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seemed relatively normal. Unlike the patient, however, whose fur appeared duller
and to have less color variation, the cadavers of both sexes had applied a
water-soluble dye that enhanced artificially the bands of color on their body
fur, which otherwise would have been of the same intensity as those of the
patient. Clearly the dyes were applied for cosmetic reasons. But why the
patient, who was female, had not used dye on its fur was something unclear to
Murchison.
One reason might be that the survivor was not yet fully mature and there
was some cultural reason why a preadolescent of the species did not use or was
forbidden to use cosmetics. Or it might be that the patient was mature and
small, or of a race within the species that did not believe in painting its fur.
An equally valid reason might be that the disaster had occurred before it had a
chance to apply cosmetics. The only substance at all resembling cosmetic
material had been the few pieces of flaking brownish pigment adhering to the
patient s bare patch above its tail, and that material had been removed during
pre-op procedure. The action of its friends, or possibly its family, in placing
the survivor in an airtight cabinet just before the collision led Murchison to
believe that it was a young and probably preadolescent female, rather than a
small mature female.
The Federation had yet to encounter an intelligent species in which the
adults would not sacrifice themselves to save their young.
While they were busying themselves with the one living and three dead
aliens, Prilicla returned from the lock from time to time to report negatively
on the search for other survivors-and similarly on the one they had rescued,
whose condition, according to the empath s reading, was still deteriorating.
Conway waited until Prilida had been called to the airlock once again, not
wanting to inconvenience the Cinrusskin with what could well be a flood of
unpleasant emotional radiation; then he called Fletcher in Control.
 Captain, I have to make a decision and I need your advice, Conway said.
 We have completed running repairs on our survivor, so far as the superficial
injuries are concerned, but there is decompression damage to the lungs, which
requires urgent hospitalization. As an interim measure, we have it on an
enriched-oxygen-content air supply. Despite this, its condition is
deteriorating, not rapidly but steadily. What, in your opinion, are the chances
of picking up other survivors if we are to remain in this area for another four
hours?
 Virtually nil, Doctor, the Captain replied.
 I see. Conway had expected the answer to be much more complicated and
hedged with probability computations and verbal qualifiers. He felt both
relieved and worried.
 You must understand, Doctor, Fletcher went on,  that the first three
pieces of wreckage investigated offered the greatest possibilities of finding
survivors, and since then, the likelihood of finding one has diminished sharply,
as have the sizes of the collections of debris with every piece we look at.
Unless you believe in miracles, Doctor, we are wasting our time here.
 I see, said Conway.
 If it will help you reach a decision, Doctor, the Captain went on,  I
can tell you that subspace radio conditions are very good out here, and we have
already made two-way contact with the survey and Cultural Contact cruiser
Descartes, which I am required to do when evidence of a new intelligent species
is discovered. As a matter of urgency the Descartes will investigate this
wreckage with a view to obtaining all available data on the new species, and by
analyzing the velocities and directions of those species, will roughly establish
the alien ship s point of departure and its destination. There are relatively
few stars out here, so they should locate the home planet and star system fairly
easily, because they are specialists at that job. Quite possibly, communications
will be established with the aliens within a few weeks, perhaps sooner. As well,
the Descartes carries two planetary landers, which in space double as close-
range search and rescue vessels. They won t have Prilicla on board, naturally,
but those ships could cover the remaining wreckage much faster than we could,
Doctor.
 When will the Descartes arrive? Conway asked.
 Allowing for multiple Jump effects on the astrogation, said Fletcher,
 four to five hours.
Conway made no attempt to hide his relief.  Right. If there are no
survivors on the next piece of wreckage, let s head for home at once, Captain.
He paused for a moment, looking at the survivor and the bodies of its friends
who had not made it, then at Murchison.  If they find the home world and make
contact quickly, will you ask the Descartes to request medical assistance for
our friend here? Ask for a volunteer native medic to travel to Sector General to
assist or, if necessary, to take charge of the treatment. In cases involving
completely new life-forms we can t afford to be proud. .
He was also thinking that the native medic might, when it felt more at
ease with the multiplicity of life-forms inhabiting the hospital, be agreeable
to providing an Educator tape on its people so that the hospital staff would
know exactly what they were doing if, on some future occasion, another member of
its species became a patient.
* * *
 Identify yourself, please. Visitor, staff or patient, and species? came a
toneless translated voice from Reception a few minutes after they had emerged
into normal space. The hospital was still little more than a large blurred star
against a background of smaller, brighter ones.  If you are unsure of, or are [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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