The Galactic Circle Veterinary Service

by Stephen Benjamin

  Snedecor sat back in his chair. His eyes narrowed. “I don’t think that it’s any business of yours who has given these orders. They are orders. That is enough.”

  Levi broke in. “That is very clear, Captain Snedecor. We will pay attention to your orders, as we should. We will be no further bother to you.”

  “Bother? Bother?” I looked at Levi as my voice rose toward the stratosphere. I turned back to Snedecor. “You’re absolutely correct, Captain. That is enough. Enough bullshit. Who’s at the top of this flea-bitten organization?”

  “Sir! Your tone and words are insulting. Remember that you are a visitor on our world. You are here at our indulgence. Your invitation can be revoked. Come back in one week and we will see whether the situation has changed. You are dismissed.” He punched a button on his desk. “Get me security.”

  As I stood and started to move toward the desk, Fur grabbed my arm and pulled me back and out the door.

  Levi closed it behind us and rounded on me. “Doctor Berger, that was an inappropriate performance, as usual. You could endanger our mission by such antagonism of our hosts.”

  “I don’t give a shit about your fucking spy mission,” I screamed as Fur dragged me down the hall. I shook off his grasp. “If these putzes think—”

  “Not here,” Fur cautioned. “Something is going on that we don’t understand, and we need to find out what it is.”

  “Why were we asked here in the first place?”

  Levi’s darkened face looked as if he were going to have a stroke. His voice trembled. “We have fulfilled our contract, which was about the settlers’ cenoxen. This tiger business came up after we agreed to come to the planet. I refuse to have us waste time on a bunch of worthless cats.”

  It was Levi’s usual refrain with respect to anything nonhuman. My temples pounded with rising blood pressure and pain.

  Fur must have seen this in my face, because he squeezed my arm—hard. “We probably were asked to help the Hunters by the pro-Hunter people. It is just as likely that the anti-Hunter faction is trying to block us.”

  I took a deep breath as I tried to control my emotions. “If they think—”

  “All the more reason to leave now,” Levi broke in. “I order you to forget these aliens. Do not disobey me again, Berger.” His fists clenched in front of his chest, his body stiffened with fury.

  I looked at him, pursed my lips, and said, “Kish mein tuches,” loud and clear. I ignored Levi’s strangled response, spun, and stalked down the hall.

  ***

  Cennesari City was the planet’s largest city and the seat of its government, so we spent most of the next week sightseeing. At least I did. Fur surreptitiously followed Levi on his usual spy missions. I used our forced break to get a message off to my folks and to Roxanne. When Levi tried to view my recording, I flipped.

  “Look,” I told him, “there’s nothing I can tell anyone that could make the slightest difference to you. I don’t know a fucking thing about your spying at every place we land, and I don’t care. Let me have my own life for a change.”

  His red face got even redder. His scar seemed to pulse in time with his eye twitch. “You have crossed the line, Berger. I have not forgotten what you said to me at the Captain’s office. Remember—”

  “Remember? I remember everything you’ve said. How could I forget? You threaten me at least five times a day. That’s on a good day.” I dropped my voice. “Please, Reb Levi, I can’t continue like this. I’ll explode if I don’t get some room.”

  The rebbe stepped back and pulled at his scar, as if to stop his eye spasms. “Well, perhaps I have been a bit too forceful with you. This visit has been somewhat stressful. I will allow you to send your messages, but I assure you, someone will watch at the other end, so do not think you can get away with—”

  “I don’t want to get away with anything. I just want to correspond with my parents and with Dr. Simon.”

  “Hmph. Agreed. But I expect an apology for your manner toward me in the past few days.”

  “Okay. I apologize. I’m sorry I mouthed off. I’ll try to be a good citizen. That enough?”

  “Your actions will tell if that will be enough.” He turned on his heel and marched off.

  I suppose an apology I did not mean didn’t change anything, but it still rankled. I had pushed our relationship to the limit, maybe beyond, but I didn’t care any longer. I felt that nothing I did would satisfy the bastard or make a difference in what happened back home. I tried not to let this color my message to my mom and dad. I’m not sure if I was successful. I had no doubt that Levi’s colleagues intercepted what I sent home, so I stuck to facts and assured my folks that I was fine and enjoying my adventures.

  The recording for Roxanne was more difficult. I feared putting my feelings into words that might be either trite or presumptuous. I could not be sure she felt as I did.

  Hi Roxanne,

  It has been a while since I could get to somewhere I could send a message. Some of the worlds didn’t have accessible hyperwave equipment. I enjoyed your last message. It sounds like you have the EPD epidemic licked; that’s great news. I know that wasn’t easy. I told you already about our visit to Pronac, but that was almost topped by our visit to Dragonworld...

  I gave her a short version of those adventures, and then explained our trials on Cennesari. Then came the hard part.

  I look forward to your communications, but more than that, I wish I could see you again, in person. I love your hyperwave vids, but it’s not the same. Our time together on Sammara was far too short. I feel like we barely started to get to know each other, and I would like to get to know you better. I hope that you feel the same, but if I presume too much, just say so. I’ll back off. Though I can’t be much farther off as it is. Joke—ha, ha. I should be here on Cennesari for several weeks from what I can tell. Longer than we had planned, but as I mentioned, there have been complications. Despite roadblocks, I’m determined to help the Hunters. We need to gain access to them or we won’t be able to forestall the epidemic. I have no idea what the disease is yet. I think you’d be with me on this if you were here. I hope everything is well for you, and I hope we can stop by Sammara on our way home. Until then, you’ll be in my thoughts.

  Cy

  The delay engendered by the recalcitrant bureaucracy had one positive side. We were on Cennesari long enough to get a response from Roxanne.

  Hello Cy,

  Since you said you would be on Cennesari for some time, I thought I’d try to catch you before you left. I hope this gets to you. That was very clever of you and Fur to figure out the plant poisoning in the cenoxen. I wish I could have cases that were such challenges. Since the end of the EPD epidemic, things have slowed down here, and I spend most of my time on paperwork. Not that I’d rather have EPD, you understand, but I could use something to liven up my days. I do hope that you can figure out the Hunter problem. They sound like a fascinating species. I’ve always thought our own domestic cats can border on sentience at times, so a thinking cat one hundred times as large tickles my fancy. Would I ever love to meet them. And dragons? Wow?

  Cy, I have to agree that our time together was far too short, and I would like to know you better, as well. It is hard to gauge one’s feelings after a few hours together, but I feel as you do. I look forward to your return to Sammara. I miss you.

  Roxanne

  For days afterwards, even Levi’s usual jabs did not penetrate my enraptured state. That was probably good because it defused our escalating conflict.

  ***

  A week later, Chief Clerk Floof scowled at us from behind his desk. He looked like he had lemons for breakfast. The intensity of his hate hit me like a splash of acid.

  “The authorities have approved you to take your ship to this location.” He threw a map across the desk. “The red circle shows where you will be met by a government representative who will conduct you to the Hunters.”

  I ignored his hostility and asked, “Can you tel
l me anything about the nature of the problem?”

  He shook his head sharply. “I know nothing about that. You will have to talk with the representative.”

  And you don’t want to know anything, do you?

  ***

  A breeze caused the tops of the golden grasses to shimmer as we put down on a landing pad on the plain. The tops of the native plants were well above our heads, and we could see little once we were on the ground. It was a startling contrast to the drought-ravaged areas we had seen. A couple of silvery metal huts sat in a clearing. A short, stocky woman in a blue and white uniform met us.

  She smiled and extended her hand. “Dr. Berger. We appreciate your willingness to come.” We shook hands. “I’m Lieutenant Stannard, the Intermediary on duty. We have heard wonderful things about what you accomplished with regard to the cenoxen deaths. We hope you’ll have as much success helping the Hunters.”

  “Thank you.” Refreshing to meet someone who cared about the giant cats. “Happy to help in any way we can. This is Furoletto Cohen and Levi Schvartz.” I pointed to my companions. “They are my veterinary technicians.”

  Fur smiled. Levi scowled.

  “A pleasure to meet both of you. If you would come with me, please?”

  We followed her into one of the buildings where the four of us took seats at a table in a room lined by file cabinets.

  “Please excuse me while I send out a rover to call a conference with the Hunter representatives.” She spoke for a few moments on a communicator.

  When she finished I asked, “How long?”

  “It will be perhaps an hour, depending on how far away the Hunters are. Can I offer you some refreshment? Coffee? A cold drink?”

  We all asked for coffee. When our drinks arrived, I quizzed her about the Hunters and their problem.

  “We don’t know much other than they are losing many cats of all ages,” she said. “You must understand that while the Hunters interact with us, it is limited. They are solitary and don’t share personal information.”

  “How do you communicate? Will we have a problem that way?”

  “You have a translator program, I presume?”

  “Yes. Ruthie, er, our AI does that.”

  “Yes. And I can translate telepathic communications long distances,” Ruthie said.

  My head jerked back. I had never really thought about Ruthie’s capabilities or her range for such things. We were several hundred meters from the ship now, and although I wore one of the translation devices with which we communicated to our AI, her voice seemed to emanate from speakers atop a cabinet.

  Lieutenant Stannard gave me a quizzical look and asked, “Was that your AI? It sounded almost human.”

  I grimaced. “Yeah, almost.”

  Fur grinned and Levi frowned.

  Stannard shrugged. “That should suffice. Most of our words and ideas will translate well with the Hunters’ telepathic capability. The telepathy obviated the need for them to develop a complex spoken language. We can’t receive from them telepathically and must rely on computer translation of their speech, but most concepts seem to get through just fine.”

  I wondered if I could communicate directly with the Hunters as I did with the Cenoxen. Obviously, other humans could not. It had taken the war to learn the Hunters were intelligent. I wondered if other species that evolved on this planet, beyond the Hunters and cenoxen, had telepathic capability, and even sentience.

  “Uh, can I ask you a difficult question?”

  She nodded. “I’ll answer if I can.”

  “We’ve gotten a lot of different vibes regarding human-Hunter relations from the human side. We understand that there are different factions. How about from the Hunter side? How do they see humans—and human politics? I mean, we have to get pretty personal with them if we’re to help. How will we be viewed?”

  “Is there any danger?” Levi’s belligerence caused Stannard to inspect him before she answered.

  She pushed mousy brown hair out of her eyes. “There should be no danger to any of you, Mr. Schvartz. The Hunters are rather shy. There has never been a case of a Hunter injuring a human except in self-defense. That said, they are large and successful carnivores. Most humans who come face to face with them find them intimidating. To answer your question, Dr. Berger, the Hunters wish only to be left alone. They care little for human politics, although it affects them severely, I’m afraid. They have a minimal social structure, as I said, they are individualistic. If they agree to your assistance, you’ll have no problems.” I noted her stress on “If they agree.”

  “And how do we get their approval?”

  Stannard smiled. “That is my job, Doctor. If you tell me what you will do, I will explain it to them. They know and trust me.”

  “Thanks, Lieutenant.”

  “Please, call me Anne.”

  “Good enough, if you call me Cy.”

  “And please call me Fur.”

  Levi was silent until Fur looked at him pointedly. “Yes, you may call me Levi.”

  Stannard gave him another questioning glance. Her confusion was understandable.

  ***

  The Hunters flowed out of the tall grass as we stood outside the post’s buildings. Despite their size, they had all the grace of their Terran feline counterparts.

  “There were four senior female Hunters within range for a meeting,” Anne said. “Remain motionless until all four come to a halt. This demonstrates lack of fear, something critical if the Hunters are to deal with you as equals.”

  Face to face, however, I could not suppress a visceral response to the giant cats. My scalp prickled and I attempted to conceal the reaction. According to Anne, these cats could read fear telepathically.

  I noted that Fur placed a hand on Levi’s shoulder, no doubt to keep him from bolting.

  After introductions, I addressed the Hunters. “We are honored to meet you and hope that we can help. Can you tell us of your sickness? I am experienced in medical treatment of beings of your type.” Of course, I meant teeny Terran domestic cats, but they did not need that information.

  A Hunter female spoke in a sibilant purr. She was emotionally flat, almost unconcerned, with a touch of superiority. Typical cat.

  I received the message on two levels: one through Ruthie’s translation and the second mind-to-mind from the cat, much like my experience with the cenox. A thrill coursed through me.

  “Can you describe this illness?”

 

  They would have no way to deal with those effects, I supposed. “What do you do with the Hunters who die?”

 

  Stannard added, “Their society recognizes nothing beyond death. They have no religion.”

  I heard Levi mumble, “Of course not. They are not God’s creatures.”

  I hoped the Hunters would not understand that. I shook my head, heaved a sigh of exasperation, and addressed Anne. “Would it be a problem if we performed a necropsy on a dead Hunter?”

  “I don’t think so. They leave their dead for nature to process. But I’ll ask.”

  It turned out they did not care. They granted permission to travel into their territory to examine sick Hunters. The four of us took the land drone and followed the Hunter emissaries.

  ***

  The big cat was prostrate and unresponsive, his respiration shallow.

  “He isn’t communicating with his fellows,” Anne said as she motioned with her head to the Hunters who accompanied us.

  Diarrhea befouled the hindquarters. When I lifted a pinch of skin, it stood in a fold, rather than springing back, a sign of severe dehydration.

  “He’s comatose,” I said. “I’m not sure we can do much for him, but we have to try. Let’s get some electrolyte fluid into this guy.”

  With Fur’s help, I installed a venous catheter and drew a blood sample. A quick analysis showed that our standard IV fluids were compatible, and I took mo
re blood before I started an IV drip. I gave the samples to Levi to store in the drone. He grumbled as he did. “I’m not your lackey, Berger,” but I sensed that he would rather be in the vehicle than with us. As I expected, he did not come back out.

  The cat had improved when we finished, but I was doubtful he would make it. I gave directions to keep him hydrated; at least to place water where he could drink. The Hunter I spoke with turned away with no reply. The cats were not big on nursing care.

  We saw several other sick Hunters at various stages of the disease and did what we could. One died despite our ministrations.

  “May we perform an examination of the dead Hunter?” I asked one cat.

 

  I supposed that was a “yes” and went ahead with the necropsy.

  “Look here,” I said. “The intestinal mucosal lining is atrophied—thinned—as if the agent has specifically attacked it.”

  “And that causes the diarrhea?” Anne asked. She hung right with us.

  Levi, as usual when there were blood and gore, stayed in the drone, probably studying the scriptures he always carried with him.

  “Yes. Normal intestinal lining prevents excess fluid loss into the intestine and reabsorbs fluid from the contents. If it fails, then fluid runs right through the gut.”

  “How does that kill someone?” Anne asked.

  “If you lose too much water, blood pressure drops below what’s needed to maintain blood flow to critical organs. That takes a lot of fluid loss, but there’s a complication in intestinal disease like this. There’s also loss of electrolytes—sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate, among others. Fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance disrupt many systems and can be fatal. Let’s get organ samples for analysis.”

  ***

  I lifted my eyes from the microscope and faced Fur, Levi, and Anne.

  “There’s necrosis where the intestinal epithelium replaces itself in the deep mucosa. If the epithelial cells die and don’t renew themselves, the lining is lost. We saw that atrophy earlier. This pattern fits with two things. The first is high dose ionizing radiation, like x- or gamma rays.”