they would remove the tumor, replace what brain
tissue they felt necessary, then put the brain back together,
reconnecting each blood vessel, nerve, exactly.
68 "In the old days," the Doctor explained, ''many cells would be
destroyed in such an operation, but since the development of separators
and rebonders we can separate tissue without damaging the cells, and
put it back together.
69 In the past three hundred years, I have performed two or three such
operations a day. In all that time I have only lost twenty-seven
patients, most of those from post-operative complications.
70 I will admit, Havens are harder to work on than Hashons. The fact
that you are so marvelously adapted for flight that each of your cells
contain two tiny balloons of hydrogen gas, sometimes makes operating
tricky. It's like working with living firebombs! But we have been quite
successful.
71 It has been my life's ambition to figure out how your bodies produce
hydrogen gas! It is my hobby in my spare time. But as of yet I have
been completely unsuccessful!"
72 North laughed. He liked this Hashon ...he liked MOST Hashons, but
this one made him so at ease that some of his fear of the impending
surgery was lessened. "My only concern," he told the Doctor, ''is
personality survival. How has your success rate been on that?"
73 The Doctor laid his pointer on the table. "On the average," he
admitted, ''65% total recovery, 10% partial recovery, the rest...." He
didn't have to finish the statement. North understood.
74 "Thank you, Doctor," North acknowledged, "for being so frank. I
appreciate that."
75 ''I never lie to a patient," Sure Hands Fox replied. "To create
false hopes is wrong. I simply do the best I can and leave the rest to
a Greater Power."
76 North rose and instead of extending his hand in