hanging that vile stuff?”
J “Most of the morning, Charge Nurse,” Cha Thrat re-•plifed politely.
t She did not want to get into an argument with the chilorine-breather, and it
seemed as if one were about to stiirt. She wondered if it was possible to
forestall it by doing all the talking herself on a subject that Hredlichii could
not argue about, the improved comfort of its patients.
“The reason for it taking so long to install, Charge Nurse,” she said quickly,
“is that this vegetation isn’t the usual plastic reproduction. I’ve been told
that it has just arrived from Chalderescol, that it is a native underwater
plant-form, very hardy and requiring the minimum of at-tention, and that it
releases a pleasant, waterborne aroma that is said to be psychologically
beneficial to the recuperating patient.
“Maintenance will periodically check its growth and genera! health,” she went on
before the chlorine-breather could respond, “and supply the nutrient material.
But the patients could be given the job of caring for it, as something
interesting to do to relieve their b<5redom, and to leave the nurses free to attend—" "Cha Thrat," Hredlichli broke in sharply, "are you telling me how I should run my ward?" "No," she replied, wishing not for the first time that her mouth did not run so far ahead of her mind. "I apologize, Charge Nurse. I no longer have responsibility for any aspect of patient care, and I did not wish to imply that I did. While I am here I shall not even talk to a patient." Hredlichli made an untranslatable sound, then said, "You'll talk to one patient, at least. That is why I asked Timmins to send you here today. Your friend, AUGL-One Sixteen, is going home, and I thought you might want to wish it well—everybody else in the ward seems to be doing so. Leave that disgusting mess you're working on and finish it later." Cha Thrat could not speak for a moment. Since the transfer to Maintenance she had lost contact with her Chalder friend, and knew only that it was still on the hospital's list of patients under treatment. The most she had hoped for today, and it had been a pretty forlorn hope, was that Hredlichli would allow her a few words with the patient while she was working. But this was completely unexpected. "Thank you, Charge Nurse," she said finally. "This is most considerate of you." The chlorine-breather made another untranslatablenoise. It said, "Since I was appointed Charge Nurse here I've been agitating to have this antiquated underwater dungeon redecorated, reequipped, and converted into something resembling a proper ward. Thanks to you that is now being done, and once I recovered from the initial trauma of having my ward wrecked, I decided that I owed you one. "Even so," it added, "I shall not suffer terminal mental anguish if I don't see you again after today." AUGL-One Sixteen had already been inserted into its transfer tank and only the hatch above its head remained to be sealed, after which it would be moved through the lock in the outer hull and across to the waiting Chalder ship. A group comprised of well-wishing nurses, visibly impatient transfer team members, and the Earth-human O'Mara hung around the opening like a shoal of ungainly fish, but the loud, bubbling sounds from the tank's water-purifying equipment made it difficult to hear what was being said. As she approached, the Chief Psychologist waved the others back. "Keep it short, Cha Thrat, the team is behind schedule," O'Mara said, turning away and leaving her alone with the ex-patient. For what seemed a long time she looked at the one enormous eye and the great teeth in the part of its head visible through the open seal, and the words she wanted to speak would not come. Finally she said, "That looks like a very small tank, are you comfortable in there?" "Quite comfortable, Cha Thrat," the Chalder replied. "Actually, it isn't much smaller than my accommodation on the ship. But that constriction will be temporary, soon I'll have a planetary ocean to swim in. "And before you ask," the AUGL went on, "I am feeling fine, really well, in