White, James – Sector General 07 – Code Blue Emergency

furniture, wall decorations, or clothing.

So far, Fletcher reported, the ship’s interior seemed incredibly spartan and

utilitarian, and it was beginning to worry about the kind of people who would

build and crew such a vessel.

At the top of the next ramp, in another section ofcorridor that was

gravity-free, they saw one of them. It was hanging weightless, spinning slowly

and occasionally bumping against the ceiling.

“Careful!” Fletcher warned as Cha Thrat moved forward for a closer look. But

there was no danger because she could recognize a cadaver when she saw one,

regardless of its species. A hand placed on its thick, heavily veined neck

confirmed the absence of a pulse and a body temperature that was much too low

for a warm-blooded oxygen-breather who was alive.

The Captain joined her and said, “This is a big one, almost twice the mass of a

Tralthan, physiological classification FGHI…”

“FGHJ,” Cha Thrat corrected.

Fletcher broke off and took a deep breath, which it expelled slowly through its

nose. When it spoke she could not be sure whether the Captain was being what

Earth-humans called sarcastic, or simply asking a question of a subordinate who

appeared to have more knowledge in a particular area than it had.

“Technician,” it said, laying heavy emphasis on the first word, “would you like

to take over?”

“Yes,” she said eagerly, and went on. “It has six limbs, four legs and two arms,

all very heavily muscled, and is hairless except for a narrow band of stiff

bristles running from the top of the head along the spine to the tail, which

seems to have been surgically shortened at an early age. The body configuration

is a thick cylinder of uniform girth between the fore and rear legs but the

forward torso narrows toward the shoulders and is carried erect. The neck is

very thick and the head small. There are two eyes, recessed and looking forward,

a mouth with very large teeth, and other openings that are probably aural or

olfactory sense organs. The legs…”

“Friend Fletcher,” Prilicla broke in gently. “Wouldyou please switch on your

vision pickup and spotlight, and hold them very steady? We want to see what Cha

Thrat is describing.”

Suddenly every surface detail of the dead FGHJ was illuminated by a light even

more intense than that of thecorridor.

“You won’t see a good picture,” the Captain said. “The shielding effects of the

ship’s hull will cause foggingand distortion.”

“That is understood,” the empath said. “Friend Nay-drad is preparing the large

pressure litter. We will be with you very soon. Please continue, Cha Thrat.”

“The legs terminate in large, reddish-brown hooves,” she went on, “three of

which are covered by thick, heavily padded bags fastened tightly at the tops,

possibly to deaden the sound their feet make on the metal deck. Cylinders of

metal, padded on the inner surfaces, encircle all four legs just below

knee-level, with short lengths of chain attached to them. The links at the end

of the chains have been broken or forced apart.

“The creature’s hands are large, with four digits,” she continued, “and do not

appear particularly dexterous. There is a complicated harness suspended from and

belted around the upper torso and flanks. Pouches of different sizes are

attached to the harness. One of them is open and there are small tools scattered

around thebody.”

“Technician,” the Captain said, “remain here until the medic team arrives, then

follow us. We’re supposed to find and help the live ones and—”

“No!” Cha Thrat said without thinking. Then apologetically she added, “I’m

sorry, Captain. I mean, be verycareful.”

Chen was already moving down the corridor, but the Captain checked itself as it

was about to follow.

“I am always careful, Technician,” it said quietly, “but why do you think I

should be very careful?”

“I do not have a reason,” she said, with three of her eyes on the cadaver and

one on the Earth-human, “only a suspicion. On Sommaradva there are certain

people, warriors as well as serviles, who behave badly and without honor toward

their fellow citizens and, on rare occasions, grievously injure or kill them.

These lawbreakers are confined on an island from which there is no escape. On