[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
tufts of it wrapped around and became entangled in my digits. For a moment my
hand was held tightly against the skin, and I was afraid to pull it free in
case I uprooted strands of the newly grown fur. I was aware of my palm being
wet but was unsure whether the perspiration was the patient's or my own, and
at the time I had no idea that the sudden presence of moisture was associated
with the creature's mechanism of transfer. Shortly afterward I removed my hand
from the fur without difficulty, congratulated Patient Morredeth on its cure,
then left to visit other patients.
"But didn't you feel anything?" Hewlitt said before anyone else could speak,
"Like better, healthier, or at least different? Did you feel anything at all?
O'Mara frowned at Hewlitt before returning his attention to Lioren. He said,
"They would have been my questions, too. Well, Padre?
"I do not remember any unusual feelings," Lioren replied, "nor was I expecting
them. Perhaps my present feeling of being close to another one of the virus
creature's ex-hosts was obscured by my relief and pleasure over Morredeth's
cure.
As well, my health is excellent so it would be difficult for me to feel better
physically, although I am less certain about the health of my mind. Apparently
our virus creature's ; ability as a healer does not extend to clinical
psychology.
What kind of psychological problem, Hewlitt thought, could be troubling a
highly file:///F|/rah/James%20White/Final%20Diagnosis.htm (205 of 266) [7/1/03
1:38:07 AM]
Final Diagnosis.htm moral and altruistic being whose popularity among the
patients and staff was second only to;j that of Prilicla? He was wondering if
he dared ask when theJ
answer was provided by the chief psychologist
Page 122
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Padre," he said, "you were exonerated of all guilt for the deaths of the
Cromsaggar, and soon, I hope, your subconscious will also accept that verdict.
But while we are on the ; subject, on Cromsag you were seriously injured and
given j emergency treatment by a ship's medic not fully experienced { in
Tarlan physiology. As a result there was some minor scar-' ring. Are the scars
still visible?
"I don't know," said Lioren, "because I rarely look closely at my own body.
Narcissism is unknown among Tar-'i lans. Shall I remove my cloak?
"Please," said O'Mara
Two of Lioren's medial hands emerged from slits in its] long, blue cloak and
began releasing the fastenings. Feeling t vaguely embarrassed, he looked at
Prilicla, who was hover-;! ing close by, and whispered, "Should I turn my
back?
"No, friend Hewlitt," the empath replied. "Tarlans do not [ subscribe to the
Earth-
human nudity taboos, and the Blue Cloak of Tarla that it wears is a symbol of
professional and.i academic eminence as well as providing a site for many i
concealed, internal pockets. Look closely. Friend Lioren has " turned
'
completely around and, and I see no scars.
"Because there are none," said Lioren. Its four eyes were turned downward and
hanging from each stalk like single, \ heavy fruit. "The surgery was neat
though hurried so that the j scars were not obvious, but now they have
completely dis-.]
appeared.
O'Mara nodded and said, "Apparently our virus has left . you its usual
visitor's card, a perfectly healed and healthy.) body. That is all the
confirmation we need that you were a host. Or maybe you still are." He looked
at Prilicla. "Is the virus file:///F|/rah/James%20White/Final%20Diagnosis.htm
(206 of 266) [7/1/03 1:38:07 AM]
Final Diagnosis.htm still in residence?
"It is not," the empath replied. "There is only one source of emotional
radiation emanating from the Padre and it is its own. At this range, if
another intelligence was present I would detect it at once.
"You would detect it without any possibility of error," asked O'Mara,
"regardless of the species of the host?
"Yes, friend O'Mara," Prilicla replied. "I could not help but detect it.
Emotionally its presence would be obvious, as obvious as if you were to grow a
second, thinking head....
O'Mara actually smiled. "In this medical madhouse that might be an advantage.
"I am less certain with a person like friend Conway," the empath went on, "who
thinks he has eight or nine minds. That confuses the emotional radiation and
adds an element of doubt.
"Diagnostician Conway," said Hewlitt firmly, "is not a former host.
"I concur," said Lioren
"And I'm glad," Murchison said, laughing. "Having a multiply absentminded
husband is bad enough.
The chief psychologist gave a single, impatient tap on his desktop and said,
"We digress. For reasons that are obvious we must treat the discovery of the
creature's present whereabouts as a matter of extreme urgency.
The reasons are not obvious to me, Hewlitt thought, but he was not being given
the chance to ask questions
"To find it we have one empathic detector who can spot its presence provided
the host is within conversational distance and is not a diagnostician, and two
ex-hosts file:///F|/rah/James%20White/Final%20Diagnosis.htm (207 of 266)
[7/1/03 1:38:07 AM]
Final Diagnosis.htm who can only identify the people who have already been
Page 123
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
inhabited if they are within visual range. In both cases the exact distance
involved has yet to be established. All of these former hosts as well as the
current one must be traced without delay. We are fairly sure that Hewlitt's
only contact within the hospital was Patient Morredeth, from whom the Padre
received the ,\ virus before it moved to another patient.. . .
"With respect," Lioren broke in, "it might not have been to another patient.
O'Mara gave a small, irritated nod and said, "Padre, I have not forgotten that
your work includes counseling members of the staff as well as patients. You
must interview all of them again, identify the one who inherited the virus
from you, and, if it is no longer in residence, trace and talk to all of that
person's subsequent contacts until you find the present host. Report the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szamanka888.keep.pl
tufts of it wrapped around and became entangled in my digits. For a moment my
hand was held tightly against the skin, and I was afraid to pull it free in
case I uprooted strands of the newly grown fur. I was aware of my palm being
wet but was unsure whether the perspiration was the patient's or my own, and
at the time I had no idea that the sudden presence of moisture was associated
with the creature's mechanism of transfer. Shortly afterward I removed my hand
from the fur without difficulty, congratulated Patient Morredeth on its cure,
then left to visit other patients.
"But didn't you feel anything?" Hewlitt said before anyone else could speak,
"Like better, healthier, or at least different? Did you feel anything at all?
O'Mara frowned at Hewlitt before returning his attention to Lioren. He said,
"They would have been my questions, too. Well, Padre?
"I do not remember any unusual feelings," Lioren replied, "nor was I expecting
them. Perhaps my present feeling of being close to another one of the virus
creature's ex-hosts was obscured by my relief and pleasure over Morredeth's
cure.
As well, my health is excellent so it would be difficult for me to feel better
physically, although I am less certain about the health of my mind. Apparently
our virus creature's ; ability as a healer does not extend to clinical
psychology.
What kind of psychological problem, Hewlitt thought, could be troubling a
highly file:///F|/rah/James%20White/Final%20Diagnosis.htm (205 of 266) [7/1/03
1:38:07 AM]
Final Diagnosis.htm moral and altruistic being whose popularity among the
patients and staff was second only to;j that of Prilicla? He was wondering if
he dared ask when theJ
answer was provided by the chief psychologist
Page 122
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Padre," he said, "you were exonerated of all guilt for the deaths of the
Cromsaggar, and soon, I hope, your subconscious will also accept that verdict.
But while we are on the ; subject, on Cromsag you were seriously injured and
given j emergency treatment by a ship's medic not fully experienced { in
Tarlan physiology. As a result there was some minor scar-' ring. Are the scars
still visible?
"I don't know," said Lioren, "because I rarely look closely at my own body.
Narcissism is unknown among Tar-'i lans. Shall I remove my cloak?
"Please," said O'Mara
Two of Lioren's medial hands emerged from slits in its] long, blue cloak and
began releasing the fastenings. Feeling t vaguely embarrassed, he looked at
Prilicla, who was hover-;! ing close by, and whispered, "Should I turn my
back?
"No, friend Hewlitt," the empath replied. "Tarlans do not [ subscribe to the
Earth-
human nudity taboos, and the Blue Cloak of Tarla that it wears is a symbol of
professional and.i academic eminence as well as providing a site for many i
concealed, internal pockets. Look closely. Friend Lioren has " turned
'
completely around and, and I see no scars.
"Because there are none," said Lioren. Its four eyes were turned downward and
hanging from each stalk like single, \ heavy fruit. "The surgery was neat
though hurried so that the j scars were not obvious, but now they have
completely dis-.]
appeared.
O'Mara nodded and said, "Apparently our virus has left . you its usual
visitor's card, a perfectly healed and healthy.) body. That is all the
confirmation we need that you were a host. Or maybe you still are." He looked
at Prilicla. "Is the virus file:///F|/rah/James%20White/Final%20Diagnosis.htm
(206 of 266) [7/1/03 1:38:07 AM]
Final Diagnosis.htm still in residence?
"It is not," the empath replied. "There is only one source of emotional
radiation emanating from the Padre and it is its own. At this range, if
another intelligence was present I would detect it at once.
"You would detect it without any possibility of error," asked O'Mara,
"regardless of the species of the host?
"Yes, friend O'Mara," Prilicla replied. "I could not help but detect it.
Emotionally its presence would be obvious, as obvious as if you were to grow a
second, thinking head....
O'Mara actually smiled. "In this medical madhouse that might be an advantage.
"I am less certain with a person like friend Conway," the empath went on, "who
thinks he has eight or nine minds. That confuses the emotional radiation and
adds an element of doubt.
"Diagnostician Conway," said Hewlitt firmly, "is not a former host.
"I concur," said Lioren
"And I'm glad," Murchison said, laughing. "Having a multiply absentminded
husband is bad enough.
The chief psychologist gave a single, impatient tap on his desktop and said,
"We digress. For reasons that are obvious we must treat the discovery of the
creature's present whereabouts as a matter of extreme urgency.
The reasons are not obvious to me, Hewlitt thought, but he was not being given
the chance to ask questions
"To find it we have one empathic detector who can spot its presence provided
the host is within conversational distance and is not a diagnostician, and two
ex-hosts file:///F|/rah/James%20White/Final%20Diagnosis.htm (207 of 266)
[7/1/03 1:38:07 AM]
Final Diagnosis.htm who can only identify the people who have already been
Page 123
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
inhabited if they are within visual range. In both cases the exact distance
involved has yet to be established. All of these former hosts as well as the
current one must be traced without delay. We are fairly sure that Hewlitt's
only contact within the hospital was Patient Morredeth, from whom the Padre
received the ,\ virus before it moved to another patient.. . .
"With respect," Lioren broke in, "it might not have been to another patient.
O'Mara gave a small, irritated nod and said, "Padre, I have not forgotten that
your work includes counseling members of the staff as well as patients. You
must interview all of them again, identify the one who inherited the virus
from you, and, if it is no longer in residence, trace and talk to all of that
person's subsequent contacts until you find the present host. Report the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]