MED SHIP MAN
By MURRAY LEINSTER
Illustrated by ENSH
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Magazine October 1963.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
His work was healing the sick—but
this planet was already dead!
I
Calhoun regarded the communicator with something like exasperation ashis taped voice repeated a standard approach-call for the twentiethtime. But no answer came, which had become irritating a long time ago.This was a new Med Service sector for Calhoun. He'd been assigned toanother man's tour of duty because the other man had been taken downwith romance. He'd gotten married, which ruled him out for Med Shipduty. So now Calhoun listened to his own voice endlessly repeating acall that should have been answered immediately.
Murgatroyd the tormal watched with beady, interested eyes. The planetMaya lay off to port of the Med Ship Esclipus Twenty. Its almostcircular disk showed full size on a vision screen beside the ship'scontrol board. The image was absolutely clear and vividly colored.There was an ice cap in view. There were continents. There were seas.The cloud system of a considerable cyclonic disturbance could be notedoff at one side, and the continents looked reasonably as they should,and the seas were of that muddy, indescribable tint which indicatesdeep water.
Calhoun's own voice, taped an hour earlier, sounded in a speaker as itwent again to the communicator and then to the extremely visible worlda hundred thousand miles away.
"Calling ground," said Calhoun's recorded voice. "Med Ship EsclipusTwenty calling ground to report arrival and ask coordinates forlanding. Our mass is fifty standard tons. Repeat, five-oh tons. Purposeof landing, planetary health inspection."
The recorded voice stopped. There was silence except for the tapedrandom noises which kept the inside of the ship from feeling like theinside of a tomb.
Murgatroyd said: "Chee?"
Calhoun said ironically, "Undoubtedly, Murgatroyd. Undoubtedly!Whoever's on duty at the spaceport stepped out for a moment, or droppeddead, or did something equally inconvenient. We have to wait until hegets back or somebody else takes over."
Murgatroyd said "Chee!" again and began to lick his whiskers. Heknew that when Calhoun called on the communicator, another human voiceshould reply. Then there should be conversation, and shortly theforce-fields of a landing-grid should take hold of the Med Ship anddraw it planet-ward. In time it ought to touch ground in a spaceportwith a gigantic, silvery landing-grid rising skyward all about it.Then there should be people greeting Calhoun cordially and welcomingMurgatroyd with smiles and petting.
"Calling ground," said the recorded voice yet again. "Med ShipEsclipus Twenty—"
It went on through the formal notice of arrival. Murgatroyd waitedin pleasurable anticipation. When the Med Ship arrived at a port ofcall humans gave him sweets and cakes, and they thought it charmingthat he drank coffee just like a human, only with more gusto. Aground,Murgatroyd moved zestfully in society while Calhoun worked. Calhoun'swork was conferences with planetary health officia