Flight of the Maita Supercollection 3: Solving Galactic Problems Collector's Edition

by Moulton, CD

  "Hey! Neat!" T6 exclaimed. "That's about what Tab would have done if they gave him an excuse like that! It's an open obvious invitation to have officials come in! I'm getting to like this detective bit."

  *The ship will be there in three hours. The doctors will go into a possible plague area in standard isolation suits. You won't be seen. You are the records and recording officer for the Hospital expedition, who can explain whatever you like. Neat, as T Six says. Keep me informed on this one! *

  T6 made a special isolation suit that would have some very strong defenses built into it. It would also have a unique system that would broadcast to T6 through the beam relays already in place, but on a wavelength they wouldn't be able to monitor.

  There was the wait. Z and T6 sharpened their skills at the insult game a bit. Z finally requested the floater he had used before be placed near the castle so he could use it to get back. It would also be there to give an overview to T6.

  The Fleet ship finally landed and took Z aboard the cruiser carried in the lower section of the hold. It was painted with the logo of Hospital and had the Feach medcrew aboard, along with a lot of medical equipment. The Feach were trained in all aspects of medicine as well as in military matters. They wouldn't be in more than normal danger on this mission. Z explained what they were to do very carefully, and exactly how this thing would be handled.

  Hospital ships had full empire authority in medical matters, Jorn was an empire world and Zurn was and empire world. Even if they weren't, Bypass was most definitely an empire world.

  Anyone could call Hospital at any time. It made absolutely no difference if the world was a member of the empire or not, since Maita made medicine a field entirely outside of governments and politics.

  T6 said it had the floater in position to watch. If anything went wrong it and Maita would be instantly alerted. They would both be watching the whole thing.

  Z explained carefully that the important one here was Eed, but he couldn't even give a description, other than he was a male Jornian. If it came to a battle of any sort, stunners or such weapons were to be used if at all possible. They wanted all these people on the probe, but they must have Eed alive for the probe. That was imperative. He was the one person who would know where they could find the big bosses.

  All the personnel were ready in their suits. He placed the headpiece on his own. They opened the secondary port. The smaller ship exited and headed for the castle. When they were above the courtyard Z sent the alert call on all channels.

  "The Castle Rock House, attention! We have been apprised that there is plague of undetermined classification in that place.

  "This is Hospital ship fast cruiser Caretaker. Prepare for our landing. We will ground in the center open courtyard. If the patients are mobile, please bring them to that place for analysis and treatment. If they are not ambulatory or in mobile units we will go to them in their isolation rooms. Speed of action is of the essence in these matters. Your cooperation is asked and demanded by the Emperor Maita in a medical emergency.

  "Nurk is my name. I am official records officer and will meet immediately with your medical personnel. Please arrange for the most efficient use of facilities and time.

  "We are aground. Castle Rock House is from this point until declared cleared under Hospital quarantine law sections two and three. Your cooperation will facilitate hasty completion of this duty."

  One of the Feach gave a thumbs up sign as an answer came over the speakers, "What the hell are you talking about, Caretaker? There is no plague here! We don't need help! There isn't even a case of snifflings on the premises at the moment!"

  Z grinned and spoke into the microphone again.

  "Castle Rock House, this is Caretaker. Nurk speaking. We have a report from a Kappin citizen, who was told there was a plague attacking your reptilian lifeforms and which your medical personnel feared may be virulent. This plague has not been identified. It is our understanding your own doctors have already placed partial quarantine, for which we are thankful. The more virulent plagues can sometimes decimate entire planets. You were wise to see it is solely confined to this world."

  "What kind of crap..!?!" the voice cried. "Who the...? I mean, there is some mistake! There is no plague here! No one said there ever was! We don't know what you're talking about! This is insane and ... there is no plague here! "

  Z was almost laughing out loud. He controlled himself as he said sternly, "Negative, Castle Rock House. The hovercraft of Citizen Liahr (He almost said Lion, which Eed may have heard) recorded the warnings from reptilian beings later identified as citizens of Zurn. We have the testimony of a machine incorruptible! This is a warning! If you obstruct a Hospital crew you are in violation of empire law! There has been plague reported in this place! Take great care! If there is no plague here we will be gone in very short time after determining which Zurn made a false report. If there is plague here and you are attempting to hide that fact you will be tried in empire courts. Such actions are capital!

  "Beware! We will enter that house now! Obstruct a Hospital mission at your peril!"

  "But there is no plague here!" the voice cried again. "I don't know what you're talking about! No one's under quarantine here! You're crazy!"

  "Then we will determine such as fact and will be gone. The Zurn who made the false report will be tried and if there was any emergency where this ship was needed and if that emergency has resulted in death or impairment of anyone such will be considered at that time," Z announced imperially. "Beware! Do not attempt to obstruct a Hospital mission! We are coming in!"

  He picked up some papers and led four three-meter-tall Feach out the port and toward the house.

  Bad Scene!

  Z led the procession into the main doors to one side of the courtyard, carrying his papers in the folder and his computer unit by its carry strap. He tried to look very officious and bureaucratic, simply because that's what these people would expect. They couldn't know Maita would slow-roast anyone who became obstructive on a medical mission. The papers were filled out AFTER the crisis was over in any branch of the empire. No one would pay any attention if the personnel found no time to ever fill them out if a crisis was real. Everything was observed by floaters, and every use of any facility was recorded by the computers at the time. All tests and results were permanently recorded and available instantly anywhere in the galaxy. No one was interested in names or other identification of individuals. Only the race and medical information were recorded except in cases where a being was found to be a carrier of something or would need follow-up treatment or observation.

  The empire wasn't stupid enough to allow a dangerous disease to be carried anywhere indiscriminately. If any being was found to have anything that couldn't be cured (Some viruses become a structural part of the body of the carrier and can't be separated without death or extreme disability to the carrier. Luckily these things are very rare) they were marked with a dye that couldn't be removed or covered.

  An individual has every right to privacy in medical matters, but that right does NOT extend to the right to pass a disease to an unsuspecting second party. It had been shown repeatedly that certain individuals couldn't be trusted to inform susceptible people they carried a dangerous virus, particularly those that are transmitted sexually. Maita had wanted to use education of the carriers, but Z remembered such things as syphilis and gonorrhea and the AIDS epidemic on Earth and knew the idiocy of refusing to label carriers of certain things. AIDS had decimated the entire population of several countries within twenty years of his abduction. He barely had heard of the disease when he was abducted, but had read the history of it when they returned. He had had been thoroughly disgusted.

  It was the same old pattern that started about the turn of the century, the nineteenth century on Earth. Law had given way to theatrics to an ever increasing degree. The rights of the victim were sacrificed to the "rights" of the criminal to the extent the victim was generally the one who suffered, not only the effects of t
he crime itself, but the effects of the judges and courts run amok. The criminal had several thousands of volumes of laws and precedents to protect him, while the poor victim had no rights or protections, whatever. This was used as precedent when the AIDS plague started.

  It was true many victims of the disease were innocent of any wrongdoing, but some few had stricken out at society in general and had become deliberate spreaders of the disease. One person could literally infect hundreds of others. It was a thing that was unavoidable, as the virus was slow to show symptoms. A person often spread it around for several years before he knew he was infected. That was unavoidable and carried no blame. What was criminal was a small percent of the carriers who knew they were infected, yet still spread the disease. The lawyers at the time fought long and hard to prevent any isolation or labeling of carriers under the guise of what were called their "Constitutional Rights." This despite the fact the constitution they were basing this on said nothing whatever about such things. It even specifically stated quarantine in cases of emergency were perfectly acceptable.

  This argument and the example of that disease on Earth had convinced Thing and then Maita. If any being were found to be carriers of such a disease and that disease wasn't curable yet they were marked with a very small but noticeable spot that was clearly contrasted with their natural coloring. In the case of sexually transmitted diseases that were this dangerous, a mammal such as Z would be marked with a small bright yellow spot under his arm on the right side. The mark could never be removed, but could be colored over with natural body color if a cure was found and used on the carrier. It was a natural thing for anyone having such relations to check the spot for that race. While it didn't stop the spread of disease among those who weren't aware they were carriers, it did entirely stop the spread by those who were aware. In the few cases where a carrier raped another, they were summarily executed when caught. That stopped that!

  Because of this law in the empire concerning contagious and dangerous diseases, any suspected areas were immediately checked, methods to determine which beings were carriers were found and cures were almost always found very quickly. There was experience with thousands of cultures to draw upon in the computers. The Feach, in particular, were famous throughout the empire for finding cures.

  In the single case where the marking law was used except in a short-term way the plague was stopped and eliminated after about two hundred years. That race was checked periodically in case there was a new mutation of the virus that had originally formed into plague. It was handled much like smallpox was handled on Earth. Each new case checked and encircled, then immunizations, then extinction of the plague germ, itself. Many worlds had used much the same system on diseases. Z had nothing to do with that.

  The point of all this explanation is that records must be kept for either the marking or the encirclement methods, but it wasn't handled by turning doctors into bureaucrats. Not by the Maitan Empire. The computers automatically handled all of it, freeing the doctors to practice medicine instead of bookkeeping. In the case of where and when a plague was cured by any method or where there was marking, it was still done by computer. One person at a unit could input the name of the patient, the patient would do whatever would prove positive identification (Retinal prints, fingerprints, scale prints, color patterns – it varied from race to race). The rest was handled strictly by the machines.

  In the cases of marking, a genetic coding imprint was used as well. There are probably no two beings in this entire plane with the exact same genetic print. Even identical twins had mutations that may not be visible in any way, but which would show in the prints.

  The Jornians or the Zurn had never needed Hospital attention, so knew little of how the system worked. Both worlds had their share of bureaucrats. The ruse would work well.

  Z simply marched in, faced the three Jornians who met them in the hall, decided he would use the table and chair there, sat, opened his computer, laid out his forms and said for them to tell the doctors where the victims were, first, then everyone in the place would have to give ID to the computer, then, as soon as it was discovered which signs to look for in any carriers of the disease they would be tested, the particular virus isolated and cross-matches would be made through both Library and Hospital. He hoped they would discover it something they could isolate easily, though he was sure the doctors working on the case would already have discovered it if it were to be that simple. Perhaps the cross-match would tell them immediately how to attack the disease quickly and efficiently.

  By the way, where are the doctors?

  I am Nurk.

  What are your names?

  Tell the doctors where the victims are, for the galaxy's sake! We have little time to avert a catastrophe to all worlds in the empire with reptilian citizens!

  "Damn it all, there isn't any victim, there are no doctors, there is no plague here!" one of the Jornians exploded.

  "That is not what has been reported to us!" Z accused sharply. "Nothing will be gained by this pretending the situation doesn't exist. If this plague – Liahr's report said it was carried on the skin, for the Empire's sake! – is to be stopped, we must work fast!

  "I don't hesitate to tell you for one second those doctors who failed to report the plague immediately will go on report! That is totally unconscionable! Emperor Maita will have those doctors' executed for murder if anyone at all dies of the virulent plague decimating this place!"

  "Look, Rockbrain!" the Jornian yelled. "I will say it slowly so you can understand me! There ... is ... no ... plague ... here ... and ... never ... was!

  “There is no plague here, damnit!”

  "And you are? If you fail to identify yourself in a medical emergency you will face serious charges! One does not trifle lightly with Hospital! I will not tolerate this criminal obstructionism, I warn you! You know not with whom you trifle, Sir!"

  "Great Wailing Lorreede!" the Jornian screamed. “There is no emergency! Can't you hear?"

  "Very well," Z said into the computer's microphone. "Subject refused to identify himself and was subsequently arrested.

  "Doctor Krone! Call a special guard unit to come from Northport to take this one and any of these others who refuse cooperation into custody!

  "Why are you still here? There are people who need medical attention in this house! You doctors can't dawdle around here!"

  "We haven't been told where the victims are," Sergeant Krone pointed out. Z could hear the laughter behind his voice and was hoping the Jornians weren't too familiar with the Feach.

  "Well, call the guard unit and search the place! Do I have to do everything by myself? Can't you see these people are trying to hide the fact that a virulent, deadly plague is rampant among the reptilians here? Can't you see the plague may already be spreading across the entire galaxy?!

  "Move! Search the damned place! I can't do everything! I have all these forms which MUST be completed before this damned plague decimates the whole damned galaxy!"

  “There isn’t any... Damn it! There isn't any damned plague here!" The Jornian cried. "Why can't you understand plain Maitan? No one is sick here! We are all in perfect health! The only reptiles here are Zurn! There are no sick Zurn here! All of the Zurn are in perfect health! Damn it! There is no plague here!”

  Z spoke into the microphone again. "Subject number one, who still steadfastly and stubbornly refuses to identify self, also stubbornly refuses to face the reality of the situation. I hereby recommend psychiatric evaluation, as well as full psychomedical evaluation, as the plague may affect mammals by attacking the brain, making them incoherent and irrational. The evidence here seems overwhelming. Perhaps criminal sanctions are not applicable in this case. Subject shows signs of dementia, schizophrenia, rage, paranoia and confusion. This plague is far worse than we anticipated! Will suggest immediate deployment of Empire Fleet to fully quarantine planet Bypass until this virulent disease is brought under control and eradicated. This castle is much on the order of a fortre
ss. It can be utilized to isolate the worst cases. I do not believe the plague has yet found its way much into the general population, but we must be certain. We must immediately stop all egress from this world and must trace all ships that left since ... when was the first case noted?"

  "Oh, for screaming demons hooves!" another Jornian cried. "He is called Klewt. He is resident on Sentah. I am called Eed and am from Jorn and travel in business to all the vacation worlds. This is Dorn. He is also resident on Sentah.

  "We are having a business meeting here. We told the Zurn to see we are not disturbed and he made up that stupid story to keep people away. He didn't understand what he was doing. There is no plague! There was no first case!"

  Z groaned loudly and spoke into the microphone again: "This is terrible! The plague has been spread to Sentah and Jorn and possibly to all the vacation worlds!" he said tiredly. "Subject two, one Eed of Jorn, implies the plague actually started on Jorn and was then spread here and to other worlds by the Zurn in their employ. They were holding a meeting here to plan a way to stop the plague from interfering with their businesses in complete disregard for the peoples of the empire! This is unbelievable!"

  "I didn't say any such thing!" Eed yelled. "I only said there wasn't any plague! YOU are the only thing that's unbelievable here!"

  "Subject two, Eed of Jorn, is as incoherent and paranoid as is subject one, Klewt of Sentah.

  "Computer! Call all information about movements through empire registration process of ship arrivals and/or departures. Subject one, Klewt of Sentah, Jornian. Subject two, Eed of Jorn. Subject three, Dorn of Sentah, Jorn. Autoreport. Commence."

  The three were staring in open amazed disbelief at this idiot bureaucrat. No matter what they said, it got twisted. There were four Feach going through each room in the house. The Zurn weren't about to attack those huge beings. They had no idea how many more were in the ship out there and everyone knew there was an open channel between Hospital and the fleet at all times. Any emergency was to be reported to the fleet.