containers of different colors and sizes with funnellike dispensers at one end.
There are wastebins holding empties, and some of the full and empty containers
have spilled out into the corridor.”
“May I have samples, please,” Murchison said quickly, “of both.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the Captain replied. “Considering the starved condition of the
survivors they are more likely to contain paint or lubricant than food. But I
expect you have to eliminate all possibilities, like me. I am moving toward the
next—Oh!”
Conway opened his mouth to ask what was happening but the Captain forestalled
him.
“I switched on the lighting for this section and found two more casualties,” he
reported. “One is a DCMH, one of the medium-sized ones, which was crushed by a
buckled structural member and certainly dead. The other is the small, DCLG
life-form, with one amputation wound, not moving. I’m fairly sure that it’s
dead, too. This is the section of the ship which fell across the outcropping
when she tipped over.
“The internal structure is badly deformed,” he went on, “with sprung deck and
wall plating all over the place. There are also two large, wall-mounted
cylinders which seem to have
been the reservoir for a hydraulic actuator system. Both have been ruptured and
their connecting lines fractured, and there is a faint fog surrounding them as
if some of the contents remains and is evaporating.
“Ahead the corridor is partly blocked by wreckage,” he continued. “I can move it
but there will be a lot of noise, so don’t—”
“Captain,” Conway broke in. “Can you please bring us the DCLG and a sample of
the hydraulic fluid with the other samples as soon as you can.” To Murchison he
added, “I’d like to know if the lung damage is associated with that leakage. It
would eliminate another possibility.”
Fletcher sounded irritated at having to break off his investigation of the
ship. He said shortly, “They’ll be outside your hold entrance in ten minutes,
Doctor.”
By the time Conway had retrieved the samples the Captain had already returned to
the midships section, but once again his investigation was interrupted, this
time by Lieutenant Dodds.
“The lander is ready to leave, sir,” the Astrogator said. There was a certain
hesitancy in his voice as he went on, “I’m afraid there will be time for only
one round trip before sunset, so would the Doctor and you decide which
casualties should be lifted and which left there for retrieval tomorrow? With
you three and Haslam on board just over half of the remaining casualties can be
lifted, less if you bring up all portable equipment.”
“I’m not leaving unattended casualties down here,” Conway said firmly. “The drop
in temperature and the sandstorms would probably finish them!”
“Maybe not,” Murchison said thoughtfully. “If we have to leave some of them, and
it seems we’ve no choice, we could cover them with sand. They have a high body
temperature, the sand is a good insulator, and they are already sealed up with a
self-contained oxygen supply.”
“I’ve heard of doctors burying their mistakes,” Conway began dryly, but Dodds
broke in again.
“Sorry, there is a problem there, Ma’am,” he said. “There 316 four large thorn
patches moving toward the wreck. Slowly, af course, but we estimate their
arrival just before midnight. According to my information the thorns are
omnivorous and
trap mobile prey by slowly encircling it, often at a distance, and allowing the
animal to scratch itself on the thorns. These secrete a poison which is
paralyzing or lethal, depending on the size of the prey and number of scratches.
When the prey is immobilized the thorn clump inserts its roots and removes
whatever nutrient material there is available.
“I don’t think your buried casualties,” he added grimly, “would survive till
morning.”
Murchison swore in very unladylike fashion, and Conway said, “We could move them
into the hold here and seal the hatch. We would need heaters and a medical
monitor arid— I’m still not happy about leaving them unattended.”
“Obviously this is something which will have to be carefully considered,
Doctor,” the Captain said. “Your casualties wilf not only have to be attended,
they may have to be defended as well. Dodds, how long can you delay the launch?”