were placed palms down on its desktop, and said quietly, “It’s nice to know that
I would rate the top level of the Sommaradvan medical profession, but I’m not
sure that I like being called a wizard.” It looked up suddenly. “What happens if
one of your warriors or rulers gets a simple tummyache, instead of a traumatic
injury or an emotional problem? Or if a servile should accidentally break a leg?
Or what if a ser-vile or a warrior is dissatisfied and wants to better itself?”
“The Cultural Contact people sent you a full report onall this,” Chiang broke
in, “as background material on the new medic.” Apologetically it added, “The
decision to send Cha Thrat was taken at the last moment, and possibly the report
arrived with us on Thromasaggar,”
O’Mara exhaled loudly, and she wondered if it was an expression of irritation at
the interruption, then said, “And the hospital’s internal mail system operates
at a speed considerably less than that of light. Please go on,Cha Thrat.”^”In
the highly unlikely event of a servile having such an accident,” she said, “a
request for treatment would be made to a warrior-surgeon who, depending on
assessment of the injuries, would or would not agree to do the work.
Responsibility for a patient is not taken lightly on Sommaradva, as is shown by
the delay in treating Chiang, and the loss of a life, an organ, or a limb has
serious repercussions for the surgeon.
“Should a warrior or ruler require simple medical attention,” she continued, ‘”a
servile-healer would be instructed, and would indeed be honored, to provide
thenecessary assistance.
“If a discontented servile or warrior is able as well as ambitious,” she went
on, “elevation to a higher level is possible. But the examinations are
wide-ranging and difficult, and it is much easier to remain at the level
traditionally occupied by the family or tribe or, if a release from problems and
responsibilities is desired, to go down a level. Promotions, even minor
promotions within a level, are not easy on Sommaradva.”
“Nor are they easy here,” O’Mara said. “But why did you come to Sector General?
Ambition, curiosity, or a release from problems at home?”
This was an important question, Cha Thrat knew, and the quality and accuracy of
the answer would have an important bearing on whether or not she was accepted by
the hospital. She tried to frame the answer so that it would be accurate,
truthful, and brief, but before she could reply the ship ruler was talking
again.
“We were grateful to Cha Thrat for saving my life,” Chiang said, speaking very
quickly, “and we told her colleagues and superiors so in no uncertain language.
The subject of treatment by other-species medics came up, and Sector General,
where it was the rule rather than the exception. It was suggested to us, and we
agreed, that Cha Thrat should come here. The Sommaradvan cultural contact is
going very well and we didn’t want to risk offending, perhaps insulting, them by
refusing.
“I realize that we bypassed the normal candidate selection procedure,” it
continued. “But her already-proven ability to perform other-species surgery, on-
me, made us sure that you would be interested in—”
O’Mara was holding up one hand, and it had not taken its attention from Cha
Thrat while the other Earth-human had been speaking. It said, “Is this a
political appointment, then, which we must accept whether we like it or not? But
the original question remains. Why did you want to come here?”
“I didn’t want to come here,” she replied. “I was sent.”
Chiang covered its eyes suddenly with one hand, a gesture she had never seen it
make before. O’Mara looked at her for a moment, then said, “Explain.”
“When the warriors of the Monitor Corps told us of the many different
intelligent species who make up the Galactic Federation,” she replied, “and
talked to me at great length about Sector General, where I could meet and work
with many of these life-forms, I was curious and interested, but much too
frightened by the prospect of meeting not one but nearly seventy different
species to risk undergoing an experience that might give me a ruler’s disease. I