White, James – Sector General 05 – Sector General

being used. Now, would either of you agree that the observed emotional radiation

and apparent lack of physical injury could be the result of it being in a

hibernation anesthesia condition?”

Before either of them could reply, Conway added, “Since there is no evidence of

the presence of the power-hungry,

complex refrigeration systems which we associate with sus­pended animation

techniques, just three sets of tubing entering its body, would you also agree

that the life-form is a natural hibernator?”

There was a short silence, then Murchison said, “We are familiar with the idea

of long-term suspended animation being associated with star travel—that used to

be the only way to do it, after all, and the cold-sleeping travelers would

require neither air nor food during their trips. In the case of a life-form with

the ability to go periodically into a state of hibernation for planetary

environmental reasons, a minimal supply of food and air would be required. It is

quite possible that the natural process of hibernation could be artificially

initiated, extended, and counteracted by specific medication and the food

supplied intravenously, as seems to be the case with our friend here.”

“Friend Conway,” Prilicla said, “the survivor’s emotional radiation pattern

agrees in every particular with the hypothesis of hibernation anesthesia.” •

Captain Fletcher was not slow on the uptake. He said, “Very well, Doctor. The

survivor has been in this condition for a very long time, so there is no great

urgency about moving it or the other survivors we might find to the hospital.

But what are your immediate intentions?”

Conway was aware of a multiple, purely subjective silence as the party on the

alien’s hull and the communications officers who were listening in on Rhabwar

and Tyrell held their col­lective breath. He cleared his throat and said, “We

will examine this section of space station, if that is what it is, as closely as

possible without entering it, and simultaneously make as de­tailed a visual

examination of the survivor as we can using the Eye, and then we will all try to

think.”

He had the feeling, very strong and not at all pleasant to judge by the

trembling of Prilicla’s spidery limbs, that this was not going to be an easy

rescue.

For a little over three hours, the duration remaining to their lightweight

suits, they did nothing but think as they examined the exterior of the wreck and

what little they could see of its occupant, slowly adding data which might or

might not be important. But they thought as individuals, increasingly baffled

individuals, so that it was not until they met on Rhabwar’s Messdeck and

recreation level that they were able to think as an equally baffled group.

Tyrett was represented by its Captain, Major Nelson, .and Surgeon-Lieutenant

Krach-Yul, while Major Fletcher and the astrogation officer, Lieutenant Dodds,

furnished the required military balance for Rhabwar. Murchison, Prilicla,

Naydrad, and Conway—who were, after all, mere civilians—filled the remainder of

the deck space with the exception of the empath, who was clinging to the safety

of the ceiling.

It was Prilicla, knowing that nobody else felt ready to con­tribute any useful

ideas, who spoke first.

“I feel that we are all agreed,” it said in the musical trills and clicks of the

Cinrusskin tongue, which emanated from their translator packs as faultless if

somewhat toneless speech in the languages of Kelgia, Orligia, and Earth, “that

the being is in a state of suspended animation, that there is a high probability

that it is not a patient but a survivor who should be returned to its home world

as soon as convenient if this planet can be found, and that the need to move it

is not an urgent one.”

Lieutenant Dodds looked at Fletcher for permission to speak, then said, “It

depends on what you mean by urgent, Doctor. I ran a vectors and velocities check

on this and the other pieces of wreckage within detector range. These bits of

alien vessel or space station occupied roughly the same volume of space

approximately eighty-seven years ago, which is when the dis­aster must have

occurred. If it was a ship I don’t think it was heading for the nearby sun since