White, James – Sector General 05 – Sector General

sutures, and assisting the patient’s breathing by applying positive pressure

ventilation to the remaining undamaged lung, there had been very little that

they could do. Certainly there was no way of treating the brain damage aboard

Rhabwar, and their efforts at charting the extent of that damage had resulted in

conflicting indications from the biosensors and Doctor Prilicla’s empathic

faculty. The sensor indications were that cerebral activity had virtually

ceased, while the little empath insisted, insofar as the timid, shy,

self-effacing Prilicla could insist, otherwise.

“No physical movement and no change in the clinical picture since you left,”

Murchison said quietly, anticipating his question. She added, “I’m not at all

happy about this.”

“And I am far from happy, Doctor,” the Charge Nurse joined in its fur twitching

and rippling as if it was standing in a strong wind. “In my opinion the being is

dead and we are simply insuring that Thornnastor receives a fresher than usual

specimen to take apart.

“Doctor Prilicla,” the Kelgian went on, “is often guilty of saying things which

are not completely accurate just so long as they make the people around it

happy, and the predominant radiation it detected from the patient was of pain.

The feeling was so intense, you will remember, that Prilicla asked to be excused

as soon as the operation was completed. In my opinion. Doctor, this patient is

no longer capable of cerebration but it is, judging by Prilicla’s response,

suffering intense pain. Surely your course is clear?”

“Naydrad!” Conway began angrily, then stopped. Murchi-son and the Charge Nurse

had expressed exactly the same sentiments. The difference was that the Kelgian,

in common with the rest of its species, was incapable of using tact.

Conway stared for a moment at the two-meters-long, cat­erpillar like life-form

whose coat of silvery fur was in constant, rippling motion. This motion was

completely involuntary among Kelgians, triggered by their reactions to external

and internal stimuli, and the emotionally expressive fur complemented the vocal

apparatus which lacked flexibility of tone. But the pat­terns of movement in the

fur made it plain to any Kelgian what another felt about the subject under

discussion, so that they always said exactly what they meant. The concepts of

diplo­macy, tact, and lying were therefore completely alien to them. Conway

sighed.

He tried to conceal his own doubts about the case by saying firmly, “Thomnastor

much prefers putting together a live spec-iment than taking apart a dead one.

As. well, on a number of occasions Prilicla’s empathy has proved more

trustworthy than medical instrumentation, so we cannot be absolutely sure that

this case is hopeless. In any event, until we reach the hospital its treatment

is my responsibility.

“Let’s not become too emotionally involved with this pa­tient,” he added. “It is

unprofessional and not like either of you.”

Naydrad, its fur twitching angrily, made a sound which did not register on

Conway’s translator, and Murchison said, “You’re right, of course. We’ve seen

much worse cases and I don’t know why I feel so badly about this one. Maybe I’m

just growing old.”

“The onset of senility could be one explanation for such uncharacteristic

behavior,” the Kelgian said, “although this is not so in my case.”

Murchison’s face reddened. “The Charge Nurse is allowed

to say things like that but you, Doctor, had better not agree with it,” she said

crossly.

Conway laughed suddenly. “Relax. I wouldn’t dream of agreeing with such a

blatantly obvious misstatement,” he said. “And now, if you have everything you

think Thorny will need on our friend here, both of you get some rest. Emergence

is in six hours. If you can’t sleep, please try not to worry too much about the

casualty or it will bother Prilicla.”

Murchison nodded and followed Naydrad from the Casualty Deck. Conway, still

feeling more like a not very well patient than a medic in charge, set the

audible warning which would signal any change in the EGCL’s condition, lay down

on a nearby litter, and closed his eyes.

Neither the Earth-human DBDG or the Kelgian DBLF clas­sifications were noted for

their ability to exercise full control over their mentation, and it was soon

obvious that Murchison and Naydrad had been worrying and, in the process,