Energy #07 06 июля 1997

FANTASY - Roman G. Harrison, "Plague from Space" (continued).

                FANTASY!



     Continuation of the novel H. Harrison

           "Plague from Space"



     Killer surpassed himself. He
knew that the chances of survival in a patient in order
more, the sooner it is taken to
hospital, where his disposal all the possible
means of saving lives. Turbine machines
ambulance roared, and the killer saw
that the police showed him the path that led
directly on the highways, with traffic
which were reserved for the side streets.

     When the speedometer reached
number one hundred, killer, and included the turbo to
out pressing the gas pedal. Police
helicopters accompanied them on both sides,
and then connect another helicopter.
The sun reflected on his side scuttles, from which leaned lens 
cameras. 

     The killer knew that everything that happens
broadcast on television screens in
around the world.

     In the back of an ambulance
the astronaut's eyes slowly came to life. Antipyretic fever 
down, but the pulse of all More has been uneven and has become 
noticeably weakened. Sam sent an ultraviolet lamp at

patient's chest, but very progressive
furunculosis made it impossible to read
data, tattooed on his skin.

     - We have nothing else can for him
do? - Nita asked helplessly.

     - At the moment, nothing. We did
for him everything we could. We'll have to wait until his 
illness more is known. 

     Sam saw a worried expression
face girl noticed her painfully zalomlennye hands.

     - Wait, we can do something else. And you can do it better
than I am. Pathological department required
samples of blood and pus. You can also make preparations for 
microscopic research.


     - Of course, I'll do it now,
not to lose at this time in the hospital.

     With speed and precision machine it
she prepared the necessary tools and
drugs. Sam made no attempt to
help the girl. The work was the best therapy for Nita. He 
leaned back in his chair and swayed to the beat wildly Raced car

ambulance. The only sounds in the
closed part of the machines were breathing patient and the hum 
of the air filter. 

     When Nita finished its work, Sam
stretched over stretcher oxygen tent
thoroughly cemented her and priladil filter
cleaning the patient exhaled air.

     - This will reduce the risk of infection,
increase the degree of blood oxygen saturation
and relieve the heart - he said.

     Briefly hydraulic motors roared and the car was on the 
left platform. Opened the rear door. 

     - I can help you with a stretcher, Doc
- Killer said into the microphone.

     - Do not. Dr. Mendel and I'll do everything yourself. I 
want you to stay in place until the ambulance

not handle the disinfection unit. This
order, Killer.

     Sam rolled the stretcher into the elevator, and Nita
at this time monitor the patient.

     Sam noticed the corner of my eye waiting
technicians in hermetic plastic jumpsuits. On the shoulders of 
them were wearing small reservoirs. One of them briefly waved 
his hand, and Sam saw that McKay, director of tropical

disease itself led this small
group.

     - This lift with remote control - a voice from the speaker 
on the ceiling of the elevator. 

     The stretcher was pushed into the elevator,
the door closed behind them and opened already
sixtieth floor. The long corridor was
empty, all the doors were closed in anticipation of
disinfection unit, which followed
them. Before they opened the first
door, solid as a bomb shelter door.
Subsequently, the door closed behind them and immediately
almost noiselessly opened the inner
door.

     - First, put the patient on the bed,
- Sam said - and then you can send
drugs in the laboratory.

     His voice sounded relieved.

     The man was still his patient, but soon it will be 
hospital doctors, and his advice to his pushing aside.

He felt a slight feeling of guilt when
it became clear why he was relieved - now the responsibility 
lay not only one on it. Now the patient will die

now or would have died before this, was to blame
if only he had one.

     While Nita was putting drugs in capsule transport, to send 
them to lab, Sam took the instruments necessary

to work on a table beside the bed and set them one by one into 
position. Gauge and a thermometer were combined into a single 
black body, which in size was no bigger than a playing card. He 
stuck his hand in the crook of the patient, and device that 
hour he began to give out information. Built microtransmitter 
directs these data on the antenna in the headboard and

Sam saw them on the small screen.

     The patient was very ill. Sam has developed the 
electrocardiograph and spektroentsefalograf. 

     All these devices are not passed
only on a small screen is a monitor, they
could also be seen on the big screen
in an office consultation. Sam unconsciously clenched his 
fingers into fists, waiting for the results to the data 
transmitters. 

     Sounded the call, and the fog
on-screen video floated face Dr. Gaspard.

     - Yet no diagnosis, the doctor
Berthollet, - he said. - Unfortunately, all
agree only that the disease is completely unknown. Patient 
identified Planetary commission as Commander Rand

the second officer "Pericles." His history of the disease now 
appears on the screen, the archive already found her.


     - What are suggestions for treatment?

     - Support for all body functions,
as you already started to do ...

     Gaspard was silent when the alarm sounded and flashing red 
light. 

     - Fibrillation of the heart muscle - said Gaspard.

     Sam has already opened a small cabinet and
pulled out a heart stimulant. Weakened by illness and extreme 
stress heart was beating wildly astronaut, but this

heartbeat was irregular. Once or twice
electricity pierced cramped heart muscle. Gradually, the heart
again began to beat more evenly, and Sam again
turned to the cabinet with the tools. Nita ahead of him and 
shoved him into the hand of another stimulator of heart 
function. 

     - This, of course, you will need -
she said.

     Sam nodded. When he made an incision on the
heaving the patient's chest to enter into the thinnest wire
cardiac muscle, cramps began again.
This time Sam made no attempt to

    to use a defibrillator, and decided to take advantage of 
neurostimulators. 

     - Add current! - He said.

     He sent a glance at the waxy skin
unconscious patient. Behind him
Living quietly hummed mechanism. Carefully metered micropulse 
current amplified nerve signals, which are more

could not reach the damaged heart.

     Heart beat again and again drove
blood through the arteries and veins Rand.

     But this was the beginning of the end. In this
instant life astronaut faded, and he
more so, and never regained consciousness. Passed
a few hours before he died
finally. Died officially - and for this
time it was established that it is impossible to save him. Only 
a miracle could save the Rand, but the doctors did not believe 
in any miracles, and miracle happened. Antibiotics do not have

no effect on the disease, which is at an incredible rate spread
throughout the body. Almost all organs of the body Rand
seemed to be amazed at the activities of the kidneys stopped. 
Began necrosis. Sam no longer looking at the small screen 
monitor only a faint voice of Dr. Gaspard again

caught his attention.

     - EEG is no longer detected, the doctor. I thank you. You
and Dr. Mendel did everything possible. From the outset it was 
clear that aid came too late.


     The screen faded. The doctor's face Gaspard
disappeared. Sam mechanically cut off one by one
all other devices in which was
all hope of the patient. He has a long look
looked at the dead, then what is
deceased, finally came to his mind.

     Rand was dead. It was the end. Now
he again had to think and care about
alive.

     For the ultrasonic scalpel cut
even heavily chilled body presented no difficulties. First, it 
was found that to save the life of Rand have been impossible. 
His body was a real hotbed of infection, and in each organ were 
large cysts. Sam skillfully made the autopsy, and Nita

at this time of finished products and Culture
waiting for their technicians, and as soon as
this was done, they were sent to them
sealed capsules.

     Only once Sam interrupted work.

     Professor Cheybl said that all the birds - the whole flock 
of starlings and seagulls were found near the ship. Dead 
animals have already been sent to WHO laboratories. 

     Was already midnight when they finished
work and again sterilize all
tools. Nita came out of the disinfection
camera. Her wet hair was tied
kerchief. Sam in his hand was a picture.

     He handed it to Nita.

     - This just arrived from one
of the WHO laboratories. All the bodies of dead birds
dotted with sores, and here we see a virus.
He seems to be identical to the one that killed Rand.

     Nita took photos and wearily sat down on the couch by the 
window. In his brief, barely knee-robe, with face on which 
there were no traces makeup, she looked very attractive, and 
you could forget that she was physician.


     - This means that ... - She said,
but did not finish the sentence.

     - We still do not know what that means -
Sam said.

     He was also extremely tired and I knew that
Nita must have tired even more.

     - There are many questions whose answers are very 
important to us. Why the ship was delayed for so long on 
Jupiter? Why Commander Rand came back one? How he contracted 
the disease? Does it have any relationship with the birds? 
There should be such a link, but I I do not see. If the disease 
is contagious - the birds are killed within minutes of exposure 
- how did it happen that we all has not yet been infected by it?


     He regretted that he had uttered these words,
but they have said. Nita lowered her head and closed her eyes. 
He was almost unconscious and took her hand. 

     She leaned back on the couch, picture
jumped out of her hands and fell to the floor. Sam
I saw that she was dozing wearily.



     - I think you do not want to
wake up - said Nita from a small
dietary cuisine.

     She rattled the dishes.

     - For half of the seventh.

     She brought him a cup of coffee, and he
I saw that her hair carefully combed,
and her lips slightly summed lipstick.

     It seemed clean and beam, as
beginning of a new day.

     - I wanted to call the laboratory of the WHO
but then decided to wait until you
wake up.

     She turned to video. Sam shook his
head.

     - It is not yet necessary. We will have time
after breakfast. If only something would be for breakfast.

     - Wonderful dogs and very fresh
eggs. All of this is already defrosted.

     He nodded.

     - You were born here in this city? -
asked Nita.

     Sam nodded again.

     - I was born here, grew up and lived all
his life, except for nine years,
held in UN troops.

     - Nine years! And I thought ... On your
appearance ...

     She suddenly fell silent and embarrassed
smiled. Sam smiled with her.

     - You thought I was for so many years was
assistant to the doctor? You're absolutely right.

     - I did not want to say this, that you ...

     - Please, Nita, if I ever had, and worried that I'm older 
than their fellow assistants for ten years, I

has long been grown elephant skin on it. Also, little did I pay 
attention in those years I spent in the army. I

he chose a military career and received the rank of captain 
before resign from service.


     - Do you have special reasons for this decision?

     - Sure. But internally it is the decision I
took a long time. My best friend then
was Tom, our staff doctor. For many years I was aware that his 
activities was supposed to meet him as well as

I have my office. Tom said to me at all
my stupid questions I asked him,
He even allowed me to see how it operates.

     But it took this serious incident in Tibet, that my 
decision was final. We were dropped at night from

aircraft to drive a wedge between the Chinese
and Indians. That poverty and disease, which I saw in the days 
that followed, killed me, and I asked myself, not if we could

to bring the belligerents except guns something else. Then ...

     Buzz video cut short his story.

     He pressed a button and the screen appeared the head of 
Dr. McKay. His Institute for Tropical Diseases, it seems, had 
to work all night. Dark circles under eyes showed that McKay

was also involved in this work.


          To be continued ...