Thrat thought that the Earth-Human was probablyright, but her whole body was
slippery with perspiration, and much warmer than could be explained by the
temperature of the green, lukewarm water outside her protective suit. Plainly
she was not yet completely reconciled to the ending of her existence.
The voice of the Senior Physician in her suk ‘phones made her twitch in every
limb.
“The transfer team is here,” Cresk-Sar said quietly. “Nothing much is happening
at your end. Can I send them in to move the other patients into OR? It will be a
tight squeeze in there, but they will be able to receive treatment and be
comfortable for a few hours, and you will have One Sixteen all to yourselves.”
“Is the treatment urgent?” O’Mara asked softly.
“No,” Cha Thrat said, answering the question before Cresk-Sar could relay it to
the Charge Nurse. “Just routine observation and recording of vital signs, wound
dressing changes, and administration of supportive medication. Nothing really
urgent.”
“Thank you, Trainee,” Hredlichli said in a tone as corrosive as the atmosphere
it breathed, then went on. “I have been Charge Nurse here for a short time,
Major O’Mara, but I feel that I, too, have the patient’s trust. I would like to
join you.”
“No, to both of you,” the Earth-human said firmly. “I don’t want our friend to
be frightened or unsettled by too many comings and goings within the ward. And
Hredlichli, if your protective suit were to rupture, contact with water is
instantly lethal to a chlorine-breather, as you very well know. With us
oxygen-breathers, we can drown in the stuff if help doesn’t reach us in time,
but it isn’t poisonous or— Uh-oh!”
Patient AUGL-One Sixteen was silent but no longer still. It was rushing at them
like a gigantic, organic tor-pedo, except that torpedoes did not have suddenly
opening mouths.
Frantically they swam apart so as to give the attacking Chalder two targets
instead of one, the theory being that while it was disposing of one the other
might have enough time to make it to the safety of the Nurses’ Station. But this
was planning for a remote contingency, the Earth-human had insisted. O’Mara
would not believe that AUGL-One Sixteen, who was normally so shy and timid and
amenable, was capable of making a lethal attack on anyone.
On this occasion it was right.
The vast jaws snapped shut just before the Chalder swept through the gap that
had opened between them. Then the great body curved upward and over them, dove,
and began swimming around them in tight circles. Turbulence sent them spinning
and twisting like leaves at the center of a whirlpool. Cha Thrat did not know
whether it was circling them in the vertical or horizontal plane, only that it
was so close that she could feel the compression waves every time the jaws
snapped shut, which was frequently. She had never felt so helpless and
disoriented and frightened in all her life.
“Stop this nonsense, Muromeshomon!” she said loudly. “We are here to help you.
Why are you behavinglike this?”
The Chalder slowed but continued to circle them closely. It mouth gaped open and
it said, “You cannot help me, you have said that you are not qualified. Nobody
here can help me. I do not wish to harm you, or anyone else, but I am
frightened. I am in great pain. Sometimes I want to hurt everyone. Stay away
from me or I will hurt you…”
There was a muffled, underwater clang as its tail flicked out and struck her air
tanks a glancing blow,sending her spinning again. An Earth-human hand grasped
one of her waist limbs, steadying her, and she saw that the patient had returned
to its dark corner and was watching them.
“Are you hurt?” O’Mara asked, releasing its grip. “Is your suit ail right?”
“Yes,” Cha Thrat said, and added, “It left very quickly. I’m sure the blow was
accidental.”
The Earth-human did not reply for a few moments, then it said, “You called
Patient One Sixteen by name. I am aware of its name because the hospital
requires this information for possible notification of the next-of-kin, but I
would not consider using its name unless there were very exceptional