91 "I concur with your opinion and will so log,"
the Doctor acknowledged. "Now, if you don't mind, sir, I'd like to
treat that hand. I don't want our Commanding Officer down with an
infection. Damn embarrassing to report!"
92 Morn let the Doctor treat his wound, then went up to the command
deck and transmitted his report. Command answered in less than an hour.
"All of Commander Morning Star's recommendations," they said, "are
accepted as soon as his ship is ready and his Physician determines that
the affected people are in good enough condition to return to their
station, the Commander may take them out. Before that time a full
battle squad will arrive and be put at the disposal of the colony
Governor, Command, out."
93 "Gentlemen," announced Morn, after reading the orders, "I think I
can trust you to get the ship into dock by yourselves. I'm going below,
and get a full cycle's sleep. Kindly don't disturb me, unless it's an
absolute emergency!"
94 "Yes, sir!" snapped the Number Two. "It's bad, isn't it, sir," he
continued, "that we couldn't have captured it? It seemed a shame to
kill it. But it left us no choice."
95 Morn nodded. "It was only living by its instincts," he continued,
"it didn't understand the harm it was doing. But that didn't help OUR
people."
96 Morn went to his quarters, changed into a robe, took a shower and
went to bed. He'd done what he'd had to do, but somehow he still didn't
feel good about it. He didn't feel good about it at all.