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Updated: June 11, 2025
They'd come from Weald in the cargo-holds of the liners now transformed into fighting ships. The scouts swept low, transmitting fine-screen images back to the fleet, of all that they might see before they were shot down. They found the landing-grid. It contained nothing larger than Calhoun's Med Ship, Aesclipus Twenty. They searched here and there.
Suddenly they began to flick out of sight by twos and threes. "Chee," said Murgatroyd with a note of finality. The last grain-ship vanished. "Calling guard-ship," said Calhoun drily. "This is Med ship Aesclipus Twenty. I called here a couple of weeks ago. You've been talking to my tormal, Murgatroyd." A pause. A blank pause. Then profanity of deep and savage intemperance.
"Aesclipus Twenty, repeat your identification!" Calhoun went to the control-board. "Aesclipus Twenty," he said patiently, "is a Med Ship, sent by the Interstellar Medical Service to make a planetary health inspection on Weald. Check with your public health authorities. This is the first Med Ship visit in twelve standard years, I believe, which is inexcusable.
The communicator said suavely: "Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty! Come in on vision, please!" Calhoun went to the control board and threw on vision. "Well, what now?" he demanded. His screen lighted. A bland face looked out at him. "We have ah verified your statements," said the third voice from Weald. "Just one more item. Are you alone in your ship?" "Of course," said Calhoun, frowning.
That was all. Absolutely all. The communicator said suavely; "Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty! Come in on vision, please!" Calhoun went to the control-board and threw on vision. "Well, what now?" he demanded. His screen lighted. A bland face looked out at him. "We have ah verified your statements," said the third voice from Weald. "Just one more item. Are you alone in your ship?"
They were spaceships, huge by comparison with Aesclipus Twenty. They floated as the Med Ship did. They did not drive. They were not in formation. They were not at even distances from each other. They did not point in the same direction. They swung in emptiness like derelicts. Calhoun jockeyed his small ship with infinite care. Presently there came the gentlest of impacts and then a clanking sound.
He took the microphone. Instants later his voice boomed in the stillness outside the ship, cutting through the thin shrill of invisible small creatures. "This is the Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty," said Calhoun's voice, amplified to a shout. "I left Weald four days ago, one day after the cargo-ship from here arrived with everybody on board dead.
Long, long days later the ship broke out of overdrive and Calhoun guided it to a round and sunlit world. In due time he thumped the communicator-button. "Calling ground," he said crisply. "Calling ground! Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty reporting arrival and asking coördinates for landing. Purpose of landing, planetary health inspection. Our mass is fifty standard tons."
In minutes he held a tiny cup in a furry small paw and sipped gingerly at the hot liquid. A voice came out of the communicator: "Aesclipus Twenty, repeat your identification." Calhoun went to the control board. "Aesclipus Twenty," he said patiently, "is a Med Ship, sent by the Interstellar Medical Service to make a planetary health inspection on Weald. Check with your public health authorities.
The statement was hopelessly inaccurate. There was no answer from the ground when breakout came and Calhoun drove the Med Ship to a favourable position for a call. He patiently repeated, over and over again, that the Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty notified its arrival and requested coordinates for landing.
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