The Battle for Terra Two by Stephen Ames Berry

Author:Stephen Ames Berry
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780812531916
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 1986-11-15T04:02:14.797000+00:00

12

"How's he doing, Q'Nil?"

The words drifted distantly, touching and slowly stirring his consciousness. K'Ronarin, he thought. Bluff, gruff. D'Trelna.

McShane opened his eyes.

"He's coming around now, Commodore."

D'Trelna stood at the foot of the bed, round face concerned. Beside him, thin and detached, Medtech Q'Nil was checking life readings off the unit's medscan. The three were alone in a small, cheery room, walls done in warm earth tones with matching bed coverlet.

"I didn't die," said Bob hoarsely.

"Close," said Q'Nil. Stepping around the bed he poured water from a carafe into a disposable cup, handing it to McShane.

Nodding his thanks, the professor downed it in two loud gulps. "How long have I been out?"

"Two weeks," said D'Trelna as S'Nil took the cup, tossing it into the disposer with an economical flip of his wrist.

"You took a blaster bolt through the chest," said Q'Nil. "Plus shock and some complications. Otherwise, you'd have been up sooner.''

Bob pulled open the front of his green bed gown. A patch of curly gray chest hair was missing, but the skin was smooth and seamless. "What complications?"

"A nasty viral infection," said Q'Nil. "Surely you're aware of it?"

"I have cancer," said Bob evenly. "Is that what you mean?"

"Whatever you call it," said Q'Nil. "We flushed it— took a few days. Very elusive, very adept at hiding from the immuno system. Altering one of its proteins, though, strips its camouflage. We introduced an antigen that did that, then kept you under while your body cleaned up."

Barefeet slapping onto the cold gray deck, McShane was out of the bed, gripping a surprised Q'Nil. "My God, man! You can cure cancer?"

"If we couldn't, you wouldn't be bruising my arm, Professor."

"Sorry," he said, letting go. "It's just that I expected to wake up dead, as my granddaughter says."

"Nothing wrong with your right hand," said Q'Nil, rubbing his left tricep. "How's the rest of you feel?"

"Great. Wonderful!" Vibrant, his voice filled the room. "Better than I have in months." He threw his arms above his head, then bent to touch his toes. "I couldn't have done that a few weeks ago.

"Are there side effects?"

Q'Nil nodded somberly.

"What?" asked Bob, voice suddenly tight.

"You may experience some flatulence."

"That's it?"

"That's it," said Q'Nil. "Now, if you'll excuse me, others await my healing touch." He left, the door hissing shut after him.

Bob sat down on the edge of the bed—sat down hard and was silent for a moment. "I'm alive and others are not," he said finally, studying the backs of his hands. "Is it because we're friends, J'Quel?"

"You are alive. Others are alive," said D'Trelna. "Not because we're friends, but because the Fleet of the Republic has extended aid and comfort to all casualties of the battle of the portal."

McShane smiled ruefully. "Sorry, J'Quel. I'm a pious old coot."

"You're not that old."

"You are going to release this discovery to Terra?"

"Sent it down to Liaison in New York five days ago," said D'Trelna. "They've forwarded it to all accredited Terran legations."

Bob shook his head. "There's a bloated medical bureaucracy with a vested interest in not having this released.

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