White, James – Sector General 05 – Sector General

what he wanted done. When he finished, Fletcher looked grave.

“I’m aware of Prilicla’s condition, Doctor,” the Captain said. “Naydrad has been

in and out of the ship so often it is threatening to wear out the boarding tube,

and each time it returns we get an update on the empath’s progress, or rather

lack of it. And there is no need to belabor the point about our respective

responsibilities. Obviously you wish to use the ship for an unauthorized mission

and you are concealing the details so that any blame attached to me as a result

of a future inquiry will be minimal. You are cutting comers again, Doctor, but

in this instance I sympathize and will accept any instructions you care to

give.”

Fletcher broke off, and for the first time in Conway’s ex­perience of the man

the Captain’s cold, impassive, almost dis­dainful expression softened and the

voice lost its irritatingly pedantic quality. “But it is my guess that you will

order me to take Rhabwar to Cinruss,” he went on, “so that our little friend can

die among its own kind.”

Before Conway could reply, Fletcher had switched him to Naydrad on the Casualty

Deck.

Half an hour later the Kelgian Charge Nurse and Conway were transferring

Prilicla, who was barely conscious and trem­bling only slightly by then, from

its supporting harness to a powered litter. In the corridor leading to Lock Nine

none of the medical staff questioned their action, and when any of them looked

as if they might, Conway tapped irritably at the casing of his translator pack

and pretended that it was malfunctioning. But when they were passing the

entrance to the EGCL’s room, Murchison was just leaving it. She stepped quickly

in front of the litter.

“Where are you taking Prilicla?” she demanded. She sounded desperately tired and

uncharacteristically angry, so much so that the empath began to twitch weakly.

“To Rhabwar” Conway said as calmly as he could. “How is the EGCL?”

W»*~~UVIfc—W VTI II

Murchison looked at the empath, then visibly tried to control her feelings as

she replied, “Very well, all things considered. Its condition is stable. There

is a senior nurse continually in attendance. Edanelt is resting next door, only

seconds away if I anything should go wrong, but we don’t expect any problems. In

fact, we are expecting it to recover consciousness fairly soon. And Thornnastor

has returned to Pathology to study the results of the tests we did on Prilicla.

That’s why you shouldn’t be moving Prilicla from — ”

“Thornnastor can’t cure Prilicla,” Conway said firmly. He looked from her to the

litter and went on, “I can use your help. I Do you think you can stay on your

feet for another couple of hours? Please, there isn’t much time.”

Within seconds of the litter’s arrival on Rhabwar’s Casualty Deck, Conway was on

the intercom to Fletcher. “Captain, take us out quickly, please. And ready the

planetary lander.”

“The planetary — ” Fletcher began, then went on, “We hav­en’t undocked yet, much

less reached Jump distance, and you’re worrying about landing on Cinruss! Are

you sure you know what — ”

“I’m not sure of anything, Captain,” Conway said. “Take us out but be prepared

to check velocity at short notice, and well within Jump distance.”

Fletcher broke the connection without replying, and a few seconds later the

direct vision port showed the vast metal flank of the hospital moving away.

Their velocity increased to the maximum allowed in the vicinity of the

establishment, until the nearest section of the gigantic structure was a

kilometer, then two kilometers away. But nobody was interested in the view just

then because all of Conway’s attention was on Prilicla, and Murchison and

Naydrad were watching him.

“Back there,” the pathologist said suddenly, “you said that even Thornnastor

could not cure Prilicla. Why did you say that?”

“Because there was nothing wrong with Prilicla,” Conway said. He ignored

Murchison’s unladylike gape of surprise and Naydrad’s wildly undulating fur and

spoke to the empath. “Isn’t that so, little friend?”

“I think so, friend Conway,” Prilicla said, speaking for the

StO IUM UtlNtMAL 63

first time since coming on board. “Certainly there is nothing wrong with me now.