White, James – Sector General 07 – Code Blue Emergency

detached vegetation eddying its wake.

O’Mara made a sound that did not translate, then said, “Who is the patient, and

why was trainee Cha Thrat called?”

“It is the long-stay patient, AUGL-One Sixteen,” the Melfan nurse replied. “Just

before it became violent it was calling for the new nurse, Cha Thrat. When I

told the patient that the Sommaradvan would be absent for a few days, it stopped

communicating and has not spoken to us since, even though its translator is

still in position and working. That is why the trainee’s name was included when

I called in the Code Blue.”

“Interesting,” the Earth-human said, turning its atten-lion to Cha Thrat. “Why

did it want you especially, and why should it start taking the ward apart when

you weren’t available? Have you established a special relationship with AUGL-One

Sixteen?”

Before she could reply, the Nidian said urgently, “Can the psychological

ramifications wait, Major? My immediate concern is for the safety of the ward

patients and staff. Pathology will give us a fast-acting anesthetic and a dart

gun to pacify the patient, and then-you can—”

“A dart gun!” one of the Kelgians said, its fur rippling in scorn. “Senior

Physician, you are forgetting that your dart has to travel through water, which

will slow it down, and then penetrate that organic suit of armor One Sixteen

wears! The only sure way of placing the dart effectively would be to shoot it

into the soft tissues of the inner mouth. To place it accurately, the person

using the gun would have to be very close and might find itself following the

dart into the open mouth, with immediately fatal results. 1 am not

volunteering!”

Before Cresk-Sar could reply, Cha Thrat turned to the Senior Physician and said,

“If you will explain what exactly it is that I must do, I shall volunteer for

this duty.”

“You lack the training and experience to—” began the Nidian, and broke off as

O’Mara held up its hand for silence.

“Of course you will volunteer,” O’Mara said quietly. “But why, Cha Thrat? Are

you exceptionally brave? Are you naturally stupid? Do you have an urge to commit

suicide? Or are you, perhaps, feeling a measure of responsibility and guilt?”

“Major O’Mara,” Hredlichli said firmly, “this is not the time for apportioning

responsibility or undertaking deep analysis. What is to be done about Patient

One Sixteen? And my other patients?”

“You’re right, Charge Nurse,” O’Mara said. “I shalldo it my way, by attempting

to pacify and reason with One Sixteen. I’ve spoken to it many times, enough for

it to tell me apart from other Earth-humans if I wear this lightweight suit.

While I’m working with it I may also need to talk to Cha Thrat, so stay by the

communicator, trainee.”

“No need, I’ll go with you,” Cha Thrat said firmly. Silently she began the

mental and moral exercises that were supposed to help reconcile her to an

untimely ending of her life.

“And I,” O’Mara said, making another sound that did not translate, “will be too

busy with our demented friend to stop you. Come along, then.”

“But it is only a trainee, O’Mara!” Cresk-Sar protested. “And in a lightweight

suit it might recognize you, all right, as a convenient piece of plastic-wrapped

meat. This life-form is omnivorous and until recently they—”

“Cresk-Sar,” the Earth-human said, as it swam toward the entrance. “Are you

trying to worry me?”

“Oh, very well,” the Nidian said. “But I, too, shall do things my way, in case

you can’t talk yourselves through this problem. Charge Nurse, signal immediately

for a four-unit patient transfer team with heavy-duty suits, dart guns, and

physical restraints suitable for a fully conscious and uncooperative AUGL…”

The tutor was still talking as Cha Thrat swam into the ward behind O’Mara.

For what seemed a very long time they hung silent and motionless in the middle

of the ward, watched by an equally still and silent patient from the cover of a

patch of torn artificial greenery. O’Mara had told her that they should not do

anything that One Sixteen might construe as a threat, that they must therefore

appear defenseless before it, and that the first move was up to the patient. Cha