>Lancet</i> was made in silence. Dal +could sense the pilot's scorn as he dumped them off in their +entrance lock, and dashed back to the <i>Teegar</i> with the lifeboat. +Gloomily Jack and Tiger followed Dal into the control +room, a drab little cubby-hole compared to the <i>Teegar</i>'s +lounge.</p> + +<p>"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Jack said finally, looking +up at Dal. "But the way that guy slammed you, I wish +we'd never gone."</p> + +<p>"I know," Dal said. "The commander just thought he saw +a perfect setup. He figured you'd never question the contracts +if I backed him up."</p> + +<p>"It would have been easy enough. Why didn't you?"</p> + +<p>Dal looked at the Blue Doctor. "Maybe I just don't like +people who give away surgical sets," he said. "Remember, +I'm not a Garvian trader any more. I'm a doctor from Hospital +Earth."</p> + +<p>Moments later, the great Garvian ship was gone, and the +red light was blinking on the call board. Tiger started tracking +down the call while Jack went back to work on the +daily log book and Dal set up food for dinner. The pleasant +dreams were over; they were back in the harness of patrol +ship doctors once again.</p> + +<p>Jack and Dal were finishing dinner when Tiger came back +with a puzzled frown on his face. "Finally traced that call.<a name="page97" id="page97"></a> +At least I think I did. Anybody ever hear of a star called +31 Brucker?"</p> + +<p>"Brucker?" Jack said. "It isn't on the list of contracts. +What's the trouble?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not sure," Tiger said. "I'm not even certain if it's +a call or not. Come on up front and see what you think."</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page98" id="page98"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter8" id="chapter8"></a>CHAPTER 8</h2> + +<h3>PLAGUE!</h3> + + +<p>In the control room the interstellar radio and teletype-translator +were silent. The red light on the call board +was still blinking; Tiger turned it off with a snap. "Here's +the message that just came in, as near as I can make out," +he said, "and if you can make sense of it, you're way ahead +of me."</p> + +<p>The message was a single word, teletyped in the center of +a blue dispatch sheet:</p> + +<p class="centre">GREETINGS</p> + +<p>"This is all?" Jack said.</p> + +<p>"That's every bit of it. They repeated it half a dozen +times, just like that."</p> + +<p>"<i>Who</i> repeated it?" Dal asked. "Where are the identification +symbols?"</p> + +<p>"There weren't any," said Tiger. "Our own computer +designated 31 Brucker from the direction and intensity of +the signal. The question is, what do we do?"</p> + +<p>The message stared up at them cryptically. Dal shook his<a name="page99" id="page99"></a> +head. "Doesn't give us much to go on, that's certain. Even +the location could be wrong if the signal came in on an odd +frequency or from a long distance. Let's beam back at the +same direction and intensity and see what happens."</p> + +<p>Tiger took the earphones and speaker, and turned the +signal beam to coincide with the direction of the incoming +message.</p> + +<p>"We have your contact. Can you hear me? Who are you +and what do you want?"</p> + +<p>There was a long delay and they thought the contact was +lost. Then a voice came whispering through the static. +"Where is your ship now? Are you near to us?"</p> + +<p>"We need your co-ordinates in order to tell," Tiger said. +"Who are you?"</p> + +<p>Again a long pause and a howl of static. Then: "If you +are far away it will be too late. We have no time left, we +are dying...."</p> + +<p>Abruptly the voice message broke off and co-ordinates +began coming through between bursts of static. Tiger scribbled +them down, piecing them together through several +repetitions. "Check these out fast," he told Jack. "This +sounds like real trouble." He tossed Dal another pair of earphones +and turned back to the speaker. "Are you a contract +planet?" he signaled. "Do we have a survey on you?"</p> + +<p>There was a much longer pause. Then the voice came +back, "No, we have no contract. We are all dying, but if +you must have a contract to come...."</p> + +<p>"Not at all," Tiger sent back. "We're coming. Keep your +frequency open. We will contact again when we are closer."</p> + +<p>He tossed down the earphones and looked excitedly at +Dal. "Did you hear that? A planet calling for help, with no +Hospital Earth contract!"<a name="page100" id="page100"></a></p> + +<p>"They sound desperate," Dal said. "We'd better go there, +contract or no contract."</p> + +<p>"Of course we'll go there, you idiot. See if Jack has those +co-ordinates charted, and start digging up information on +them, everything you can find. We need all of the dope we +can get and we need it fast. This is our golden chance to +seal a contract with a new planet."</p> + +<p>All three of the doctors fell to work trying to identify +the mysterious caller. Dal began searching the information +file for data on 31 Brucker, punching all the reference tags +he could think of, as well as the galactic co-ordinates of the +planet. He could hardly control his fingers as the tapes with +possible references began plopping down into the slots. +Tiger was right; this was almost too good to be true. When +a planet without a medical service contract called a GPP +Ship for help, there was always hope that a brand new +contract might be signed if the call was successful. And no +greater honor could come to a patrol craft crew than to be +the originators of a new contract for Hospital Earth.</p> + +<p>But there were problems in dealing with uncontacted +planets. Many star systems had never been explored by ships +of the Confederation. Many races, like Earthmen at the time +their star-drive was discovered, had no inkling of the existence +of a Galactic Confederation of worlds. There might +be no information whatever about the special anatomical +and physiological characteristics of the inhabitants of an +uncontacted planet, and often a patrol crew faced insurmountable +difficulties, coming in blind to solve a medical +problem.</p> + +<p>Dal had his information gathered first—a disappointingly +small amount indeed. Among the billions of notes on file +in the <i>Lancet</i>'s data bank, there were only two scraps of +data available on the 31 Brucker system.<a name="page101" id="page101"></a></p> + +<p>"Is this all you could find?" Tiger said, staring at the +information slips.</p> + +<p>"There's just nothing else there," Dal said. "This one is +a description and classification of the star, and it doesn't +sound like the one who wrote it had even been near it."</p> + +<p>"He hadn't," Tiger said. "This is a routine radio-telescopic +survey report. The star is a red giant. Big and cold, with +three—possibly four—planets inside the outer envelope of +the star itself, and only one outside it. Nothing about satellites. +None of the planets thought to be habitable by man. +What's the other item?"</p> + +<p>"An exploratory report on the outer planet, done eight +hundred years ago. Says it's an Earth-type planet, and not +much else. Gives reference to the full report in the Confederation +files. Not a word about an intelligent race living +there."</p> + +<p>"Well, maybe Jack's got a bit more for us," Tiger said. +"If the place has been explored, there must be <i>some</i> information +about the inhabitants."</p> + +<p>But Jack also came up with a blank. Central Records on +Hospital Earth sent back a physical description of a tiny +outer planet of the star, with a thin oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, +very little water, and enough methane mixed in to +make the atmosphere deadly to Earthmen.</p> + +<p>"Then there's never been a medical service contract?" +Tiger asked.</p> + +<p>"Contract!" Jack said. "It doesn't even say there are any +people there. Not a word about any kind of life form."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's ridiculous," Dal said. "If we're getting messages +from there, somebody must be sending them. But if a +Confederation ship explored there, there's a way to find out. +How soon can we convert to star-drive?"</p> + +<p>"As soon as we can get strapped down," Tiger said.<a name="page102" id="page102"></a></p> + +<p>"Then send our reconversion co-ordinates to the Confederation +headquarters on Garv II and request the Confederation +records on the place."</p> + +<p>Jack stared at him. "You mean just ask to see Confederation +records? We can't do that, they'd skin us alive. Those +records are closed to everyone except full members of the +Confederation."</p> + +<p>"Tell them it's an emergency," Dal said. "If they want +to be legal about it, give them my Confederation serial number. +Garv II is a member of the Confederation, and I'm a +native-born citizen."</p> + +<p>Tiger got the request off while Jack and Dal strapped +down for the conversion to Koenig drive. Five minutes later +Tiger joined them, grinning from ear to ear. "Didn't even +have to pull rank," he said. "When they started to argue, +I just told them it was an emergency, and if they didn't let +us see any records they had, we would file their refusal +against claims that might come up later. They quit arguing. +We'll have the records as soon as we reconvert."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>The star that they were seeking was a long distance from +the current location of the <i>Lancet</i>. The ship was in Koenig +drive for hours before it reconverted, and even Dal was +beginning to feel the first pangs of drive-sickness before +they felt the customary jolting vibration of the change to +normal space, and saw bright stars again in the viewscreen.</p> + +<p>The star called 31 Brucker was close then. It was indeed +a red giant; long tenuous plumes of gas spread out for hundreds +of millions of miles on all sides of its glowing red core. +This mammoth star did not look so cold now, as they stared +at it in the viewscreen, yet among the family of stars it was +a cold, dying giant with only a few moments of life left on +the astronomical time scale. From the <i>Lancet</i>'s position, no<a name="page103" id="page103"></a> +planets at all were visible to the naked eye, but with the +telescope Jack soon found two inside the star's envelope of +gas and one tiny one outside. They would have to be searched +for, and the one that they were hoping to reach located +before centering and landing maneuvers could be begun.</p> + +<p>Already the radio was chattering with two powerful +signals coming in. One came from the Galactic Confederation +headquarters on Garv II; the other was a good clear +signal from very close range, unquestionably beamed to +them from the planet in distress.</p> + +<p>They watched as the Confederation report came clacking +off the teletype, and they stared at it unbelieving.</p> + +<p>"It just doesn't make sense," Jack said. "There <i>must</i> be +intelligent creatures down there. They're sending radio +signals."</p> + +<p>"Then why a report like this?" Tiger said. "This was +filed by a routine exploratory ship that came here eight hundred +years ago. You can't tell me that any intelligent race +could develop from scratch in less than eight centuries' time."</p> + +<p>Dal picked up the report and read it again. "This red giant +star," he read, "was studied in the usual fashion. It was found +to have seven planets, all but one lying within the tenuous +outer gas envelope of the star itself. The seventh planet has +an atmosphere of its own, and travels an orbit well outside +the star surface. This planet was selected for landing and +exploration."</p> + +<p>Following this was a long, detailed and exceedingly dull +description of the step-by-step procedure followed by a +Confederation exploratory ship making a first landing on a +barren planet. There was a description of the atmosphere, +the soil surface, the land masses and major water bodies. +Physically, the planet was a desert, hot and dry, and barren +of vegetation excepting in two or three areas of jungle along<a name="page104" id="page104"></a> +the equator. "The planet is inhabited by numerous small +unintelligent animal species which seem well-adapted to the +semi-arid conditions. Of higher animals and mammals only +two species were discovered, and of these the most highly +developed was an erect biped with an integrated central +nervous system and the intelligence level of a Garvian +<i>drachma</i>."</p> + +<p>"How small is that?" Jack said.</p> + +<p>"Idiot-level," Dal said glumly. "I.Q. of about 20 on the +human scale. I guess the explorers weren't much impressed; +they didn't even put the planet down for a routine colonization +survey."</p> + +<p>"Well, <i>something</i> has happened down there since then. +Idiots can't build interstellar radios." Jack turned to Tiger. +"Are you getting them?"</p> + +<p>Tiger nodded. A voice was coming over the speaker, +hesitant and apologetic, using the common tongue of the +Galactic Confederation. "How soon can you come?" the +voice was asking clearly, still with the sound of great reticence. +"There is not much time."</p> + +<p>"But who are you?" Tiger asked. "What's wrong down +there?"</p> + +<p>"We are sick, dying, thousands of us. But if you have +other work that is more pressing, we would not want to +delay you—"</p> + +<p>Jack shook his head, frowning. "I don't get this," he said. +"What are they afraid of?"</p> + +<p>Tiger spoke into the microphone again. "We will be glad +to help, but we need information about you. You have our +position—can you send up a spokesman to tell us your +problem?"</p> + +<p>A long pause, and then the voice came back wearily. "It +will be done. Stand by to receive him."<a name="page105" id="page105"></a></p> + +<p>Tiger snapped off the radio receiver and looked up triumphantly +at the others. "Now we're getting somewhere. +If the people down there can send a ship out with a spokesman +to tell us about their troubles, we've got a chance to +sew up a contract, and that could mean a Star for every one +of us."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but who are they?" Dal said. "And where were +they when the Confederation ship was here?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Jack said, "but I'll bet you both that we +have quite a time finding out."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Tiger said. "What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean we'd better be very careful here," Jack said +darkly. "I don't know about you, but I think this whole +business has a very strange smell."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>There was nothing strange about the Bruckian ship when +it finally came into view. It was a standard design, surface-launching +interplanetary craft, with separated segments on +either side suggesting atomic engines. They saw the side jets +flare as the ship maneuvered to come in alongside the <i>Lancet</i>.</p> + +<p>Grapplers were thrown out to bind the emissary ship to +the <i>Lancet</i>'s hull, and Jack threw the switches to open the +entrance lock and decontamination chambers. They had +taken pains to describe the interior atmosphere of the patrol +ship and warn the spokesman to keep himself in a sealed +pressure suit. On the intercom viewscreens they saw the +small suited figure cross from his ship into the <i>Lancet</i>'s lock, +and watched as the sprays of formalin washed down the +outside of the suit.</p> + +<p>Moments later the creature stepped out of the decontamination +chamber. He was small and humanoid, with tiny +fragile bones and pale, hairless skin. He stood no more than +four feet high. More than anything else, he looked like a<a name="page106" id="page106"></a> +very intelligent monkey with a diminutive space suit fitting +his fragile body. When he spoke the words came through +the translator in English; but Dal recognized the flowing +syllables of the universal language of the Galactic Confederation.</p> + +<p>"How do you know the common tongue?" he said. +"There is no record of your people in our Confederation, +yet you use our own universal language."</p> + +<p>The Bruckian nodded. "We know the language well. My +people dread outside contact—it is a racial characteristic—but +we hear the Confederation broadcasts and have learned +to understand the common tongue." The space-suited stranger +looked at the doctors one by one. "We also know of +the good works of the ships from Hospital Earth, and now +we appeal to you."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Jack said. "You gave us no information, nothing +to go on."</p> + +<p>"There was no time," the creature said. "Death is stalking +our land, and the people are falling at their plows. Thousands +of us are dying, tens of thousands. Even I am infected +and soon will be dead. Unless you can find a way to help us +quickly, it will be too late, and my people will be wiped +from the face of the planet."</p> + +<p>Jack looked grimly at Tiger and Dal. "Well," he said, +"I guess that answers our question, all right. It looks as if +we have a plague planet on our hands, whether we like it +or not."</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page107" id="page107"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter9" id="chapter9"></a>CHAPTER 9</h2> + +<h3>THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE</h3> + + +<p>Slowly and patiently they drew the story from the +emissary from the seventh planet of 31 Brucker.</p> + +<p>The small, monkey-like creature was painfully shy; he +required constant reassurance that the doctors did not mind +being called, that they wanted to help, and that a contract +was not necessary in an emergency. Even at that the spokesman +was reluctant to give details about the plague and +about his stricken people. Every bit of information had to +be extracted with patient questioning.</p> + +<p>By tacit consent the doctors did not even mention the +strange fact that this very planet had been explored by a +Confederation ship eight hundred years before and no sign +of intelligent life had been found. The little creature before +them seemed ready to turn and bolt at the first hint of +attack or accusation. But bit by bit, a picture of the current +situation on the planet developed.</p> + +<p>Whoever they were and wherever they had been when +the Confederation ship had landed, there was unquestionably<a name="page108" id="page108"></a> +an intelligent race now inhabiting this lonely planet +in the outer reaches of the solar system of 31 Brucker. There +was no doubt of their advancement; a few well-selected +questions revealed that they had control of atomic power, +a working understanding of the nature and properties of +contra-terrene matter, and a workable star drive operating +on the same basic principle as Earth's Koenig drive but +which the Bruckians had never really used because of their +shyness and fear of contact with other races. They also had +an excellent understanding, thanks to their eavesdropping +on Confederation interstellar radio chatter, of the existence +and functions of the Galactic Confederation of worlds, and +of Hospital Earth's work as physician to the galaxy.</p> + +<p>But about Bruckian anatomy, physiology or biochemistry, +the little emissary would tell them nothing. He seemed +genuinely frightened when they pressed him about the +physical make-up of his people, as though their questions +were somehow scraping a raw nerve. He insisted that his +people knew nothing about the nature of the plague that +had stricken them, and the doctors could not budge him +an inch from his stand.</p> + +<p>But a plague had certainly struck.</p> + +<p>It had begun six months before, striking great masses of +the people. It had walked the streets of the cities and the +hills and valleys of the countryside. First three out of ten +had been stricken, then four, then five. The course of the +disease, once started, was invariably the same: first illness, +weakness, loss of energy and interest, then gradually a fading +away of intelligent responses, leaving thousands of creatures +walking blank-faced and idiot-like about the streets and +countryside. Ultimately even the ability to take food was +lost, and after an interval of a week or so, death invariably +ensued.<a name="page109" id="page109"></a></p> + +<p>Finally the doctors retired to the control room for a puzzled +conference. "It's got to be an organism of some sort +that's doing it," Dal said. "There couldn't be an illness like +this that wasn't caused by some kind of a parasitic germ or +virus."</p> + +<p>"But how do we know?" Jack said. "We know nothing +about these people except what we can see. We're going to +have to do a complete biochemical and medical survey before +we can hope to do anything."</p> + +<p>"But we aren't equipped for a real survey," Tiger protested.</p> + +<p>"We've got to do it anyway," Jack said. "If we can just +learn enough to be sure it's an infectious illness, we might +stand a chance of finding a drug that will cure it. Or at least +a way to immunize the ones that aren't infected yet. If this +is a virus infection, we might only need to find an antibody +for inoculation to stop it in its tracks. But first we need a +good look at the planet and some more of the people—both +infected and healthy ones. We'd better make arrangements +as fast as we can."</p> + +<p>An hour later they had reached an agreement with the +Bruckian emissary. The <i>Lancet</i> would be permitted to land +on the planet's surface as soon as the doctors were satisfied +that it was safe. For the time being the initial landings would +be made in the patrol ship's lifeboats, with the <i>Lancet</i> in +orbit a thousand miles above the surface. Unquestionably +the first job was diagnosis, discovering the exact nature of +the illness and studying the afflicted people. This responsibility +rested squarely on Jack's shoulders; he was the diagnostician, +and Dal and Tiger willingly yielded to him in +organizing the program.</p> + +<p>It was decided that Jack and Tiger would visit the planet's +surface at once, while Dal stayed on the ship and set up the<a name="page110" id="page110"></a> +reagents and examining techniques that would be needed +to measure the basic physical and biochemical characteristics +of the Bruckians.</p> + +<p>Yet in all the excitement of planning, Dal could not throw +off the lingering shadow of doubt in his mind, some instinctive +voice of caution that seemed to say <i>watch out, be careful, +go slowly! This may not be what it seems to be; you +may be walking into a trap....</i></p> + +<p>But it was only a faint voice, and easy to thrust aside as +the planning went ahead full speed.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>It did not take very long for the crew of the <i>Lancet</i> to +realize that there was something very odd indeed about the +small, self-effacing inhabitants of 31 Brucker VII.</p> + +<p>In fact, "odd" was not really quite the proper word for +these creatures at all. No one knew better than the doctors +of Hospital Earth that oddness was the rule among the +various members of the galactic civilization. All sorts and +varieties of life-forms had been discovered, described and +studied, each with its singular differences, each with certain +similarities, and each quite "odd" in reference to any of the +others.</p> + +<p>In Dal this awareness of the oddness and difference of +other races was particularly acute. He knew that to Tiger +and Jack he himself seemed odd, both anatomically and in +other ways. His fine gray fur and his four-fingered hands +set him apart from them—he would never be mistaken for +an Earthman, even in the densest fog. But these were comprehensible +differences. His close attachment to Fuzzy was +something else, and still seemed beyond their ability to +understand.</p> + +<p>He had spent one whole evening patiently trying to make +Jack understand just how his attachment to the little pink<a name="page111" id="page111"></a> +creature was more than just the fondness of a man for his dog.</p> + +<p>"Well, what would you call it, then?"</p> + +<p>"Symbiosis is probably the best word for it," Dal had +replied. "Two life-forms live together, and each one helps +the other—that's all symbiosis is. Together each one is better +off than either one would be alone. We all of us live in +symbiosis with the bacteria in our digestive tracts, don't we? +We provide them with a place to live and grow, and they +help us digest our food. It's a kind of a partnership—and +Fuzzy and I are partners in the same sort of way."</p> + +<p>Jack had argued, and then lost his temper, and finally +grudgingly agreed that he supposed he would have to +tolerate it even if it didn't make sense to him.</p> + +<p>But the creatures on 31 Brucker VII were "odd" far beyond +the reasonable limits of oddness—so far beyond it that +the doctors could not believe the things that their eyes and +their instruments were telling them.</p> + +<p>When Tiger and Jack came back to the <i>Lancet</i> after their +first trip to the planet's surface, they were visibly shaken. +Geographically, they had found it just as it had been described +in the exploratory reports—a barren, desert land with +only a few large islands of vegetation in the equatorial +regions.</p> + +<p>"But the people!" Jack said. "They don't fit into <i>any</i> kind +of pattern. They've got houses—at least I guess you'd call +them houses—but every one of them is like every other one, +and they're all crammed together in tight little bunches, with +nothing for miles in between. They've got an advanced +technology, a good communications system, manufacturing +techniques and everything, but they just don't use them."</p> + +<p>"It's more than that," Tiger said. "They don't seem to +<i>want</i> to use them."</p> + +<p>"Well, it doesn't add up, to me," Jack said. "There are<a name="page112" id="page112"></a> +thousands of towns and cities down there, all of them miles +apart, and yet they had to go dig an old rusty jet scooter out +of storage and get the motor rebuilt just specially to take us +from one place to another. I know things can get disorganized +with a plague in the land, but this plague just hasn't +been going on that long."</p> + +<p>"What about the sickness?" Dal asked. "Is it as bad as it +sounded?"</p> + +<p>"Worse, if anything," Tiger said gloomily. "They're +dying by the thousands, and I hope we got those suits of +ours decontaminated, because I don't want any part of this +disease."</p> + +<p>Graphically, he described the conditions they had found +among the stricken people. There was no question that a +plague was stalking the land. In the rutted mud roads of +the villages and towns the dead were piled in gutters, and +in all of the cities a deathly stillness hung over the streets. +Those who had not yet succumbed to the illness were nursing +and feeding the sick ones, but these unaffected ones were +growing scarcer and scarcer. The whole living population +seemed resigned to hopelessness, hardly noticing the strangers +from the patrol ship.</p> + +<p>But worst of all were those in the final stages of the +disease, wandering vaguely about the street, their faces +blank and their jaws slack as though they were living in a +silent world of their own, cut off from contact with the rest. +"One of them almost ran into me," Jack said. "I was right +in front of him, and he didn't see me or hear me."</p> + +<p>"But don't they have <i>any</i> knowledge of antisepsis or isolation?" +Dal asked.</p> + +<p>Tiger shook his head. "Not that we could see. They don't +know what's causing this sickness. They think that it's some<a name="page113" id="page113"></a> +kind of curse, and they never dreamed that it might be kept +from spreading."</p> + +<p>Already Tiger and Jack had taken the first routine steps +to deal with the sickness. They gave orders to move the +unaffected people in every town and village into isolated +barracks and stockades. For half a day Tiger tried to explain +ways to prevent the spread of a bacteria or virus-borne +disease. The people had stared at him as if he were talking +gibberish; finally he gave up trying to explain, and just laid +down rules which the people were instructed to follow. +Together they had collected standard testing specimens of +body fluids and tissue from both healthy and afflicted +Bruckians, and come back to the <i>Lancet</i> for a breather.</p> + +<p>Now all three doctors began work on the specimens. Cultures +were inoculated with specimens from respiratory tract, +blood and tissue taken from both sick and well. Half a dozen +fatal cases were brought to the ship under specially controlled +conditions for autopsy examination, to reveal both the normal +anatomical characteristics of this strange race of people +and the damage the disease was doing. Down on the surface +Tiger had already inoculated a dozen of the healthy ones +with various radioactive isotopes to help outline the normal +metabolism and biochemistry of the people. After a short +sleep period on the <i>Lancet</i>, he went back down alone to +follow up on these, leaving Dal and Jack to carry on the +survey work in the ship's lab.</p> + +<p>It was a gargantuan task that faced them. They knew that +in any race of creatures they could not hope to recognize +the abnormal unless they knew what the normal was. That +was the sole reason for the extensive biomedical surveys that +were done on new contract planets. Under normal conditions, +a survey crew with specialists in physiology, biochemistry, +anatomy, radiology, pharmacology and pathology<a name="page114" id="page114"></a> +might spend months or even years on a new planet +gathering base-line information. But here there was neither +time nor facilities for such a study. Even in the twenty-four +hours since the patrol ship arrived, the number of dead had +increased alarmingly.</p> + +<p>Alone on the ship, Dal and Jack found themselves working +as a well organized team. There was no time here for +argument or duplicated efforts; everything the two doctors +did was closely co-ordinated. Jack seemed to have forgotten +his previous antagonism completely. There was a crisis here, +and more work than three men could possibly do in the +time available. "You handle anatomy and pathology," Jack +told Dal at the beginning. "You can get the picture five +times as fast as I can, and your pathology slides are better +than most commercial ones. I can do the best job on the +cultures, once I get the growth media all set up."</p> + +<p>Bit by bit they divided the labor, checking in with Tiger +by radio on the results of the isotopes studies he was running +on the planet's surface. Bit by bit the data was collected, +and Earthman and Garvian worked more closely than ever +before as the task that faced them appeared more and more +formidable.</p> + +<p>But the results of their tests made no sense whatever. +Tiger returned to the ship after forty-eight hours with circles +under his eyes, looking as though he had been trampled in +a crowd. "No sleep, that's all," he said breathlessly as he +crawled out of his decontaminated pressure suit. "No time +for it. I swear I ran those tests a dozen times and I still didn't +get any answers that made sense."</p> + +<p>"The results you were sending up sounded plenty strange," +Jack said. "What was the trouble?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Tiger said, "but if we're looking for a<a name="page115" id="page115"></a> +biological pattern here, we haven't found it yet as far as +I can see."</p> + +<p>"No, we certainly haven't," Dal exploded. "I thought +I was doing something wrong somehow, because these blood +chemistries I've been doing have been ridiculous. I can't even +find a normal level for blood sugar, and as for the enzyme +systems...." He tossed a sheaf of notes down on the counter +in disgust. "I don't see how these people could even be +alive, with a botched-up metabolism like this! I've never +heard of anything like it."</p> + +<p>"What kind of pathology did you find?" Tiger wanted +to know.</p> + +<p>"Nothing," Dal said. "Nothing at all. I did autopsies on +the six that you brought up here and made slides of every +different kind of tissue I could find. The anatomy is perfectly +clear cut, no objections there. These people are very +similar to Earth-type monkeys in structure, with heart and +lungs and vocal cords and all. But I can't find any reason +why they should be dying. Any luck with the cultures?"</p> + +<p>Jack shook his head glumly. "No growth on any of the +plates. At first I thought I had something going, but if I did, +it died, and I can't find any sign of it in the filtrates."</p> + +<p>"But we've got to have <i>something</i> to work on," Tiger +said desperately. "Look, there are some things that always +measure out the same in <i>any</i> intelligent creature no matter +where he comes from. That's the whole basis of galactic +medicine. Creatures may develop and adapt in different +ways, but the basic biochemical reactions are the same."</p> + +<p>"Not here, they aren't," Dal said. "Take a look at these +tests!"</p> + +<p>They carried the heap of notes they had collected out +into the control room and began sifting and organizing the +data, just as a survey team would do, trying to match it with<a name="page116" id="page116"></a> +the pattern of a thousand other living creatures that had +previously been studied. Hours passed, and they were farther +from an answer than when they began.</p> + +<p>Because this data did not fit a pattern. It was <i>different</i>. +No two individuals showed the same reactions. In every test +the results were either flatly impossible or completely the +opposite of what was expected.</p> + +<p>Carefully they retraced their steps, trying to pinpoint +what could be going wrong.</p> + +<p>"There's <i>got</i> to be a laboratory error," Dal said wearily. +"We must have slipped up somewhere."</p> + +<p>"But I don't see where," Jack said. "Let's see those culture +tubes again. And put on a pot of coffee. I can't even think +straight any more."</p> + +<p>Of the three of them, Jack was beginning to show the +strain the most. This was his special field, the place where +he was supposed to excel, and nothing was happening. Reports +coming up from the planet were discouraging; the +isolation techniques they had tried to institute did not seem +to be working, and the spread of the plague was accelerating. +The communiqués from the Bruckians were taking on a +note of desperation.</p> + +<p>Jack watched each report with growing apprehension. +He moved restlessly from lab to control room, checking and +rechecking things, trying to find some sign of order in the +chaos.</p> + +<p>"Try to get some sleep," Dal urged him. "A couple of +hours will freshen you up a hundred per cent."</p> + +<p>"I can't, I've already tried it," Jack said.</p> + +<p>"Go ahead. Tiger and I can keep working on these things +for a while."</p> + +<p>"No, no, it's not that," Jack said. "Without a diagnosis, +we can't do a thing. Until we have that, our hands are tied,<a name="page117" id="page117"></a> +and we aren't even getting close to it. We don't even know +whether this is a bacteria, or a virus, or what. Maybe the +Bruckians are right. Maybe it's a curse."</p> + +<p>"I don't think the Black Service of Pathology would buy +that for a diagnosis," Tiger said sourly.</p> + +<p>"The Black Service would choke on it—but what other +answer do we have? You two have been doing all you can, +but diagnosis is <i>my</i> job. I'm supposed to be good at it, but +the more we dig into this, the farther away we seem to get."</p> + +<p>"Do you want to call for help?" Tiger said.</p> + +<p>Jack shook his head helplessly. "I'm beginning to think +we should have called for help a long time ago," he said. +"We're into this over our heads now and we're still going +down. At the rate those people are dying down there, we +don't have time to call for help now." He stared at the piles +of notes on the desk and his face was very white. "I don't +know, I just don't know," he said. "The diagnosis on this +thing should have been duck soup. I thought it was going +to be a real feather in my cap, just walking in and nailing it +down in a few hours. Well, I'm whipped. I don't know +what to do. If either of you can think of an answer, it's all +yours, and I'll admit it to Black Doctor Tanner himself."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>It was bitter medicine for Blue Doctor Jack Alvarez to +swallow, but that fact gave no pleasure to Dal or Tiger now. +They were as baffled as Jack was, and would have welcomed +help from anyone who could offer it.</p> + +<p>And, ironically, the first glimpse of the truth came from +the direction they least expected.</p> + +<p>From the very beginning Fuzzy had been watching the +proceedings from his perch on the swinging platform in the +control room. If he sensed that Dal Timgar was ignoring +him and leaving him to his own devices much of the time,<a name="page118" id="page118"></a> +he showed no sign of resentment. The tiny creature seemed +to realize that something important was consuming his +master's energy and attention, and contented himself with +an affectionate pat now and then as Dal went through the +control room. Everyone assumed without much thought +that Fuzzy was merely being tolerant of the situation. It was +not until they had finally given up in desperation and Tiger +was trying to contact a Hospital Ship for help, that Dal +stared up at his little pink friend with a puzzled frown.</p> + +<p>Tiger put the transmitter down for a moment. "What's +wrong?" he said to Dal. "You look as though you just bit +into a rotten apple."</p> + +<p>"I just remembered that I haven't fed him for twenty-four +hours," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"Who? Fuzzy?" Tiger shrugged. "He could see you were +busy."</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "That wouldn't make any difference +to Fuzzy. When he gets hungry, he gets hungry, and he's +pretty self-centered. It wouldn't matter what I was doing, +he should have been screaming for food hours ago."</p> + +<p>Dal walked over to the platform and peered down at his +pink friend in alarm. He took him up and rested him on his +shoulder, a move that invariably sent Fuzzy into raptures +of delight. Now the little creature just sat there, trembling +and rubbing half-heartedly against Dal's neck.</p> + +<p>Dal held him out at arm's length. "Fuzzy, <i>what's the +matter with you</i>?"</p> + +<p>"Do you think something's wrong with him?" Jack said, +looking up suddenly. "Looks like he's having trouble keeping +his eyes open."</p> + +<p>"His color isn't right, either," Tiger said. "He looks kind +of blue."</p> + +<p>Quite suddenly the little black eyes closed and Fuzzy<a name="page119" id="page119"></a> +began to tremble violently. He drew himself up into a tight +pink globule as the fuzz-like hair disappeared from view.</p> + +<p>Something was unmistakably wrong. As he held the shivering +creature, Dal was suddenly aware that something had +been nibbling at the back of his mind for hours. Not a clear-cut +thought, merely an impression of pain and anguish and +sickness, and now as he looked at Fuzzy the impression grew +so strong it almost made him cry out.</p> + +<p>Abruptly, Dal knew what he had to do. Where the +thought came from he didn't know, but it was crystal clear +in his mind. "Jack, where is our biggest virus filter?" he +asked quietly.</p> + +<p>Jack stared at him. "Virus filter? I just took it out of the +autoclave an hour ago."</p> + +<p>"Get it," Dal said, "and the suction machine too. <i>Quickly!</i>"</p> + +<p>Jack went down the corridor like a shot, and reappeared +a moment later with the big porcelain virus filter and the +suction tubing attached to it. Swiftly Dal dumped the limp +little creature in his hand into the top of the filter jar, poured +in some sterile saline, and started the suction.</p> + +<p>Tiger and Jack watched him in amazement. "What are +you doing?" Tiger said.</p> + +<p>"Filtering him," Dal said. "He's infected. He must have +been exposed to the plague somehow, maybe when our little +Bruckian visitor came on board the other day. And if it's a +virus that's causing this plague, the virus filter ought to hold +it back and still let Fuzzy's molecular structure through."</p> + +<p>They watched and sure enough a bluish-pink fluid began +moving down through the porcelain filter, and dripping +through the funnel into the beaker below. Each drop +coalesced in the beaker as it fell until Fuzzy's whole body +had been sucked through the filter and into the jar below. +He was still not quite his normal pink color, but as the filter<a name="page120" id="page120"></a> +went dry, a pair of frightened shoe-button eyes appeared +and he poked up a pair of ears. Presently the fuzz began +appearing on his body again.</p> + +<p>And on the top of the filter lay a faint gray film. "Don't +touch it!" Dal said. "That's real poison." He slipped on a +mask and gloves, and scraped a bit of the film from the filter +with a spatula. "I think we have it," he said. "The virus +that's causing the plague on this planet."</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page121" id="page121"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter10" id="chapter10"></a>CHAPTER 10</h2> + +<h3>THE BOOMERANG CLUE</h3> + + +<p>It was a virus, beyond doubt. The electron microscope +told them that, now that they had the substance isolated +and could examine it. In the culture tubes in the <i>Lancet</i>'s +incubators, it would begin to grow nicely, and then falter +and die, but when guinea pigs were inoculated in the ship's +laboratory, the substance proved its virulence. The animals +injected with tiny bits of the substance grew sick within +hours and very quickly died.</p> + +<p>The call to the Hospital Ship was canceled as the three +doctors worked in feverish excitement. Here at last was +something they could grapple with, something so common +among the races of the galaxy that the doctors felt certain +that they could cope with it. Very few, if any, higher life +forms existed that did not have some sort of submicroscopic +parasite afflicting them. Bacterial infection was a threat on +every inhabited world, and the viruses—the tiniest of all +submicroscopic organisms—were the most difficult and dangerous +of them all.<a name="page122" id="page122"></a></p> + +<p>And yet virus plagues had been stopped before, and they +could be stopped again.</p> + +<p>Jack radioed down to the planet's surface that the diagnosis +had been made; as soon as the proper medications +could be prepared, the doctors would land to begin treatment. +There was a new flicker of hopefulness in the Bruckian's +response, and an appeal to hurry. With renewed energy +the doctors went back to the lab to start working on the +new data.</p> + +<p>But trouble continued to dog them. This was no ordinary +virus. It proved resistant to every one of the antibiotics and +antiviral agents in the <i>Lancet</i>'s stockroom. No drug seemed +to affect it, and its molecular structure was different from +any virus that had ever been recorded before.</p> + +<p>"If one of the drugs would only just slow it up a little, +we'd be ahead," Tiger said in perplexity. "We don't have +anything that even touches it, not even the purified globulins."</p> + +<p>"What about antibodies from the infected people?" Jack +suggested. "In every virus disease I've ever heard of, the +victim's own body starts making antibodies against the +invading virus. If enough antibodies are made fast enough, +the virus dies and the patient is immune from then on."</p> + +<p>"Well, these people don't seem to be making any antibodies +at all," Tiger said. "At least not as far as I can see. +If they were, at least some of them would be recovering +from the disease. So far not a single one has recovered once +the thing started. They all just go ahead and die."</p> + +<p>"I wonder," Dal said, "if Fuzzy had any defense."</p> + +<p>Jack looked up. "How do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Fuzzy was infected, we know that. He might have +died too, if we hadn't caught it in time—but as it worked +out, he didn't. In fact, he looks pretty healthy right now."<a name="page123" id="page123"></a></p> + +<p>"That's fine for Fuzzy," Jack said impatiently, "but I don't +see how we can push the whole population of 31 Brucker VII +through a virus filter. They're flesh-and-blood creatures."</p> + +<p>"That's not what I mean," Dal said. "Maybe Fuzzy's body +developed antibodies against the virus while he was infected. +Remember, he doesn't have a rigid body structure like we do. +He's mostly just basic protein, and he can synthesize pretty +much anything he wants to or needs to."</p> + +<p>Jack blinked. "It's an idea, at least. Is there any way we +can get some of his body fluid away from him? Without +getting bit, I mean?"</p> + +<p>"No problem there," Dal said. "He can regenerate pretty +fast if he has enough of the right kind of food. He won't miss +an ounce or two of excess tissue."</p> + +<p>He took a beaker over to Fuzzy's platform and began +squeezing off a little blob of pink material. Fuzzy seemed +to sense what Dal wanted; obligingly he thrust out a little +pseudopod which Dal pinched off into the beaker. With the +addition of a small amount of saline solution, the tissue +dissolved into thin, pink suspension.</p> + +<p>In the laboratory they found two or three of the guinea +pigs in the last stages of the infection, and injected them with +a tiny bit of the pink solution. The effect was almost unbelievable. +Within twenty minutes all of the injected animals +began to perk up, their eyes brighter, nibbling at the food +in their cages, while the ones that had not been injected +got sicker and sicker.</p> + +<p>"Well, there's our answer," Jack said eagerly. "If we can +get some of this stuff injected into our friends down below, +we may be able to protect the healthy ones from getting the +plague, and cure the sick ones as well. If we still have enough +time, that is."<a name="page124" id="page124"></a></p> + +<p>They had landing permission from the Bruckian spokesman +within minutes, and an hour later the <i>Lancet</i> made an +orderly landing on a newly-repaved landing field near one +of the central cities on the seventh planet of 31 Brucker.</p> + +<p>Tiger and Jack had obviously not exaggerated the strange +appearance of the towns and cities on this plague-ridden +planet, and Dal was appalled at the ravages of the disease +that they had come to fight. Only one out of ten of the +Bruckians was still uninfected, and another three out of the +ten were clearly in the late stages of the disease, walking +about blankly and blindly, stumbling into things in their +paths, falling to the ground and lying mute and helpless +until death came to release them. Under the glaring red sun, +weary parties of stretcher bearers went about the silent +streets, moving their grim cargo out to the mass graves at +the edge of the city.</p> + +<p>The original spokesman who had come up to the <i>Lancet</i> +was dead, but another had taken his place as negotiator with +the doctors—an older, thinner Bruckian who looked as if he +carried the total burden of his people on his shoulders. He +greeted them eagerly at the landing field. "You have found +a solution!" he cried. "You have found a way to turn the +tide—but hurry! Every moment now is precious."</p> + +<p>During the landing procedures, Dal had worked to prepare +enough of the precious antibody suspension, with +Fuzzy's co-operation, to handle a large number of inoculations. +By the time the ship touched down he had a dozen +flasks and several hundred syringes ready. Hundreds of the +unafflicted people were crowding around the ship, staring in +open wonder as Dal, Jack and Tiger came down the ladder +and went into close conference with the spokesman.</p> + +<p>It took some time to explain to the spokesman why they +could not begin then and there with the mass inoculations<a name="page125" id="page125"></a> +against the plague. First, they needed test cases, in order to +make certain that what they thought would work in theory +actually produced the desired results. Controls were needed, +to be certain that the antibody suspension alone was bringing +about the changes seen and not something else. At last, orders +went out from the spokesman. Two hundred uninfected +Bruckians were admitted to a large roped-off area near the +ship, and another two hundred in late stages of the disease +were led stumbling into another closed area. Preliminary +skin-tests of the antibody suspension showed no sign of +untoward reaction. Dal began filling syringes while Tiger +and Jack started inoculating the two groups.</p> + +<p>"If it works with these cases, it will be simple to immunize +the whole population," Tiger said. "From the amounts +we used on the guinea pigs, it looks as if only tiny amounts +are needed. We may even be able to train the Bruckians to +give the injections themselves."</p> + +<p>"And if it works we ought to have a brand new medical +service contract ready for signature with Hospital Earth," +Jack added eagerly. "It won't be long before we have those +Stars, you wait and see! If we can only get this done fast +enough."</p> + +<p>They worked feverishly, particularly with the group of +terminal cases. Many were dying even as the shots were +being given, while the first symptoms of the disease were +appearing in some of the unafflicted ones. Swiftly Tiger and +Jack went from patient to patient while Dal kept check of +the names, numbers and locations of those that were inoculated.</p> + +<p>And even before they were finished with the inoculations, +it was apparent that they were taking effect. Not one of the +infected patients died after inoculation was completed. The +series took three hours, and by the time the four hundred<a name="page126" id="page126"></a> +doses were administered, one thing seemed certain: that the +antibody was checking the deadly march of the disease in +some way.</p> + +<p>The Bruckian spokesman was so excited he could hardly +contain himself; he wanted to start bringing in the rest of +the population at once. "We've almost exhausted this first +batch of the material," Dal told him. "We will have to prepare +more—but we will waste time trying to move a whole +planet's population here. Get a dozen aircraft ready, and a +dozen healthy, intelligent workers to help us. We can show +them how to use the material, and let them go out to the +other population centers all at once."</p> + +<p>Back aboard the ship they started preparing a larger quantity +of the antibody suspension. Fuzzy had regenerated back +to normal weight again, and much to Dal's delight had been +splitting off small segments of pink protoplasm in a circle +all around him, as though anticipating further demands on +his resources. A quick test-run showed that the antibody was +also being regenerated. Fuzzy was voraciously hungry, but +the material in the second batch was still as powerful as in +the first.</p> + +<p>The doctors were almost ready to go back down, loaded +with enough inoculum and syringes to equip themselves and +a dozen field workers when Jack suddenly stopped what he +was doing and cocked an ear toward the entrance lock.</p> + +<p>"What's wrong?" Dal said.</p> + +<p>"Listen a minute."</p> + +<p>They stopped to listen. "I don't hear anything," Tiger +said.</p> + +<p>Jack nodded. "I know. That's what I mean. They were +hollering their heads off when we came back aboard. Why +so quiet now?"</p> + +<p>He crossed over to the viewscreen scanning the field<a name="page127" id="page127"></a> +below, and flipped on the switch. For a moment he just +stared. Then he said: "Come here a minute. I don't like the +looks of this at all."</p> + +<p>Dal and Tiger crowded up to the screen. "What's the +matter?" Tiger said. "I don't see ... <i>wait a minute!</i>"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you'd better look again," Jack said. "What do you +think, Dal?"</p> + +<p>"We'd better get down there fast," Dal said, "and see +what's going on. It looks to me like we've got a tiger by +the tail...."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>They climbed down the ladder once again, with the antibody +flasks and sterile syringes strapped to their backs. But +this time the greeting was different from before.</p> + +<p>The Bruckian spokesman and the others who had not yet +been inoculated drew back from them in terror as they +stepped to the ground. Before, the people on the field had +crowded in eagerly around the ship; now they were standing +in silent groups staring at the doctors fearfully and muttering +among themselves.</p> + +<p>But the doctors could see only the inoculated people in +the two roped-off areas. Off to the right among the infected +Bruckians who had received the antibody there were no +new dead—but there was no change for the better, either. +The sick creatures drifted about aimlessly, milling like animals +in a cage, their faces blank, their jaws slack, hands +wandering foolishly. Not one of them had begun reacting +normally, not one showed any sign of recognition or recovery.</p> + +<p>But the real horror was on the other side of the field. +Here were the healthy ones, the uninfected ones who had +received preventative inoculations. A few hours before they<a name="page128" id="page128"></a> +had been left standing in quiet, happy groups, talking among +themselves, laughing and joking....</p> + +<p>But now they weren't talking any more. They stared +across at the doctors with slack faces and dazed eyes, their +feet shuffling aimlessly in the dust. All were alive, but only +half-alive. The intelligence and alertness were gone from +their faces; they were like the empty shells of the creatures +they had been a few hours before, indistinguishable from +the infected creatures in the other compound.</p> + +<p>Jack turned to the Bruckian spokesman in alarm. "What's +happened here?" he asked. "What's become of the ones we +inoculated? Where have you taken them?"</p> + +<p>The spokesman shrank back as though afraid Jack might +reach out to touch him. "Taken them!" he cried. "We have +moved none of them! Those are the ones you poisoned with +your needles. What have you done to make them like this?"</p> + +<p>"It—it must be some sort of temporary reaction to the +injection," Jack faltered. "There was nothing that we used +that could possibly have given them the disease, we only +used a substance to help them fight it off."</p> + +<p>The Bruckian was shaking his fist angrily. "It's no reaction, +it is the plague itself! What kind of evil are you +doing? You came here to help us, and instead you bring us +more misery. Do we not have enough of that to please you?"</p> + +<p>Swiftly the doctors began examining the patients in both +enclosures, and on each side they found the same picture. +One by one they checked the ones that had previously been +untouched by the plague, and found only the sagging jaws +and idiot stares.</p> + +<p>"There's no sense examining every one," Tiger said +finally. "They're all the same, every one."</p> + +<p>"But this is impossible," Jack said, glancing apprehensively +at the growing mob of angry Bruckians outside the<a name="page129" id="page129"></a> +stockades. "What could have happened? What have we +done?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Tiger said. "But whatever we've done +has turned into a boomerang. We knew that the antibody +might not work, and the disease might just go right ahead, +but we didn't anticipate anything like this."</p> + +<p>"Maybe some foreign protein got into the batch," Dal +said.</p> + +<p>Tiger shook his head. "It wouldn't behave like <i>this</i>. And +we were careful getting it ready. All we've done was inject +an antibody against a specific virus. All it could have done +was to kill the virus, but these people act as though they're +infected now."</p> + +<p>"But they're not dying," Dal said. "And the sick ones +we injected stopped dying, too."</p> + +<p>"So what do we do now?" Jack said.</p> + +<p>"Get one of these that changed like this aboard ship and +go over him with a fine-toothed comb. We've got to find +out what's happened."</p> + +<p>He led one of the stricken Bruckians by the hand like a +mindless dummy across the field toward the little group +where the spokesman and his party stood. The crowd on the +field were moving in closer; an angry cry went up when +Dal touched the sick creature.</p> + +<p>"You'll have to keep this crowd under control," Dal said +to the spokesman. "We're going to take this one aboard the +ship and examine him to see what this reaction could be, +but this mob is beginning to sound dangerous."</p> + +<p>"They're afraid," the spokesman said. "They want to +know what you've done to them, what this new curse is that +you bring in your syringes."</p> + +<p>"It's not a curse, but something has gone wrong. We +need to learn what, in order to deal with it."<a name="page130" id="page130"></a></p> + +<p>"The people are afraid and angry," the spokesman said. +"I don't know how long I can control them."</p> + +<p>And indeed, the attitude of the crowd around the ship +was very strange. They were not just fearful; they were +terrified. As the doctors walked back to the ship leading the +stricken Bruckian behind them, the people shrank back with +dreadful cries, holding up their hands as if to ward off +some monstrous evil. Before, in the worst throes of the +plague, there had been no sign of this kind of reaction. The +people had seemed apathetic and miserable, resigned hopelessly +to their fate, but now they were reacting in abject +terror. It almost seemed that they were more afraid of these +walking shells of their former selves than they were of the +disease itself.</p> + +<p>But as the doctors started up the ladder toward the entrance +lock the crowd surged in toward them with fists +raised in anger. "We'd better get help, and fast," Jack said +as he slammed the entrance lock closed behind them. "I don't +like the looks of this a bit. Dal, we'd better see what we can +learn from this poor creature here."</p> + +<p>As Tiger headed for the earphones, Dal and Jack went to +work once again, checking the blood and other body fluids +from the stricken Bruckian. But now, incredibly, the results +of their tests were quite different from those they had obtained +before. The blood sugar and protein determinations +fell into the pattern they had originally expected for a +creature of this type. Even more surprising, the level of the +antibody against the plague virus was high—far higher than +it could have been from the tiny amount that was injected +into the creature.</p> + +<p>"They must have been making it themselves," Dal said, +"and our inoculation was just the straw that broke the +camel's back. All of those people must have been on the<a name="page131" id="page131"></a> +brink of symptoms of the infection, and all we did was add +to the natural defenses they were already making."</p> + +<p>"Then why did the symptoms appear?" Jack said. "If +that's true, we should have been <i>helping</i> them, and look at +them now!"</p> + +<p>Tiger appeared at the door, scowling. "We've got real +trouble, now," he said. "I can't get through to a hospital +ship. In fact, I can't get a message out at all. These people +are jamming our radios."</p> + +<p>"But why?" Dal said.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, but take a look outside there."</p> + +<p>Through the viewscreen it seemed as though the whole +field around the ship had filled up with the crowd. The +first reaction of terror now seemed to have given way to +blind fury; the people were shouting angrily, waving their +clenched fists at the ship as the spokesman tried to hold them +back.</p> + +<p>Then there was a resounding crash from somewhere below, +and the ship lurched, throwing the doctors to the floor. +They staggered to their feet as another blow jolted the ship, +and another.</p> + +<p>"Let's get a screen up," Tiger shouted. "Jack, get the +engines going. They're trying to board us, and I don't think +it'll be much fun if they ever break in."</p> + +<p>In the control room they threw the switches that activated +a powerful protective energy screen around the ship. It was +a device that was carried by all GPP Ships as a means of protection +against physical attack. When activated, an energy +screen was virtually impregnable, but it could only be used +briefly; the power it required placed an enormous drain on +a ship's energy resources, and a year's nuclear fuel could be +consumed in a few hours.</p> + +<p>Now the screen served its purpose. The ship steadied, still<a name="page132" id="page132"></a> +vibrating from the last assault, and the noise from below +ceased abruptly. But when Jack threw the switches to start +the engines, nothing happened at all.</p> + +<p>"Look at that!" he cried, staring at the motionless dials. +"They're jamming our electrical system somehow. I can't +get any turn-over."</p> + +<p>"Try it again," Tiger said. "We've got to get out of here. +If they break in, we're done for."</p> + +<p>"They can't break through the screen," Dal said.</p> + +<p>"Not as long as it lasts. But we can't keep it up indefinitely."</p> + +<p>Once again they tried the radio equipment. There was no +response but the harsh static of the jamming signal from +the ground below. "It's no good," Tiger said finally. "We're +stuck here, and we can't even call for help. You'd think if +they were so scared of us they'd be glad to see us go."</p> + +<p>"I think there's more to it than that," Dal said thoughtfully. +"This whole business has been crazy from the start. +This just fits in with all the rest." He picked Fuzzy off his +perch and set him on his shoulder as if to protect him from +some unsuspected threat. "Maybe they're afraid of us, I don't +know. But I think they're afraid of something else a whole +lot worse."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>There was nothing to be done but wait and stare hopelessly +at the mass of notes and records that they had collected +on the people of 31 Brucker VII and the plague that afflicted +them.</p> + +<p>Until now, the <i>Lancet</i>'s crew had been too busy to stop +and piece the data together, to try to see the picture as a +whole. But now there was ample time, and the realization +of what had been happening here began to dawn on them.</p> + +<p>They had followed the well-established principles step by<a name="page133" id="page133"></a> +step in studying these incredible people, and nothing had +come out as it should. In theory, the steps they had taken +should have yielded the answer. They had come to a planet +where an entire population was threatened with a dreadful +disease. They had identified the disease, found and isolated +the virus that caused it, and then developed an antibody +that effectively destroyed the virus—in the laboratory. But +when they had tried to apply the antibody in the afflicted +patients, the response had been totally unexpected. They had +stopped the march of death among those they had inoculated, +and had produced instead a condition that the people +seemed to dread far more than death.</p> + +<p>"Let's face it," Dal said, "we bungled it somehow. We +should have had help here right from the start. I don't know +where we went wrong, but we've done something."</p> + +<p>"Well, it wasn't your fault," Jack said gloomily. "If we +had the right diagnosis, this wouldn't have happened. And +I <i>still</i> can't see the diagnosis. All I've been able to come up +with is a nice mess."</p> + +<p>"We're missing something, that's all," Dal said. "The +information is all here. We just aren't reading it right, somehow. +Somewhere in here is a key to the whole thing, and +we just can't see it."</p> + +<p>They went back to the data again, going through it step +by step. This was Jack Alvarez's specialty—the technique of +diagnosis, the ability to take all the available information +about a race and about its illness and piece it together into +a pattern that made sense. Dal could see that Jack was now +bitterly angry with himself, yet at every turn he seemed to +strike another obstacle—some fact that didn't jibe, a missing +fragment here, a wrong answer there. With Dal and Tiger +helping he started back over the sequence of events, trying<a name="page134" id="page134"></a> +to make sense out of them, and came up squarely against +a blank wall.</p> + +<p>The things they had done should have worked; instead, +they had failed. A specific antibody used against a specific +virus should have destroyed the virus or slowed its progress, +and there seemed to be no rational explanation for the dreadful +response of the uninfected ones who had been inoculated +for protection.</p> + +<p>And as the doctors sifted through the data, the Bruckian +they had brought up from the enclosure sat staring off into +space, making small noises with his mouth and moving his +arms aimlessly. After a while they led him back to a bunk, +gave him a medicine for sleep and left him snoring gently. +Another hour passed as they pored over their notes, with +Tiger stopping from time to time to mop perspiration from +his forehead. All three were aware of the moving clock +hands, marking off the minutes that the force screen could +hold out.</p> + +<p>And then Dal Timgar was digging into the pile of papers, +searching frantically for something he could not find. "That +first report we got," he said hoarsely. "There was something +in the very first information we ever saw on this planet...."</p> + +<p>"You mean the Confederation's data? It's in the radio +log." Tiger pulled open the thick log book. "But what...."</p> + +<p>"It's there, plain as day, I'm sure of it," Dal said. He read +through the report swiftly, until he came to the last paragraph—a +two-line description of the largest creatures the +original Exploration Ship had found on the planet, described +by them as totally unintelligent and only observed on a few +occasions in the course of the exploration. Dal read it, and +his hands were trembling as he handed the report to Jack. +"I knew the answer was there!" he said. "Take a look at that +again and think about it for a minute."<a name="page135" id="page135"></a></p> + +<p>Jack read it through. "I don't see what you mean," he said.</p> + +<p>"I mean that I think we've made a horrible mistake," Dal +said, "and I think I see now what it was. We've had this +whole thing exactly 100 per cent backward from the start, +and that explains everything that's happened here!"</p> + +<p>Tiger peered over Jack's shoulder at the report. "Backward?"</p> + +<p>"As backward as we could get it," Dal said. "We've +assumed all along that these flesh-and-blood creatures down +there were the ones that were calling us for help because of +a virus plague that was attacking and killing them. All right, +look at it the other way. Just suppose that the intelligent +creature that called us for help was the <i>virus</i>, and that those +flesh-and-blood creatures down there with the blank, stupid +faces are the <i>real</i> plague we ought to have been fighting all +along!"</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page136" id="page136"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter11" id="chapter11"></a>CHAPTER 11</h2> + +<h3>DAL BREAKS A PROMISE</h3> + + +<p>For a moment the others just stared at their Garvian +crewmate. Then Jack Alvarez snorted. "You'd better go +back and get some rest," he said. "This has been a tougher +grind than I thought. You're beginning to show the strain."</p> + +<p>"No, I mean it," Dal said earnestly. "I think that is exactly +what's been happening."</p> + +<p>Tiger looked at him with concern. "Dal, this is no time +for double talk and nonsense."</p> + +<p>"It's not nonsense," Dal said. "It's the answer, if you'll +only stop and think."</p> + +<p>"An intelligent <i>virus</i>?" Jack said. "Who ever heard of +such a thing? There's never been a life-form like that reported +since the beginning of the galactic exploration."</p> + +<p>"But that doesn't mean there couldn't be one," Dal said. +"And how would an exploratory crew ever identify it, if it +existed? How would they ever even suspect it? They'd miss +it completely—unless it happened to get into trouble itself +and try to call for help!" Dal jumped up in excitement.<a name="page137" id="page137"></a></p> + +<p>"Look, I've seen a dozen articles showing how such a thing +was theoretically possible ... a virus life-form with billions +of submicroscopic parts acting together to form an intelligent +colony. The only thing a virus-creature would need +that other intelligent creatures don't need would be some +kind of a host, some sort of animal body to live in so that +it could use its intelligence."</p> + +<p>"It's impossible," Jack said scornfully. "Why don't you +give it up and get some rest? Here we sit with our feet in +the fire, and all you can do is dream up foolishness like this."</p> + +<p>"I'm not so sure it's foolishness," Tiger Martin said +slowly. "Jack, maybe he's got something. A couple of things +would fit that don't make sense at all."</p> + +<p>"All sorts of things would fit," Dal said. "The viruses we +know have to have a host—some other life-form to live in. +Usually they are parasites, damaging or destroying their +hosts and giving nothing in return, but some set up real +partnership housekeeping with their hosts so that both are +better off."</p> + +<p>"You mean a symbiotic relationship," Jack said.</p> + +<p>"Of course," Dal said. "Now suppose these virus-creatures +were intelligent, and came from some other place looking +for a new host they could live with. They wouldn't look +for an intelligent creature, they would look for some <i>unintelligent</i> +creature with a good strong body that would be +capable of doing all sorts of things if it only had an intelligence +to guide it. Suppose these virus-creatures found a +simple-minded, unintelligent race on this planet and tried to +set up a symbiotic relationship with it. The virus-creatures +would need a host to provide a home and a food supply. +Maybe they in turn could supply the intelligence to raise the +host to a civilized level of life and performance. Wouldn't +that be a fair basis for a sound partnership?"<a name="page138" id="page138"></a></p> + +<p>Jack scratched his head doubtfully. "And you're saying +that these virus-creatures came here after the exploratory +ship had come and gone?"</p> + +<p>"They must have! Maybe they only came a few years +ago, maybe only months ago. But when they tried to invade +the unintelligent creatures the exploratory ship found here, +they discovered that the new host's body couldn't tolerate +them. His body reacted as if they were parasitic invaders, +and built up antibodies against them. And those body defenses +were more than the virus could cope with."</p> + +<p>Dal pointed to the piles of notes on the desk. "Don't you +see how it adds up? Right from the beginning we've been +assuming that these monkey-like creatures here on this planet +were the dominant, intelligent life-forms. Anatomically they +were ordinary cellular creatures like you and me, and when +we examined them we expected to find the same sort of +biochemical reactions we'd find with any such creatures. +And all our results came out wrong, because we were dealing +with a combination of two creatures—the host and a virus. +Maybe the creatures on 31 Brucker VII were naturally +blank-faced idiots before the virus came, or maybe the virus +was forced to damage some vital part just in order to fight +back—but it was the <i>virus</i> that was being killed by its own +host, not the other way around."</p> + +<p>Jack studied the idea, no longer scornful. "So you think +the virus-creatures called for help, hoping we could find +some way to free them from the hosts that were killing +them. And when Fuzzy developed a powerful antibody +against them, and we started using the stuff—" Jack broke +off, shaking his head in horror. "Dal, if you're right, we +were literally <i>slaughtering our own patients</i> when we gave +those injections down there!"</p> + +<p>"Exactly," Dal said. "Is it any wonder they're so scared<a name="page139" id="page139"></a> +of us now? It must have looked like a deliberate attempt +to wipe them out, and now they're afraid that we'll go get +help and <i>really</i> move in against them."</p> + +<p>Tiger nodded. "Which was precisely what we were planning, +if you stop to think about it. Maybe that was why +they were so reluctant to tell us anything about themselves. +Maybe they've already been mistaken for parasitic invaders +before, wherever in the universe they came from."</p> + +<p>"But if this is true, then we're really in a jam," Jack said. +"What can we possibly do for them? We can't even repair +the damage that we've already done. What sort of treatment +can we use?"</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "I don't know the answer to that one, +but I do know we've got to find out if we're right. An intelligent +virus-creature has as much right to life as any other +intelligent life-form. If we've guessed right, then there's a +lot that our intelligent friends down there haven't told us. +Maybe there'll be some clue there. We've just got to face +them with it, and see what they say."</p> + +<p>Jack looked at the viewscreen, at the angry mob milling +around on the ground, held back from the ship by the energy +screen. "You mean just go out there and say, 'Look fellows, +it was all a mistake, we didn't really mean to do it?'" He +shook his head. "Maybe you want to tell them. Not me!"</p> + +<p>"Dal's right, though," Tiger said. "We've got to contact +them somehow. They aren't even responding to radio communication, +and they've scrambled our outside radio and +fouled our drive mechanism somehow. We've got to settle +this while we still have an energy screen."</p> + +<p>There was a long silence as the three doctors looked at +each other. Then Dal stood up and walked over to the +swinging platform. He lifted Fuzzy down onto his shoulder.<a name="page140" id="page140"></a> +"It'll be all right," he said to Jack and Tiger. "I'll go out."</p> + +<p>"They'll tear you to ribbons!" Tiger protested.</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "I don't think so," he said quietly. +"I don't think they'll touch me. They'll greet me with open +arms when I go down there, and they'll be eager to talk +to me."</p> + +<p>"Are you crazy?" Jack cried, leaping to his feet. "We +can't let you go out there."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry," Dal said. "I know exactly what I'm doing. +I'll be able to handle the situation, believe me."</p> + +<p>He hesitated a moment, and gave Fuzzy a last nervous pat, +settling him more firmly on his shoulder. Then he started +down the corridor for the entrance lock.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>He had promised himself long before ... many years before +... that he would never do what he planned to do now, +but now he knew that there was no alternative. The only +other choice was to wait helplessly until the power failed +and the protective screen vanished and the creatures on the +ground outside tore the ship to pieces.</p> + +<p>As he stood in the airlock waiting for the pressure to shift +to outside normal, he lifted Fuzzy down into the crook of +his arm and rubbed the little creature between the shoe-button +eyes. "You've got to back me up now," he whispered +softly. "It's been a long time, I know that, but I need help +now. It's going to be up to you."</p> + +<p>Dal knew the subtle strength of his people's peculiar +talent. From the moment he had stepped down to the ground +the second time with Tiger and Jack, even with Fuzzy waiting +back on the ship, he had felt the powerful wave of +horror and fear and anger rising up from the Bruckians, +and he had glimpsed the awful idiot vacancy of the minds +of the creatures in the enclosure, in whom the intelligent<a name="page141" id="page141"></a> +virus was already dead. This had required no effort; it just +came naturally into his mind, and he had known instantly +that something terrible had gone wrong.</p> + +<p>In the years on Hospital Earth, he had carefully forced +himself never to think in terms of his special talent. He had +diligently screened off the impressions and emotions that +struck at him constantly from his classmates and from others +that he came in contact with. Above all, he had fought down +the temptation to turn his power the other way, to use it +to his own advantage.</p> + +<p>But now, as the lock opened and he started down the +ladder, he closed his mind to everything else. Hugging +Fuzzy close to his side, he turned his mind into a single tight +channel. He drove the thought out at the Bruckians with all +the power he could muster: <i>I come in peace. I mean you no +harm. I have good news, joyful news. You must be happy +to see me, eager to welcome me....</i></p> + +<p>He could feel the wave of anger and fear strike him like +a physical blow as soon as he appeared in the entrance lock. +The cries rose up in a wave, and the crowd surged in toward +the ship. With the energy field released, there was nothing +to stop them; they were tripping over each other to reach +the bottom of the ladder first, shouting threats and waving +angry fists, reaching up to grab at Dal's ankles as he came +down....</p> + +<p>And then as if by magic the cries died in the throats of the +ones closest to the ladder. The angry fists unclenched, and +extended into outstretched hands to help him down to the +ground. As though an ever-widening wave was spreading +out around him, the aura of peace and good will struck the +people in the crowd. And as it spread, the anger faded from +the faces; the hard lines gave way to puzzled frowns, then +to smiles. Dal channeled his thoughts more rigidly, and<a name="page142" id="page142"></a> +watched the effect spread out from him like ripples in a +pond, as anger and suspicion and fear melted away to be +replaced by confidence and trust.</p> + +<p>Dal had seen it occur a thousand times before. He could +remember his trips on Garvian trading ships with his father, +when the traders with their fuzzy pink friends on their +shoulders faced cold, hostile, suspicious buyers. It had seemed +almost miraculous the way the suspicions melted away and +the hostile faces became friendly as the buyers' minds became +receptive to bargaining and trading. He had even seen +it happen on the <i>Teegar</i> with Tiger and Jack, and it was no +coincidence that throughout the galaxy the Garvians—always +accompanied by their fuzzy friends—had assumed the position +of power and wealth and leadership that they had.</p> + +<p>And now once again the pattern was being repeated. The +Bruckians who surrounded Dal were smiling and talking +eagerly; they made no move to touch him or harm him.</p> + +<p>The spokesman they had talked to before was there at his +elbow, and Dal heard himself saying, "We have found the +answer to your problem. We know now the true nature of +your race, and the nature of your intelligence. You were +afraid that we would find out, but your fears were groundless. +We will not turn our knowledge against you. We only +want to help you."</p> + +<p>An expression almost like despair had crossed the spokesman's +face as Dal spoke. Now he said, "It would be good—if +we could believe you. But how can we? We have been +driven for so long and come so far, and now you would +seek to wipe us out as parasites and disease-carriers."</p> + +<p>Dal saw the Bruckian creature's eyes upon him, saw the +frail body tremble and the lips move, but he knew now that +the intelligence that formed the words and the thoughts +behind them, the intelligence that made the lips speak the<a name="page143" id="page143"></a> +words, was the intelligence of a creature far different from +the one he was looking at—a creature formed of billions of +submicroscopic units, imbedded in every one of the Bruckian's +body cells, trapped there now and helpless against the +antibody reaction that sought to destroy them. This was +the intelligence that had called for help in its desperate +plight, but had not quite dared to trust its rescuers with the +whole truth.</p> + +<p>But was this strange virus-creature good or evil, hostile +or friendly? Dal's hand lay on Fuzzy's tiny body, but he +felt no quiver, no vibration of fear. He looked across the +face of the crowd, trying with all his strength to open his +mind to the feelings and emotions of these people. Often +enough, with Fuzzy nearby, he had felt the harsh impact of +hostile, cruel, brutal minds, even when the owners of those +minds had tried to conceal their feelings behind smiles and +pleasant words. But here there was no sign of the sickening +feeling that kind of mind produced, no hint of hostility +or evil.</p> + +<p>He shook his head. "Why should we want to destroy +you?" he said. "You are good, and peaceful. We know that; +why should we harm you? All you want is a place to live, +and a host to join with you in a mutually valuable partnership. +But you did not tell us everything you could about +yourselves, and as a result we have destroyed some of you +in our clumsy attempts to learn your true nature."</p> + +<p>They talked then, and bit by bit the story came out. The +life-form was indeed a virus, unimaginably ancient, and +intelligent throughout millions of years of its history. Driven +by over-population, a pure culture of the virus-creatures +had long ago departed from their original native hosts, and +traveled like encapsulated spores across space from a distant +galaxy. The trip had been long and exhausting; the virus-creatures<a name="page144" id="page144"></a> +had retained only the minimum strength necessary +to establish themselves in a new host, some unintelligent +creature living on an uninhabited planet, a creature that +could benefit by the great intelligence of the virus-creatures, +and provide food and shelter for both. Finally, after thousands +of years of searching, they had found this planet with +its dull-minded, fruit-gathering inhabitants. These creatures +had seemed perfect as hosts, and the virus-creatures had +thought their long search for a perfect partner was finally +at an end.</p> + +<p>It was not until they had expended the last dregs of their +energy in anchoring themselves into the cells and tissues of +their new hosts that they discovered to their horror that the +host-creatures could not tolerate them. Unlike their original +hosts, the bodies of these creatures began developing deadly +antibodies that attacked the virus invaders. In their desperate +attempts to hold on and fight back, the virus-creatures had +destroyed vital centers in the new hosts, and one by one they +had begun to die. There was not enough energy left for the +virus-creatures to detach themselves and move on; without +some way to stem the onslaught of the antibodies, they were +doomed to total destruction.</p> + +<p>"We were afraid to tell you doctors the truth," the spokesman +said. "As we wandered and searched we discovered +that creatures like ourselves were extreme rarities in the +universe, that most creatures similar to us were mindless, +unintelligent parasites that struck down their hosts and destroyed +them. Wherever we went, life-forms of your kind +regarded us as disease-bearers, and their doctors taught them +ways to destroy us. We had hoped that from you we might +find a way to save ourselves—then you unleashed on us the +one weapon we could not fight."</p> + +<p>"But not maliciously," Dal said. "Only because we did not<a name="page145" id="page145"></a> +understand. And now that we do, there may be a way to +help. A difficult way, but at least a way. The antibodies +themselves can be neutralized, but it may take our biochemists +and virologists and all their equipment months or +even years to develop and synthesize the proper antidote."</p> + +<p>The spokesman looked at Dal, and turned away with a +hopeless gesture. "Then it is too late, after all," he said. "We +are dying too fast. Even those of us who have not been +affected so far are beginning to feel the early symptoms of +the antibody attack." He smiled sadly and reached out to +stroke the small pink creature on Dal's arm. "Your people +too have a partner, I see. We envy you."</p> + +<p>Dal felt a movement on his arm and looked down at +Fuzzy. He had always taken his little friend for granted, but +now he thought of the feeling of emptiness and loss that had +come across him when Fuzzy had been almost killed. He +had often wondered just what Fuzzy might be like if his +almost-fluid, infinitely adaptable physical body had only +been endowed with intelligence. He had wondered what +kind of a creature Fuzzy might be if he were able to use his +remarkable structure with the guidance of an intelligent +mind behind it....</p> + +<p>He felt another movement on his arm, and his eyes widened +as he stared down at his little friend.</p> + +<p>A moment before, there had been a single three-inch pink +creature on his elbow. But now there were two, each just +one-half the size of the original. As Dal watched, one of the +two drew away from the other, creeping in to snuggle closer +to Dal's side, and a pair of shoe-button eyes appeared and +blinked up at him trustingly. But the other creature was +moving down his arm, straining out toward the Bruckian +spokesman....</p> + +<p>Dal realized instantly what was happening. He started<a name="page146" id="page146"></a> +to draw back, but something stopped him. Deep in his mind +he could sense a gentle voice reassuring him, saying, <i>It's all +right, there is nothing to fear, no harm will come to me. +These creatures need help, and this is the way to help them.</i></p> + +<p>He saw the Bruckian reach out a trembling hand. The +tiny pink creature that had separated from Fuzzy seemed +almost to leap across to the outstretched hand. And then the +spokesman held him close, and the new Fuzzy shivered +happily.</p> + +<p>The virus-creatures had found a host. Here was the ideal +kind of body for their intelligence to work with and mold, +a host where antibody-formation could be perfectly controlled. +Dal knew now that the problem had almost been +solved once before, when the virus-creature had reached +Fuzzy on the ship; if they had only waited a little longer +they would have seen Fuzzy recover from his illness a different +creature entirely than before.</p> + +<p>Already the new creature was dividing again, with half +going on to the next of the Bruckians. To a submicroscopic +virus, the body of the host would not have to be large; soon +there would be a sufficient number of hosts to serve the +virus-creatures' needs forever. As he started back up the +ladder to the ship, Dal knew that the problem on 31 Brucker +VII had found a happy and permanent solution.</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>Back in the control room Dal related what had happened +from beginning to end. There was only one detail that he +concealed. He could not bring himself to tell Tiger and +Jack of the true nature of his relationship with Fuzzy, of +the odd power over the emotions of others that Fuzzy's +presence gave him. He could tell by their faces that they +realized that he was leaving something out; they had watched +him go down to face a blood-thirsty mob, and had seen that<a name="page147" id="page147"></a> +mob become docile as lambs as though by magic. Clearly +they could not understand what had happened, yet they did +not ask him.</p> + +<p>"So it was Fuzzy's idea to volunteer as a new host for the +creatures," Jack said.</p> + +<p>Dal nodded. "I knew that he could reproduce, of course," +he said. "Every Garvian has a Fuzzy, and whenever a new +Garvian is born, the father's Fuzzy always splits so that half +can join the new-born child. It's like the division of a cell; +within hours the Fuzzy that stayed down there will have +divided to provide enough protoplasm for every one of the +surviving intelligent Bruckians."</p> + +<p>"And your diagnosis was the right one," Jack said.</p> + +<p>"We'll see," Dal said. "Tomorrow we'll know better."</p> + +<p>But clearly the problem had been solved. The next day +there was an excited conference between the spokesman and +the doctors on the <i>Lancet</i>. The Bruckians had elected to +maintain the same host body as before. They had gotten +used to it; with the small pink creatures serving as a shelter +to protect them against the deadly antibodies, they could +live in peace and security. But they were eager, before the +<i>Lancet</i> disembarked, to sign a full medical service contract +with the doctors from Hospital Earth. A contract was signed, +subject only to final acceptance and ratification by the Hospital +Earth officials.</p> + +<p>Now that their radio was free again, the three doctors jubilantly +prepared a full account of the problem of 31 Brucker +and its solution, and dispatched the news of the new contract +to the first relay station on its way back to Hospital +Earth. Then, weary to the point of collapse, they retired +for the first good sleep in days, eagerly awaiting an official +response from Hospital Earth on the completed case and +the contract.<a name="page148" id="page148"></a></p> + +<p>"It ought to wipe out any black mark Dr. Tanner has +against any of us," Jack said happily. "And especially in +Dal's case." He grinned at the Red Doctor. "This one has +been yours, all the way. You pulled it out of the fire after +I flubbed it completely, and you're going to get the credit, +if I have anything to say about it."</p> + +<p>"We should all get credit," Dal said. "A new contract +isn't signed every day of the year. But the way we all fumbled +our way into it, Hospital Earth shouldn't pay much +attention to it anyway."</p> + +<p>But Dal knew that he was only throwing up his habitual +shield to guard against disappointment. Traditionally, a new +contract meant a Star rating for each of the crew that brought +it in. All through medical school Dal had read the reports of +other patrol ships that had secured new contracts with uncontacted +planets, and he had seen the fanfare and honor +that were heaped on the doctors from those ships. And for +the first time since he had entered medical school years +before, Dal now allowed himself to hope that his goal was +in sight.</p> + +<p>He wanted to be a Star Surgeon more than anything else. +It was the one thing that he had wanted and worked for +since the cruel days when the plague had swept his homeland, +destroying his mother and leaving his father an ailing +cripple. And since his assignment aboard the <i>Lancet</i>, one +thought had filled his mind: to turn in the scarlet collar and +cuff in return for the cape and silver star of the full-fledged +physician in the Red Service of Surgery.</p> + +<p>Always before there had been the half-conscious dread +that something would happen, that in the end, after all the +work, the silver star would still remain just out of reach, +that somehow he would never quite get it.</p> + +<p>But now there could be no question. Even Black Doctor<a name="page149" id="page149"></a> +Tanner could not deny a new contract. The crew of the +<i>Lancet</i> would be called back to Hospital Earth for a full +report on the newly contacted race, and their days as probationary +doctors in the General Practice patrol would be +over.</p> + +<p>After they had slept themselves out, the doctors prepared +the ship for launching, and made their farewells to the +Bruckian spokesman.</p> + +<p>"When the contract is ratified," Jack said, "a survey ship +will come here. They will have all of the information that +we have gathered, and they will spend many months gathering +more. Tell them everything they want to know. Don't +conceal anything, because once they have completed their +survey, any General Practice Patrol ship in the galaxy will +be able to answer a call for help and have the information +they need to serve you."</p> + +<p>They delayed launching hour by hour waiting for a response +from Hospital Earth, but the radio was silent. They +thought of a dozen reasons why the message might have +been delayed, but the radio silence continued. Finally they +strapped down and lifted the ship from the planet, still waiting +for a response.</p> + +<p>When it finally came, there was no message of congratulations, +nor even any acknowledgment of the new contract. +Instead, there was only a terse message:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>PROCEED TO REFERENCE POINT 43621 SECTION +XIX AND STAND BY FOR INSPECTION PARTY</p></div> + +<p>Tiger took the message and read it in silence, then handed +it to Dal.</p> + +<p>"What do they say?" Jack said.</p> + +<p>"Read it," Dal said. "They don't mention the contract, +just an inspection party."<a name="page150" id="page150"></a></p> + +<p>"Inspection party! Is that the best they can do for us?"</p> + +<p>"They don't sound too enthusiastic," Tiger said. "At least +you'd think they could acknowledge receipt of our report."</p> + +<p>"It's probably just part of the routine," Dal said. "Maybe +they want to confirm our reports from our own records +before they commit themselves."</p> + +<p>But he knew that he was only whistling in the dark. The +moment he saw the terse message, he knew something had +gone wrong with the contract. There would be no notes of +congratulation, no returning in triumph and honor to Hospital +Earth.</p> + +<p>Whatever the reason for the inspection party, Dal felt +certain who the inspector was going to be.</p> + +<p>It had been exciting to dream, but the scarlet cape and +the silver star were still a long way out of reach.</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page151" id="page151"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter12" id="chapter12"></a>CHAPTER 12</h2> + +<h3>THE SHOWDOWN</h3> + + +<p>It was hours later when their ship reached the contact +point co-ordinates. There had been little talk during the +transit; each of them knew already what the other was +thinking, and there wasn't much to be said. The message had +said it for them.</p> + +<p>Dal's worst fears were realized when the inspection ship +appeared, converting from Koenig drive within a few miles +of the <i>Lancet</i>. He had seen the ship before—a sleek, handsomely +outfitted patrol class ship with the insignia of the +Black Service of Pathology emblazoned on its hull, the +private ship of a Four-star Black Doctor.</p> + +<p>But none of them anticipated the action taken by the +inspection ship as it drew within lifeboat range of the <i>Lancet</i>.</p> + +<p>A scooter shot away from its storage rack on the black +ship, and a crew of black-garbed technicians piled into the +<i>Lancet</i>'s entrance lock, dressed in the special decontamination +suits worn when a ship was returning from a plague +spot into uninfected territory.<a name="page152" id="page152"></a></p> + +<p>"What is this?" Tiger demanded as the technicians started +unloading decontamination gear into the lock. "What are +you doing with that stuff?"</p> + +<p>The squad leader looked at him sourly. "You're in quarantine, +Doc," he said. "Class I, all precautions, contact with +unidentified pestilence. If you don't like it, argue with the +Black Doctor, I've just got a job to do."</p> + +<p>He started shouting orders to his men, and they scattered +throughout the ship, with blowers and disinfectants, driving +antiseptic sprays into every crack and cranny of the ship's +interior, scouring the hull outside in the rigid pattern prescribed +for plague ships. They herded the doctors into the decontamination +lock, stripped them of their clothes, scrubbed +them down and tossed them special sterilized fatigues to +wear with masks and gloves.</p> + +<p>"This is idiotic," Jack protested. "We aren't carrying +any dangerous organisms!"</p> + +<p>The squad leader shrugged indifferently. "Tell it to the +Black Doctor, not me. All I know is that this ship is under +quarantine until it's officially released, and from what I hear, +it's not going to be released for quite some time."</p> + +<p>At last the job was done, and the scooter departed back +to the inspection ship. A few moments later they saw it +returning, this time carrying just three men. In addition to +the pilot and one technician, there was a single passenger: +a portly figure dressed in a black robe, horn-rimmed glasses +and cowl.</p> + +<p>The scooter grappled the <i>Lancet</i>'s side, and Black Doctor +Hugo Tanner climbed wheezing into the entrance lock, +followed by the technician. He stopped halfway into the +lock to get his breath, and paused again as the lock swung +closed behind him. Dal was shocked at the physical change +in the man in the few short weeks since he had seen him<a name="page153" id="page153"></a> +last. The Black Doctor's face was gray; every effort of +movement brought on paroxysms of coughing. He looked +sick, and he looked tired, yet his jaw was still set in angry +determination.</p> + +<p>The doctors stood at attention as he stepped into the +control room, hardly able to conceal their surprise at seeing +him. "Well?" the Black Doctor snapped at them. "What's +the trouble with you? You act like you've seen a ghost or +something."</p> + +<p>"We—we'd heard that you were in the hospital, sir."</p> + +<p>"Did you, now!" the Black Doctor snorted. "Hospital! +Bah! I had to tell the press something to get the hounds off +me for a while. These young puppies seem to think that +a Black Doctor can just walk away from his duties any time +he chooses to undergo their fancy surgical procedures. And +you know who's been screaming the loudest to get their +hands on me. The Red Service of Surgery, that's who!"</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor glared at Dal Timgar. "Well, I dare +say the Red Doctors will have their chance at me, all in +good time. But first there are certain things which must be +taken care of." He looked up at the attendant. "You're quite +certain that the ship has been decontaminated?"</p> + +<p>The attendant nodded. "Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"And the crewmen?"</p> + +<p>"It's safe to talk to them, sir, as long as you avoid physical +contact."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor grunted and wheezed and settled himself +down in a seat. "All right now, gentlemen," he said to +the three, "let's have your story of this affair in the Brucker +system, right from the start."</p> + +<p>"But we sent in a full report," Tiger said.</p> + +<p>"I'm aware of that, you idiot. I have waded through your +report, all thirty-five pages of it, and I only wish you hadn't<a name="page154" id="page154"></a> +been so long-winded. Now I want to hear what happened +directly from you. Well?"</p> + +<p>The three doctors looked at each other. Then Jack began +the story, starting with the first hesitant "greeting" that had +come through to them. He told everything that had happened +without embellishments: their first analysis of the +nature of the problem, the biochemical and medical survey +that they ran on the afflicted people, his own failure to make +the diagnosis, the incident of Fuzzy's sudden affliction, and +the strange solution that had finally come from it. As he +talked the Black Doctor sat back with his eyes half closed, +his face blank, listening and nodding from time to time as +the story proceeded.</p> + +<p>And Jack was carefully honest and fair in his account. +"We were all of us lost, until Dal Timgar saw the significance +of what had happened to Fuzzy," he said. "His idea of putting +the creature through the filter gave us our first specimen +of the isolated virus, and showed us how to obtain the antibody. +Then after we saw what happened with our initial +series of injections, we were really at sea, and by then we +couldn't reach a hospital ship for help of any kind." He went +on to relate Dal's idea that the virus itself might be the +intelligent creature, and recounted the things that happened +after Dal went down to talk to the spokesman again with +Fuzzy on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>Through it all the Black Doctor listened sourly, glancing +occasionally at Dal and saying nothing. "So is that all?" he +said when Jack had finished.</p> + +<p>"Not quite," Jack said. "I want it to be on the record +that it was my failure in diagnosis that got us into trouble. +I don't want any misunderstanding about that. If I'd had the +wit to think beyond the end of my nose, there wouldn't +have been any problem."<a name="page155" id="page155"></a></p> + +<p>"I see," the Black Doctor said. He pointed to Dal. "So +it was this one who really came up with the answers and +directed the whole program on this problem, is that right?"</p> + +<p>"That's right," Jack said firmly. "He should get all the +credit."</p> + +<p>Something stirred in Dal's mind and he felt Fuzzy snuggling +in tightly to his side. He could feel the cold hostility +in the Black Doctor's mind, and he started to say something, +but the Black Doctor cut him off. "Do you agree to that +also, Dr. Martin?" he asked Tiger.</p> + +<p>"I certainly do," Tiger said. "I'll back up the Blue Doctor +right down the line."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor smiled unpleasantly and nodded. "Well, +I'm certainly happy to hear you say that, gentlemen. I might +say that it is a very great relief to me to hear it from your +own testimony. Because this time there shouldn't be any +argument from either of you as to just where the responsibility +lies, and I'm relieved to know that I can completely +exonerate you two, at any rate."</p> + +<p>Jack Alvarez's jaw went slack and he stared at the Black +Doctor as though he hadn't heard him properly. "Exonerate +us?" he said. "Exonerate us from what?"</p> + +<p>"From the charges of incompetence, malpractice and conduct +unbecoming to a physician which I am lodging against +your colleague in the Red Service here," the Black Doctor +said angrily. "Of course, I was confident that neither of you +two could have contributed very much to this bungling mess, +but it is reassuring to have your own statements of that fact +on the record. They should carry more weight in a Council +hearing than any plea I might make in your behalf."</p> + +<p>"But—but what do you mean by a Council hearing?" Tiger +stammered. "I don't understand you! This—this problem is +<i>solved</i>. We solved it as a patrol team, all of us. We sent in a<a name="page156" id="page156"></a> +brand new medical service contract from those people...."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes. <i>That!</i>" The Black Doctor drew a long pink +dispatch sheet from an inner pocket and opened it out. The +doctors could see the photo reproductions of their signatures +at the bottom. "Fortunately—for you two—this bit of nonsense +was brought to my attention at the first relay station +that received it. I personally accepted it and withdrew it +from the circuit before it could reach Hospital Earth for +filing."</p> + +<p>Slowly, as they watched him, he ripped the pink dispatch +sheet into a dozen pieces and tossed it into the disposal vent. +"So much for that," he said slowly. "I can choose to overlook +your foolishness in trying to cloud the important issues +with a so-called 'contract' to divert attention, but I'm afraid +I can't pay much attention to it, nor allow it to appear in +the general report. And of course I am forced to classify +the <i>Lancet</i> as a plague ship until a bacteriological and virological +examination has been completed on both ship and +crew. The planet itself will be considered a galactic plague +spot until proper measures have been taken to insure its +decontamination."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor drew some papers from another pocket +and turned to Dal Timgar. "As for you, the charges are +clear enough. You have broken the most fundamental rules +of good judgment and good medicine in handling the 31 +Brucker affair. You have permitted a General Practice Patrol +ship to approach a potentially dangerous plague spot without +any notification of higher authorities. You have undertaken +a biochemical and medical survey for which you had +neither the proper equipment nor the training qualifications, +and you exposed your ship and your crewmates to an +incredible risk in landing on such a planet. You are responsible +for untold—possibly fatal—damage to over two hundred<a name="page157" id="page157"></a> +individuals of the race that called on you for help. You have +even subjected the creature that depends upon your own +race for its life and support to virtual slavery and possible +destruction; and finally, you had the audacity to try to +cover up your bungling with claims of arranging a medical +service contract with an uninvestigated race."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor broke off as an attendant came in the +door and whispered something in his ear. Doctor Tanner +shook his head angrily, "I can't be bothered now!"</p> + +<p>"They say it's urgent, sir."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it's always urgent." The Black Doctor heaved to +his feet. "If it weren't for this miserable incompetent here, +I wouldn't have to be taking precious time away from my +more important duties." He scowled at the <i>Lancet</i> crewmen. +"You will excuse me for a moment," he said, and disappeared +into the communications room.</p> + +<p>The moment he was gone from the room, Jack and Tiger +were talking at once. "He couldn't really be serious," Tiger +said. "It's impossible! Not one of those charges would hold +up under investigation."</p> + +<p>"Well, I think it's a frame-up," Jack said, his voice tight +with anger. "I knew that some people on Hospital Earth +were out to get you, but I don't see how a Four-star Black +Doctor could be a party to such a thing. Either someone has +been misinforming him, or he just doesn't understand what +happened."</p> + +<p>Dal shook his head. "He understands, all right, and he's +the one who's determined to get me out of medicine. This is +a flimsy excuse, but he has to use it, because it's now or +never. He knows that if we bring in a contract with a new +planet, and it's formally ratified, we'll all get our Stars and +he'd never be able to block me again. And Black Doctor<a name="page158" id="page158"></a> +Tanner is going to be certain that I don't get that Star, or +die trying."</p> + +<p>"But this is completely unfair," Jack protested. "He's +turning our own words against you! You can bet that he'll +have a survey crew down on that planet in no time, bringing +home a contract just the same as the one we wrote, and +there won't be any questions asked about it."</p> + +<p>"Except that I'll be out of the service," Dal said. "Don't +worry. You'll get the credit in the long run. When all the +dust settles, he'll be sure that you two are named as agents +for the contract. He doesn't want to hurt you, it's me that +he's out to get."</p> + +<p>"Well, he won't get away with it," Tiger said. "We can +see to that. It's not too late to retract our stories. If he thinks +he can get rid of you with something that wasn't your fault, +he's going to find out that he has to get rid of a lot more than +just you."</p> + +<p>But Dal was shaking his head. "Not this time, Tiger. This +time you keep out of it."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, keep out of it?" Tiger cried. "Do +you think I'm going to stand by quietly and watch him cut +you down?"</p> + +<p>"That's exactly what you're going to do," Dal said +sharply. "I meant what I said. I want you to keep your +mouth shut. Don't say anything more at all, just let it be."</p> + +<p>"But I can't stand by and do nothing! When a friend of +mine needs help—"</p> + +<p>"Can't you get it through your thick skull that this time +I don't want your help?" Dal said. "Do me a favor this time. +<i>Leave me alone.</i> Don't stick your thumb in the pie."</p> + +<p>Tiger just stared at the little Garvian. "Look, Dal, all +I'm trying to do—"</p> + +<p>"I know what you're trying to do," Dal snapped, "and<a name="page159" id="page159"></a> +I don't want any part of it. I don't need your help, I don't +<i>want</i> it. Why do you have to force it down my throat?"</p> + +<p>There was a long silence. Then Tiger spread his hands +helplessly. "Okay," he said, "if that's the way you want it." +He turned away from Dal, his big shoulders slumping. "I've +only been trying to make up for some of the dirty breaks +you've been handed since you came to Hospital Earth."</p> + +<p>"I know that," Dal said, "and I've appreciated it. Sometimes +it's been the only thing that's kept me going. But that +doesn't mean that you own me. Friendship is one thing; proprietorship +is something else. I'm not your private property."</p> + +<p>He saw the look on Tiger's face, as though he had suddenly +turned and slapped him viciously across the face. +"Look, I know it sounds awful, but I can't help it. I don't +want to hurt you, and I don't want to change things with us, +but <i>I'm a person just like you are</i>. I can't go on leaning on +you any longer. Everybody has to stand on his own somewhere +along the line. You do, and I do, too. And that goes +for Jack, too."</p> + +<p>They heard the door to the communications shack open, +and the Black Doctor was back in the room. "Well?" he +said. "Am I interrupting something?" He glanced sharply +at the tight-lipped doctors. "The call was from the survey +section," he went on blandly. "A survey crew is on its way +to 31 Brucker to start gathering some useful information on +the situation. But that is neither here nor there. You have +heard the charges against the Red Doctor here. Is there anything +any of you want to say?"</p> + +<p>Tiger and Jack looked at each other. The silence in the +room was profound.</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor turned to Dal. "And what about you?"</p> + +<p>"I have something to say, but I'd like to talk to you alone."<a name="page160" id="page160"></a></p> + +<p>"As you wish. You two will return to your quarters and +stay there."</p> + +<p>"The attendant, too," Dal said.</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor's eyes glinted and met Dal's for a moment. +Then he shrugged and nodded to his attendant. "Step +outside, please. We have a private matter to discuss."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor turned his attention to the papers on +the desk as Dal stood before him with Fuzzy sitting in the +crook of his arm. From the moment that the notice of the +inspection ship's approach had come to the <i>Lancet</i>, Dal had +known what was coming. He had been certain what the +purpose of the detainment was, and who the inspector would +be, yet he had not really been worried. In the back of his +mind, a small, comfortable thought had been sustaining him.</p> + +<p>It didn't really matter how hostile or angry Black Doctor +Tanner might be; he knew that in a last-ditch stand there +was one way the Black Doctor could be handled.</p> + +<p>He remembered the dramatic shift from hostility to friendliness +among the Bruckians when he had come down from +the ship with Fuzzy on his shoulder. Before then, he had +never considered using his curious power to protect himself +and gain an end; but since then, without even consciously +bringing it to mind, he had known that the next time would +be easier. If it ever came to a showdown with Black Doctor +Tanner, a trap from which he couldn't free himself, there +was still this way. <i>The Black Doctor would never know +what happened</i>, he thought. <i>It would just seem to him, +suddenly, that he had been looking at things the wrong way. +No one would ever know.</i></p> + +<p>But he knew, even as the thought came to mind, that this +was not so. Now, face to face with the showdown, he knew +that it was no good. One person would know what had happened:<a name="page161" id="page161"></a> +himself. On 31 Brucker, he had convinced himself +that the end justified the means; here it was different.</p> + +<p>For a moment, as Black Doctor Tanner stared up at him +through the horn-rimmed glasses, Dal wavered. Why should +he hesitate to protect himself? he thought angrily. This attack +against him was false and unfair, trumped up for the sole +purpose of destroying his hopes and driving him out of the +Service. Why shouldn't he grasp at any means, fair or +unfair, to fight it?</p> + +<p>But he could hear the echo of Black Doctor Arnquist's +words in his mind: <i>I beg of you not to use it. No matter +what happens, don't use it.</i> Of course, Doctor Arnquist +would never know, for sure, that he had broken faith ... +but <i>he</i> would know....</p> + +<p>"Well," Black Doctor Tanner was saying, "speak up. +I can't waste much more time dealing with you. If you have +something to say, say it."</p> + +<p>Dal sighed. He lifted Fuzzy down and slipped him gently +into his jacket pocket. "These charges against me are not +true," he said.</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor shrugged. "Your own crewmates support +them with their statements."</p> + +<p>"That's not the point. They're not true, and you know +it as well as I do. You've deliberately rigged them up to +build a case against me."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor's face turned dark and his hands +clenched on the papers on the desk. "Are you suggesting +that I have nothing better to do than to rig false charges +against one probationer out of seventy-five thousand traveling +the galaxy?"</p> + +<p>"I'm suggesting that we are alone here," Dal said. "Nobody +else is listening. Just for once, right now, we can be honest.<a name="page162" id="page162"></a> +We both know what you're trying to do to me. I'd just like +to hear you admit it once."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor slammed his fist down on the table. +"I don't have to listen to insolence like this," he roared.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you do," Dal said. "Just this once. Then I'll be +through." Suddenly Dal's words were tumbling out of control, +and his whole body was trembling with anger. "You +have been determined from the very beginning that I should +never finish the medical training that I started. You've tried +to block me time after time, in every way you could think of. +You've almost succeeded, but never quite made it until this +time. But now you <i>have</i> to make it. If that contract were +to go through I'd get my Star, and you'd never again be +able to do anything about it. So it's now or never if you're +going to break me."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" the Black Doctor stormed. "I wouldn't lower +myself to meddle with your kind. The charges speak for +themselves."</p> + +<p>"Not if you look at them carefully. You claim I failed to +notify Hospital Earth that we had entered a plague area—but +our records of our contact with the planet prove that +we did only what any patrol ship would have done when +the call came in. We didn't have enough information to +know that there was a plague there, and when we finally +did know the truth we could no longer make contact with +Hospital Earth. You claim that I brought harm to two hundred +of the natives there, yet if you study our notes and +records, you will see that our errors there were unavoidable. +We couldn't have done anything else under the circumstances, +and if we hadn't done what we did, we would have +been ignoring the basic principles of diagnosis and treatment +which we've been taught. And your charges don't mention +that by possibly harming two hundred of the Bruckians, we<a name="page163" id="page163"></a> +found a way to save two million of them from absolute +destruction."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor glared at him. "The charges will stand +up, I'll see to that."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm sure you will! You can ram them through and +make them stick before anybody ever has a chance to examine +them carefully. You have the power to do it. And by +the time an impartial judge could review all the records, +your survey ship will have been there and gathered so much +more data and muddied up the field so thoroughly that no +one will ever be certain that the charges aren't true. But +you and I know that they wouldn't really hold up under +inspection. We know that they're false right down the line +and that you're the one who is responsible for them."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor grew darker, and he trembled with +rage as he drew himself to his feet. Dal could feel his hatred +almost like a physical blow and his voice was almost a shriek.</p> + +<p>"All right," he said, "if you insist, then the charges are +lies, made up specifically to break you, and I'm going to +push them through if I have to jeopardize my reputation to +do it. You could have bowed out gracefully at any time +along the way and saved yourself dishonor and disgrace, +but you wouldn't do it. Now, I'm going to force you to. +I've worked my lifetime long to build the reputation of +Hospital Earth and of the Earthmen that go out to all the +planets as representatives. I've worked to make the Confederation +respect Hospital Earth and the Earthmen who are +her doctors. You don't belong here with us. You forced +yourself in, you aren't an Earthman and you don't have the +means or resources to be a doctor from Hospital Earth. If +you succeed, a thousand others will follow in your footsteps, +chipping away at the reputation that we have worked +to build, and I'm not going to allow one incompetent alien<a name="page164" id="page164"></a> +bungler pretending to be a surgeon to walk in and destroy +the thing I've fought to build—"</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor's voice had grown shrill, almost out of +control. But now suddenly he broke off, his mouth still +working, and his face went deathly white. The finger he +was pointing at Dal wavered and fell. He clutched at his +chest, his breath coming in great gasps and staggered back +into the chair. "Something's happened," his voice croaked. +"I can't breathe."</p> + +<p>Dal stared at him in horror for a moment, then leaped +across the room and jammed his thumb against the alarm +bell.</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page165" id="page165"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter13" id="chapter13"></a>CHAPTER 13</h2> + +<h3>THE TRIAL</h3> + + +<p>Red Doctor Dal Timgar knew at once that there would +be no problem in diagnosis here. The Black Doctor +slumped back in his seat, gasping for air, his face twisted in +pain as he labored just to keep on breathing. Tiger and Jack +burst into the room, and Dal could tell that they knew +instantly what had happened.</p> + +<p>"Coronary," Jack said grimly.</p> + +<p>Dal nodded. "The question is, just how bad."</p> + +<p>"Get the cardiograph in here. We'll soon see."</p> + +<p>But the electrocardiograph was not needed to diagnose +the nature of the trouble. All three doctors had seen the +picture often enough—the sudden, massive blockage of circulation +to the heart that was so common to creatures with +central circulatory pumps, the sort of catastrophic accident +which could cause irreparable crippling or sudden death +within a matter of minutes.</p> + +<p>Tiger injected some medicine to ease the pain, and started +oxygen to help the labored breathing, but the old man's color<a name="page166" id="page166"></a> +did not improve. He was too weak to talk; he just lay helplessly +gasping for air as they lifted him up onto a bed. Then +Jack took an electrocardiograph tracing and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"We'd better get word back to Hospital Earth, and fast," +he said quietly. "He just waited a little too long for that +cardiac transplant, that's all. This is a bad one. Tell them +we need a surgeon out here just as fast as they can move, +or the Black Service is going to have a dead physician on +its hands."</p> + +<p>There was a sound across the room, and the Black Doctor +motioned feebly to Tiger. "The cardiogram," he gasped. +"Let me see it."</p> + +<p>"There's nothing for you to see," Tiger said. "You +mustn't do anything to excite yourself."</p> + +<p>"Let me see it." Dr. Tanner took the thin strip of paper +and ran it quickly through his fingers. Then he dropped it +on the bed and lay his head back hopelessly. "Too late," he +said, so softly they could hardly hear him. "Too late for +help now."</p> + +<p>Tiger checked his blood pressure and listened to his heart. +"It will only take a few hours to get help," he said. "You +rest and sleep now. There's plenty of time."</p> + +<p>He joined Dal and Jack in the corridor. "I'm afraid he's +right, this time," he said. "The damage is severe, and he +hasn't the strength to hold out very long. He might last long +enough for a surgeon and operating team to get here, but +I doubt it. We'd better get the word off."</p> + +<p>A few moments later he put the earphones aside. "It'll +take six hours for the nearest help to get here," he said. +"Maybe five and a half if they really crowd it. But when +they get a look at that cardiogram on the screen they'll just +throw up their hands. He's got to have a transplant, nothing +less, and even if we can keep him alive until a surgical team<a name="page167" id="page167"></a> +gets here the odds are a thousand to one against his surviving +the surgery."</p> + +<p>"Well, he's been asking for it," Jack said. "They've been +trying to get him into the hospital for a cardiac transplant +for years. Everybody's known that one of those towering +rages would get him sooner or later."</p> + +<p>"Maybe he'll hold on better than we think," Dal said. +"Let's watch and wait."</p> + +<p>But the Black Doctor was not doing well. Moment by +moment he grew weaker, laboring harder for air as his +blood pressure crept slowly down. Half an hour later the +pain returned; Tiger took another tracing while Dal checked +his venous pressure and shock level.</p> + +<p>As he finished, Dal felt the Black Doctor's eyes on him. +"It's going to be all right," he said. "There'll be time for +help to come."</p> + +<p>Feebly the Black Doctor shook his head. "No time," he +said. "Can't wait that long." Dal could see the fear in the +old man's eyes. His lips began to move again as though there +were something more he wanted to say; but then his face +hardened, and he turned his head away helplessly.</p> + +<p>Dal walked around the bed and looked down at the +tracing, comparing it with the first one that was taken. +"What do you think, Tiger?"</p> + +<p>"It's no good. He'll never make it for five more hours."</p> + +<p>"What about right now?"</p> + +<p>Tiger shook his head. "It's a terrible surgical risk."</p> + +<p>"But every minute of waiting makes it worse, right?"</p> + +<p>"That's right."</p> + +<p>"Then I think we'll stop waiting," Dal said. "We have a +prosthetic heart in condition for use, don't we?"</p> + +<p>"Of course."</p> + +<p>"Good. Get it ready now." It seemed as though someone<a name="page168" id="page168"></a> +else were talking. "You'll have to be first assistant, Tiger. +We'll get him onto the heart-lung machine, and if we don't +have help available by then, we'll have to try to complete +the transplant. Jack, you'll give anaesthesia, and it will be +a tricky job. Try to use local blocks as much as you can, +and have the heart-lung machine ready well in advance. +We'll only have a few seconds to make the shift. Now let's +get moving."</p> + +<p>Tiger stared at him. "Are you sure that you want to do +this?"</p> + +<p>"I never wanted anything less in my life," Dal said fervently. +"But do you think he can survive until a Hospital +Ship arrives?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then it seems to me that I don't have any choice. You +two don't need to worry. This is a surgical problem now, +and I'll take full responsibility."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor was watching him, and Dal knew he +had heard the conversation. Now the old man lay helplessly +as they moved about getting the surgical room into preparation. +Jack prepared the anaesthetics, checked and rechecked +the complex heart-lung machine which could artificially +support circulation and respiration at the time that the +damaged heart was separated from its great vessels. The +transplant prosthetic heart had been grown in the laboratories +on Hospital Earth from embryonic tissue; Tiger removed +it from the frozen specimen locker and brought it +to normal body temperature in the special warm saline bath +designed for the purpose.</p> + +<p>Throughout the preparations the Black Doctor lay watching, +still conscious enough to recognize what was going on, +attempting from time to time to shake his head in protest +but not quite succeeding. Finally Dal came to the bedside.<a name="page169" id="page169"></a> +"Don't be afraid," he said gently to the old man. "It isn't safe +to try to delay until the ship from Hospital Earth can get +here. Every minute we wait is counting against you. I think +I can manage the transplant if I start now. I know you don't +like it, but I am the Red Doctor in authority on this ship. +If I have to order you, I will."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor lay silent for a moment, staring at Dal. +Then the fear seemed to fade from his face, and the anger +disappeared. With a great effort he moved his head to nod. +"All right, son," he said softly. "Do the best you know how."</p> + +<hr class="shorter" /> + +<p>Dal knew from the moment he made the decision to go +ahead that the thing he was undertaking was all but hopeless.</p> + +<p>There was little or no talk as the three doctors worked at +the operating table. The overhead light in the ship's tiny +surgery glowed brightly; the only sound in the room was +the wheeze of the anaesthesia apparatus, the snap of clamps +and the doctors' own quiet breathing as they worked desperately +against time.</p> + +<p>Dal felt as if he were in a dream, working like an automaton, +going through mechanical motions that seemed completely +unrelated to the living patient that lay on the operating +table. In his training he had assisted at hundreds of organ +transplant operations; he himself had done dozens of cardiac +transplants, with experienced surgeons assisting and guiding +him until the steps of the procedure had become almost +second nature. On Hospital Earth, with the unparalleled +medical facilities available there, and with well-trained teams +of doctors, anaesthetists and nurses the technique of replacing +an old worn-out damaged heart with a new and healthy one +had become commonplace. It posed no more threat to a<a name="page170" id="page170"></a> +patient than a simple appendectomy had posed three centuries +before.</p> + +<p>But here in the patrol ship's operating room under emergency +conditions there seemed little hope of success. Already +the Black Doctor had suffered violent shock from the damage +that had occurred in his heart. Already he was clinging +to life by a fragile thread; the additional shock of the surgery, +of the anaesthesia and the necessary conversion to the heart-lung +machine while the delicate tissues of the new heart were +fitted and sutured into place vessel by vessel was more than +any patient could be expected to survive.</p> + +<p>Yet Dal had known when he saw the second cardiogram +that the attempt would have to be made. Now he worked +swiftly, his frail body engulfed in the voluminous surgical +gown, his thin fingers working carefully with the polished +instruments. Speed and skill were all that could save the +Black Doctor now, to offer him the one chance in a thousand +that he had for survival.</p> + +<p>But the speed and skill had to be Dal's. Dal knew that, +and the knowledge was like a lead weight strapped to his +shoulders. If Black Doctor Hugo Tanner was fighting for +his life now, Dal knew that he too was fighting for his life—the +only kind of life that he wanted, the life of a physician.</p> + +<p>Black Doctor Tanner's antagonism to him as an alien, as +an incompetent, as one who was unworthy to wear the +collar and cuff of a physician from Hospital Earth, was +common knowledge. Dal realized with perfect clarity that +if he failed now, his career as a physician would be over; +no one, not even himself, would ever be entirely certain +that he had not somehow, in some dim corner of his mind, +allowed himself to fail.</p> + +<p>Yet if he had not made the attempt and the Black Doctor<a name="page171" id="page171"></a> +had died before help had come, there would always be those +who would accuse him of delaying on purpose.</p> + +<p>His mouth was dry; he longed for a drink of water, even +though he knew that no water could quench this kind of +thirst. His fingers grew numb as he worked, and moment +by moment the sense of utter hopelessness grew stronger in +his mind. Tiger worked stolidly across the table from him, +inexpert help at best because of the sketchy surgical training +he had had. Even his solid presence in support here did +not lighten the burden for Dal. There was nothing that +Tiger could do or say that would help things or change +things now. Even Fuzzy, waiting alone on his perch in the +control room, could not help him now. Nothing could help +now but his own individual skill as a surgeon, and his bitter +determination that he must not and would not fail.</p> + +<p>But his fingers faltered as a thousand questions welled up +in his mind. Was he doing this right? This vessel here ... +clamp it and tie it? Or dissect it out and try to preserve it? +This nerve plexus ... which one was it? How important? +How were the blood pressure and respirations doing? Was +the Black Doctor holding his own under the assault of the +surgery?</p> + +<p>The more Dal tried to hurry the more he seemed to be +wading through waist-deep mud, unable to make his fingers +do what he wanted them to do. How could he save ten +seconds, twenty seconds, a half a minute? That half a minute +might make the difference between success or failure, +yet the seconds ticked by swiftly and the procedure was +going slowly.</p> + +<p>Too slowly. He reached a point where he thought he +could not go on. His mind was searching desperately for +help—any kind of help, something to lean on, something to +brace him and give him support. And then quite suddenly<a name="page172" id="page172"></a> +he understood something clearly that had been nibbling at +the corners of his mind for a long time. It was as if someone +had snapped on a floodlight in a darkened room, and he saw +something he had never seen before.</p> + +<p>He saw that from the first day he had stepped down from +the Garvian ship that had brought him to Hospital Earth +to begin his medical training, he had been relying upon +crutches to help him.</p> + +<p>Black Doctor Arnquist had been a crutch upon whom he +could lean. Tiger, for all his clumsy good-heartedness and +for all the help and protection he had offered, had been a +crutch. Fuzzy, who had been by his side since the day he +was born, was still another kind of crutch to fall back on, +a way out, a port of haven in the storm. They were crutches, +every one, and he had leaned on them heavily.</p> + +<p>But now there was no crutch to lean on. He had a quick +mind with good training. He had two nimble hands that +knew their job, and two legs that were capable of supporting +his weight, frail as they were. He knew now that he had to +stand on them squarely, for the first time in his life.</p> + +<p>And suddenly he realized that this was as it should be. +It seemed so clear, so obvious and unmistakable that he wondered +how he could have failed to recognize it for so long. +If he could not depend on himself, then Black Doctor Hugo +Tanner would have been right all along. If he could not do +this job that was before him on his own strength, standing +on his own two legs without crutches to lean on, how could +he claim to be a competent physician? What right did he +have to the goal he sought if he had to earn it on the strength +of the help of others? It was <i>he</i> who wanted to be a Star +Surgeon—not Fuzzy, not Tiger, nor anyone else.</p> + +<p>He felt his heart thudding in his chest, and he saw the +operation before him as if he were standing in an amphitheater<a name="page173" id="page173"></a> +peering down over some other surgeon's shoulder. +Suddenly everything else was gone from his mind but the +immediate task at hand. His fingers began to move more +swiftly, with a confidence he had never felt before. The +decisions to be made arose, and he made them without hesitation, +and knew as he made them that they were right.</p> + +<p>And for the first time the procedure began to move. He +murmured instructions to Jack from time to time, and placed +Tiger's clumsy hands in the places he wanted them for +retraction. "Not there, back a little," he said. "That's right. +Now hold this clamp and release it slowly while I tie, then +reclamp it. Slowly now ... that's the way! Jack, check that +pressure again."</p> + +<p>It seemed as though someone else were doing the surgery, +directing his hands step by step in the critical work that had +to be done. Dal placed the connections to the heart-lung +machine perfectly, and moved with new swiftness and confidence +as the great blood vessels were clamped off and the +damaged heart removed. A quick check of vital signs, chemistries, +oxygenation, a sharp instruction to Jack, a caution +to Tiger, and the new prosthetic heart was in place. He +worked now with painstaking care, manipulating the micro-sutures +that would secure the new vessels to the old so +firmly that they were almost indistinguishable from a healed +wound, and he knew that it was going <i>right</i> now, that +whether the patient ultimately survived or not, he had made +the right decision and had carried it through with all the +skill at his command.</p> + +<p>And then the heart-lung machine fell silent again, and +the carefully applied nodal stimulator flicked on and off, and +slowly, at first hesitantly, then firmly and vigorously, the +new heart began its endless pumping chore. The Black Doctor's +blood pressure moved up to a healthy level and stabilized;<a name="page174" id="page174"></a> +the gray flesh of his face slowly became suffused with +healthy pink. It was over, and Dal was walking out of the +surgery, his hands trembling so violently that he could +hardly get his gown off. He wanted to laugh and cry at the +same time, and he could see the silent pride in the others' +faces as they joined him in the dressing room to change +clothes.</p> + +<p>He knew then that no matter what happened he had vindicated +himself. Half an hour later, back in the sickbay, the +Black Doctor was awake, breathing slowly and easily without +need of supplemental oxygen. Only the fine sweat standing +out on his forehead gave indication of the ordeal he had +been through.</p> + +<p>Swiftly and clinically Dal checked the vital signs as the +old man watched him. He was about to turn the pressure +cuff over to Jack and leave when the Black Doctor said, +"Wait."</p> + +<p>Dal turned to him. "Yes, sir?"</p> + +<p>"You did it?" the Black Doctor said softly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"It's finished? The transplant is done?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Dal said. "It went well, and you can rest now. +You were a good patient."</p> + +<p>For the first time Dal saw a smile cross the old man's face. +"A foolish patient, perhaps," he said, so softly that no one +but Dal could hear, "but not so foolish now, not so foolish +that I cannot recognize a good doctor when I see one."</p> + +<p>And with a smile he closed his eyes and went to sleep.</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + +<p><a name="page175" id="page175"></a></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter14" id="chapter14"></a>CHAPTER 14</h2> + +<h3>STAR SURGEON</h3> + + +<p>It was amazing to Dal Timgar just how good it seemed +to be back on Hospital Earth again.</p> + +<p>In the time he had been away as a crewman of the <i>Lancet</i>, +the seasons had changed, and the port of Philadelphia lay +under the steaming summer sun. As Dal stepped off the +shuttle ship to join the hurrying crowds in the great space-port, +it seemed almost as though he were coming home.</p> + +<p>He thought for a moment of the night not so long before +when he had waited here for the shuttle to Hospital Seattle, +to attend the meeting of the medical training council. He +had worn no uniform then, not even the collar and cuff of +the probationary physician, and he remembered his despair +that night when he had thought that his career as a physician +from Hospital Earth was at an end.</p> + +<p>Now he was returning by shuttle from Hospital Seattle +to the port of Philadelphia again, completing the cycle that +had been started many months before. But things were different +now. The scarlet cape of the Red Service of Surgery<a name="page176" id="page176"></a> +hung from his slender shoulders now, and the light of the +station room caught the polished silver emblem on his collar. +It was a tiny bit of metal, but its significance was enormous. +It announced to the world Dal Timgar's final and permanent +acceptance as a physician; but more, it symbolized the far-reaching +distances he had already traveled, and would travel +again, in the service of Hospital Earth.</p> + +<p>It was the silver star of the Star Surgeon.</p> + +<p>The week just past had been both exciting and confusing. +The hospital ship had arrived five hours after Black +Doctor Hugo Tanner had recovered from his anaesthesia, +moving in on the <i>Lancet</i> in frantic haste and starting the +shipment of special surgical supplies, anaesthetics and maintenance +equipment across in lifeboats almost before contact +had been stabilized. A large passenger boat hurtled away +from the hospital ship's side, carrying a pair of Four-star +surgeons, half a dozen Three-star Surgeons, two Radiologists, +two Internists, a dozen nurses and another Four-star +Black Doctor across to the <i>Lancet</i>; and when they arrived +at the patrol ship's entrance lock, they discovered that their +haste had been in vain.</p> + +<p>It was like Grand Rounds in the general wards of Hospital +Philadelphia, with the Four-star Surgeons in the lead as they +tramped aboard the patrol ship. They found Black Doctor +Tanner sitting quietly at his bedside reading a journal of +pathology and taking notes. He glared up at them when they +burst in the door without even knocking.</p> + +<p>"But are you feeling well, sir?" the chief surgeon asked +him for the third time.</p> + +<p>"Of course I'm feeling well. Do you think I'd be sitting +here if I weren't?" the Black Doctor growled. "Dr. Timgar +is my surgeon and the physician in charge of this case. Talk +to him. He can give you all the details of the matter."<a name="page177" id="page177"></a></p> + +<p>"You mean you permitted a probationary physician to +perform this kind of surgery?" The Four-star Surgeon cried +incredulously.</p> + +<p>"I did not!" the Black Doctor snapped. "He had to drag +me kicking and screaming into the operating room. But fortunately +for me, this particular probationary physician had +the courage of his convictions, as well as wit enough to +realize that I would not survive if he waited for you to gather +your army together. But I think you will find the surgery +was handled with excellent skill. Again, I must refer you to +Dr. Timgar for the details. I was not paying attention to the +technique of the surgery, I assure you."</p> + +<p>"But sir," the chief surgeon broke in, "how could there +have been surgery of any sort here? The dispatch that came +to us listed the <i>Lancet</i> as a plague ship—"</p> + +<p>"<i>Plague ship!</i>" the Black Doctor exploded. "Oh, yes. Egad! +I—hum!—imagine that the dispatcher must have gotten his +signals mixed somehow. Well, I suppose you want to examine +me. Let's have it over with."</p> + +<p>The doctors examined him within an inch of his life. They +exhausted every means of physical, laboratory and radiological +examination short of re-opening his chest and looking in, +and at last the chief surgeon was forced reluctantly to admit +that there was nothing left for him to do but provide post-operative +follow-up care for the irascible old man.</p> + +<p>And by the time the examination was over and the Black +Doctor was moved aboard the hospital ship, word had come +through official channels to the <i>Lancet</i> announcing that the +quarantine order had been a dispatcher's unfortunate error, +and directing the ship to return at once to Hospital Earth +with the new contract that had been signed on 31 Brucker +VII. The crewmen of the <i>Lancet</i> had special orders to report +immediately to the medical training council at Hospital<a name="page178" id="page178"></a> +Seattle upon arrival, in order to give their formal General +Practice Patrol reports and to receive their appointments +respectively as Star Physician, Star Diagnostician and Star +Surgeon. The orders were signed with the personal mark of +Hugo Tanner, Physician of the Black Service of Pathology.</p> + +<p>Now the ceremony and celebration in Hospital Seattle +were over, and Dal had another appointment to keep. He +lifted Fuzzy from his elbow and tucked him safely into an +inner jacket pocket to protect him from the crowd in the +station, and moved swiftly through to the subway tubes.</p> + +<p>He had expected to see Black Doctor Arnquist at the +investment ceremonies, but there had been neither sign nor +word from him. Dal tried to reach him after the ceremonies +were over; all he could learn was that the Black Doctor was +unavailable. And then a message had come through to Dal +under the official Hospital Earth headquarters priority, requesting +him to present himself at once at the grand council +building at Hospital Philadelphia for an interview of the +utmost importance.</p> + +<p>He followed the directions on the dispatch now, and +reached the grand council building well ahead of the appointed +time. He followed corridors and rode elevators until +he reached the twenty-second story office suite where he +had been directed to report. The whole building seemed +alive with bustle, as though something of enormous importance +was going on; high-ranking physicians of all the +services were hurrying about, gathering in little groups at +the elevators and talking among themselves in hushed voices. +Even more strange, Dal saw delegation after delegation of +alien creatures moving through the building, some in the +special atmosphere-maintaining devices necessary for their +survival on Earth, some characteristically alone and unaccompanied, +others in the company of great retinues of<a name="page179" id="page179"></a> +underlings. Dal paused in the main concourse of the building +as he saw two such delegations arrive by special car from +the port of Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>"Odd," he said quietly, reaching in to stroke Fuzzy's +head. "Quite a gathering of the clans, eh? What do you +think? Last time I saw a gathering like this was back at +home during one of the centennial conclaves of the Galactic +Confederation."</p> + +<p>On the twenty-second floor, a secretary ushered him into +an inner office. There he found Black Doctor Thorvold +Arnquist, in busy conference with a Blue Doctor, a Green +Doctor and a surgeon. The Black Doctor looked up, and +beamed. "That will be all right now, gentlemen," he said. +"I'll be in touch with you directly."</p> + +<p>He waited until the others had departed. Then he crossed +the room and practically hugged Dal in delight. "It's good +to see you, boy," he said, "and above all, it's good to see +that silver star at last. You and your little pink friend have +done a good job, a far better job than I thought you would +do, I must admit."</p> + +<p>Dal perched Fuzzy on his shoulder. "But what is this +about an interview? Why did you want to see me, and what +are all these people doing here?"</p> + +<p>Dr. Arnquist laughed. "Don't worry," he said. "You won't +have to stay for the council meeting. It will be a long boring +session, I fear. Doubtless every single one of these delegates +at some time in the next few days will be standing up to give +us a three hour oration, and it is my ill fortune as a Four-star +Black Doctor to have to sit and listen and smile through it +all. But in the end, it will be worth it, and I thought that you +should at least know that your name will be mentioned +many times during these sessions."</p> + +<p>"My name?"<a name="page180" id="page180"></a></p> + +<p>"You didn't know that you were a guinea pig, did you?" +the Black Doctor said.</p> + +<p>"I ... I'm afraid I didn't."</p> + +<p>"An unwitting tool, so to speak," the Black Doctor +chuckled. "You know, of course, that the Galactic Confederation +has been delaying and stalling any action on Hospital +Earth's application for full status as one of the Confederation +powers and for a seat on the council. We had fulfilled two +criteria for admission without difficulty—we had resolved +our problems at home so that we were free from war on +our own planet, and we had a talent that is much needed +and badly in demand in the galaxy, a job to do that would +fit into the Confederation's organization. But the Confederation +has always had a third criterion for its membership, +a criterion that Hospital Earth could not so easily prove or +demonstrate."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor smiled. "After all, there could be no +place in a true Confederation of worlds for any one race of +people that considered itself superior to all the rest. No race +can be admitted to the Confederation until its members have +demonstrated that they are capable of tolerance, willing to +accept the members of other races on an equal footing. And +it has always been the nature of Earthmen to be intolerant, +to assume that one who looks strange and behaves differently +must somehow be inferior."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor crossed the room and opened a folder +on the desk. "You can read the details some other time, if +you like. You were selected by the Galactic Confederation +from a thousand possible applicants, to serve as a test case, +to see if a place could be made for you on Hospital Earth. +No one here was told of your position—not even you—although +certain of us suspected the truth. The Confederation +wanted to see if a well-qualified, likeable and intelligent<a name="page181" id="page181"></a> +creature from another world would be accepted and elevated +to equal rank as a physician with Earthmen."</p> + +<p>Dal stared at him. "And I was the one?"</p> + +<p>"You were the one. It was a struggle, all right, but Hospital +Earth has finally satisfied the Confederation. At the +end of this conclave we will be admitted to full membership +and given a permanent seat and vote in the galactic council. +Our probationary period will be over. But enough of that. +What about you? What are your plans? What do you propose +to do now that you have that star on your collar?"</p> + +<p>They talked then about the future. Tiger Martin had been +appointed to the survey crew returning to 31 Brucker VII, +at his own request, while Jack was accepting a temporary +teaching post in the great diagnostic clinic at Hospital Philadelphia. +There were a dozen things that Dal had considered, +but for the moment he wanted only to travel from medical +center to medical center on Hospital Earth, observing and +studying in order to decide how he would best like to use +his abilities and his position as a Physician from Hospital +Earth. "It will be in surgery, of course," he said. "Just +where in surgery, or what kind, I don't know just yet. But +there will be time enough to decide that."</p> + +<p>"Then go along," Dr. Arnquist said, "with my congratulations +and blessing. You have taught us a great deal, and +perhaps you have learned some things at the same time."</p> + +<p>Dal hesitated for a moment. Then he nodded. "I've learned +some things," he said, "but there's still one thing that I want +to do before I go."</p> + +<p>He lifted his little pink friend gently down from his +shoulder and rested him in the crook of his arm. Fuzzy +looked up at him, blinking his shoe-button eyes happily. +"You asked me once to leave Fuzzy with you, and I refused. +I couldn't see then how I could possibly do without him;<a name="page182" id="page182"></a> +even the thought was frightening. But now I think I've +changed my mind."</p> + +<p>He reached out and placed Fuzzy gently in the Black +Doctor's hand. "I want you to keep him," he said. "I don't +think I'll need him any more. I'll miss him, but I think it +would be better if I don't have him now. Be good to him, +and let me visit him once in a while."</p> + +<p>The Black Doctor looked at Dal, and then lifted Fuzzy up +to his own shoulder. For a moment the little creature shivered +as if afraid. Then he blinked twice at Dal, trustingly, and +snuggled in comfortably against the Black Doctor's neck.</p> + +<p>Without a word Dal turned and walked out of the office. +As he stepped down the corridor, he waited fearfully for the +wave of desolation and loneliness he had felt before when +Fuzzy was away from him.</p> + +<p>But there was no hint of those desolate feelings in his +mind now. And after all, he thought, why should there be? +He was not a Garvian any longer. He was a Star Surgeon +from Hospital Earth.</p> + +<p>He smiled as he stepped from the elevator into the main +lobby and crossed through the crowd to the street doors. +He pulled his scarlet cape tightly around his throat. Drawing +himself up to the full height of which he was capable, he +walked out of the building and strode down onto the street.</p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + + +<h3><i>Also by Alan E. Nourse</i></h3> + + +<p class="centre"><span class="smcap">Rocket to Limbo</span></p> + +<p class="centre"><span class="smcap">Scavengers in Space</span></p> + +<hr class="longer" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Star Surgeon, by Alan Nourse + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STAR SURGEON *** + +***** This file should be named 18492-h.htm or 18492-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/4/9/18492/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Annika Feilbach and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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