Star Surgeon

lanation is in order. I would now like to hear it. And believe m

ke a boiler about to explode; now he faced the patrol ship's crew like a small but ominous black thundercloud. Across the room, Jack Alvarez was staring through the viewscreen at the blizzard howling across the la

on came out of the operating room that he was in trouble. It was just a matter of time before he would have to a

l as a surgeon might have been in the Moruan operating room, he now realized that his judgment had been poor. He had allowed himself to panic at a critical moment, and had failed to see how far the surgery had really progressed. By de

re was an old saying that the "retrospectoscope"

't be changed, and Dal knew that he could on

through his thick-rimmed glasses. "I want to know who was respo

ed here, and then I examined the patient in the operating room. I thought the surgery might be over my head, and couldn't see attemptin

tor said. "You've done

s,

n transpl

s,

, you spent two solid years in micro-surgical training in Hospital Philadelphia, with al

rk in the field, yes, but not on cri

ome different kind of technique tha

t reall

bility the job involved when you got into a pinch

uld be safer to wait,

. "Of course, you realized that prolonged anaesthe

s,

dition steadily deteriorating

desperately. "We'd sent for you. We knew that it

to cross the line between life and death, not hours. And I suppose you would have sto

te different now than it had under pressure in the Moruan operating room? That he would have been blamed just as much if he had gone ahead, a

t the others. "Well? What do

t a surgeon," he said, "but even I could see

s the Green D

, that's all. It came out fortunately for t

. We guarantee them full medical coverage of all situations and promise them immediate response to any call for medical help that they may send us. It is the m

nd of contract, and our admission to full membership in the Confederation will ultimately depend upon how we fulfill our promis

no intention of jeopardizi

to handle the situation that even these clumsy Moruan surgeons could see it. Their faith in the doctors from Hospi

geons lose patients sometimes. These people should be glad that the

ct the next time they have need for help? How can they feel sure that their medical needs are well taken care of?" He shook his head grimly. "This is the sort of responsibility that doctors on the patrol

ight. You had your opportunity. You can't complain that we haven't given you a chance. According to the conduct code of the General Practice Patrol, section XIV, paragraph 2, any physician in the patrol on probationary status who is found delinquent in executing his duties may

e," Tiger Mar

or looked up a

are you picking on him? Or do you mean

Dr. Alvarez will remain on duty and conduct the ship's program without a Red Doctor

eutic team," Tiger protested. "And I seem to remember something in

octor said, his face darkening. "This was a surgical problem, an

Tiger said. "Dal, don't you

head wearily. "You'd better ke

your fault?" Tiger said. He turned angrily to the Black Doctor. "Dal wasn't the one that wanted the h

asses and glared at Tiger. "Whatev

hospital ship. Why, Dal-Dal wanted to go ahead and try to finish the case right then, and I wouldn't let him," Tiger blunder

Fuzzy suddenly shivering violently in

own on the table again. "Is this tr

Dal said. "I wanted to

ly. "He's afraid you'll kick me out too, but it

the Black Doctor said,

er act too far," Jack said. "I didn

said. "You didn't know anything about it. You didn't hear us

he took a capsule from his pocket, gulped it down with some water, and sat back down. "I ought to throw you both out on your ears," he snarled. "But I am forced to control myself.

lowed hard. "Yes, sir

e a report of the incident to patrol headquarters, and it will go on the permanent records of all three of this ship's crew-including my personal opinion of the decision." He looked up at Dal. "But be very careful, my young friend. Next time you may n

icked up the folder, wrapped his cape aroun

nner and the Four-star Surgeon aboard; now Jack broke the dark silence in the Lancet's control room for the first time. "A really great show. You missed your calling, Tiger. You should have been on the stage. If you think you fooled

et them carefully on the control panel. "

all

our luck, because all I need right now is an invitation." He stood up, towering over the dark-haired Blue Doc

ke it right," Dal said

said. "Jack has got to get a couple of things

hook by shifting the blame, but you put yourself in trouble doing it. Dr.

er GPP ships some time and see the kind of bloopers they pull without even a reprimand. Don't worry, he was mad enough to throw us both o

hould have gone ahead and finished the case on the spot

py." He scowled at Jack. "It's only thanks to our friend here that the Black Doctor heard about this at all. A hospital ship would have come to take the patient a

hing was just used as

k him why a Black Doctor and a Four-star Surgeon

spital ship," Ja

since Dal came aboard this ship. You've made things as miserable for him as you c

nybody could see that. What if the patient had died whi

in. It could just as well have been you, or me. We'll all make mistakes, but if we can't work as a team, we're sunk. We'll all be drummed out of the patrol before a year is out." Tiger stopped to catch his breath, his face flushed with anger. "Well, I'm fed up with this b

and blinked, as though he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He looked across at

came to

head. "I think you really mean it," he said soberly. "This is

to watch anybody get kicked around just beca

etype clicked sporadically down the corridor in the communications room. Dal sat silently, rubbing Fuzzy between the eyes and watching

k Doctor know about the situation here. I don't plan to be making all the mistakes you think we're going to make, and I won't take the blame for anybody else's, but I guess we've g

oved on toward the next contact point, leaving the recovering patient in the hands of the native physicians. It was not until hours later