James White - SG 12 - The Final Diagnosis

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Final Diagnosis.htm
Final Diagnosis V1.0
James White
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
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Final Diagnosis.htm
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 1
The ship's Orligian medical officer did not speak as it escorted him into and along
the boarding tube to the hospital entry point, and that was the way Hewlitt wanted
it. He did not like extraterrestrials and, on the few occasions when it was
necessary, he preferred to discuss his business with them on a long-range
communicator that was not fitted with a viewscreen. He did not like this one
because the brownish-grey spikes of fur projecting through the gaps in its body
covering twitched from time to time, making him itch at the thought of the
parasites that might be infesting the creature. He felt a great relief when they left
the narrow tube and entered the reception area beyond, because he was able to
move farther away from the hairy, unprepossessing entity
Another extraterrestrial of a type he had never seen before was standing beside an
antigravity litter and obviously awaiting their arrival. This one was very large,
heavily built, and supported by six thick tentacles, one of which was encircled by
a band bearing what was presumably the insignia of rank or identity of the wearer.
It wore no other body covering and he was relieved to see that it was hairless,
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although its personal hygiene was suspect since there were several patches of what
looked like dry, flaking paint on the smooth skin of its flanks. He could see two
lidless, recessed eyes covered by a hard, transparent material, but no other features
apart from a fleshy membrane growing like a cock's comb from the top of its head,
and whose purpose was revealed as an organ of speech when the creature moved
closer and vibrated it at him
"I am awaiting the arrival of a DBDG patient," it said. "You are plainly an Earth-
human of the DBDG physiological classification, but you do not appear to be
traumatized or displaying any lesser form of distress. Perhaps I have made a
mistake and you are not—”
"No mistake, Nurse," said the Orligian, breaking in. "I am Surgeon-Lieutenant
Turragh-Mar, of the Monitor Corps supply vessel Treevendar, which was
requested to convey this patient from its home world to Sector General. But now I
must return to my ship without delay. This is Patient Hewlitt, and these are its case
notes.”
"Thank you, Doctor," said the nurse, accepting the tape and slipping it into a
recess on the litter's control panel. "Is there any more recent clinical information
that the physician-in-charge should know about?”
Turragh-Mar hesitated, then said, "There has been no change in the patient's
clinical condition since it was transferred from the planetary hospital to
Treevendar six days ago. It remained as you see it now, apparently in good health.
During that time I formed the opinion that, in spite of its long and complicated
case history, there is a psychological component to the patient's problem.”
"I understand, Doctor," said the nurse. "But Patient Hewlitt can be assured that,
however complicated its problem may turn out to be, we will do our best to solve
it.”
Turragh-Mar gave a short bark that came through its translator only as a short
bark. It added, "I wish you luck.”
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"Patient Hewlitt," said the nurse as the Orligian disappeared into the boarding
tube, "please climb onto the litter and make yourself comfortable. I am taking you
to Ward Seven on the twenty-ninth level, where you will— "I am not climbing
into anything!" said Hewlitt, anger and uncertainty and an instinctive dislike of
this monstrous creature making his voice louder than he had intended. "There is
nothing wrong with me right now, especially with my legs. I shall walk.”
"Please believe me, sir," said the nurse, "you will feel much more comfortable in
the litter.”
"I would be much more comfortable," he replied, "if you would not talk about me
as if I was a, a thing. On the way here that hairy Orligian apology for a doctor did
it when speaking to other ship's officers, and within seconds of my arrival you
were doing it, too. I am a human being, a 'he' or a 'him,' not an 'it.' You will kindly
remember that in the future, Nurse.”
For a long moment the other neither moved nor spoke. Then it said, "I know that
you are human, just as all members of intelligent species think of themselves as
being human. From my lectures on other-species anatomy I recognize you as an
adult male of the DBDG Earth-human classification, but I must continue to refer
to you as an 'it' unless some future clinical condition involving the reproductive
organs or associated endocrinology requires me to be specific regarding your
gender
"Unfortunately," the nurse went on, "the identification of an entity's sex is not
always as easy as it is in your case, especially among beings like myself, who are
able to change sex several times within a life span, or with species who require
more than two sexes for procreation. But it is a sensitive area, Patient Hewlitt, and
often a wrong identification can be irritating or even, among some species, grossly
insulting to the being wrongly identified. I believe that it will feel more
comfortable and natural for you to think of me and any other being who is not of
your own species as an 'it,' just as we do with you. Now will you please board the
litter.”
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"Is your species hard of hearing, Nurse?" he said very loudly. "I said that I would
walk.”
The other did not speak, but it leaned backward slightly so that its enormous
weight was balanced on the middle and rear tentacles. The two forelimbs uncurled
suddenly, and before he could react, one had wrapped itself around his waist while
the other pinioned his legs together at knee level while he was swung high into the
air and deposited gently onto the litter. Their grip was firm but not uncomfortable,
and he did not try to break free, because the tentacles felt hard, like warm, flexible
metal, and immensely strong.
During the brief moment that he was airborne, Hewlitt saw that the limbs
encircling him could act as both arms or legs. On the back of each one there was a
roughened knuckle on which the creature walked while the more delicate
extremity that divided into fingers was curled upward and inward away from the
ground. Then the litter's padded body restraints swung inward to immobilize his
upper legs, the vehicle's transparent canopy rose from each side but did not close
at the top, and a hinged backrest unfolded until he was sitting upright. At least he
was being allowed to hear as well as see whatever was going on around him
Remembering the many previous litter rides in Earth hospitals, when there had
been nothing to look at but a boring succession of white corridor ceilings and strip
lighting fixtures, he appreciated that
"Whether they are patients or staff," said the nurse, making no mention of the way
it had just manhandled, or something-handled, him, "newcomers usually find
traveling the corridors of Sector General on foot to be an intimidating experience
at first. You may consider yourself fortunate that as a patient you are not allowed
to walk.”
"But I am able to walk!" Hewlitt protested as the litter was guided smoothly
toward the corridor exit
"Most of our incoming patients," said the other, "are in no condition to walk, talk,
look around them, or argue with their nurse. It is a general rule that cannot be
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