head turn, and he hurried off in that direction.
In less than an hour, sealed up in a protective suit, he sat beside his
old friend's bed. They talked of old times as the hours passed,
reminiscing about the sharp-edged rookie fresh from The Academy that
the Doctor had taken in tow and made into a reasonable Officer.
67 North was talking along when he noticed he was getting no reply. He
looked up at the instruments over the bed, and they all read zero. His
old friend's eyes were closed, and he looked like he was peacefully
asleep. "Good-bye, old friend!" North whispered, "Good
journey!" He left, desuited, and went home. His old friend
wouldn't like it if he grieved.
68 "Don’t dwell on the past," he had once told North, "but
plow straight ahead toward the future. Always carry the joyous memories
of a friend, never his sorrow."
69 North had alot of joyous memories of Doc Astra that he would carry
long into the future.
70 North returned to his duties. A young recruit, fresh from training,
named Falling Mountain was assigned as his stand in. At first he was a
little shy about giving orders, but then with North's encouragement
began to command with surprising ease.
71 To North's bewilderment his new Medical Officer was a very beautiful
young Haven woman who had been secretly trained as a Doctor on one of
his outpost colonies. Her name was Sweet Comet. At first they did not
hit it off too well, but then their relationship simmered down.
72 The Hashon Speaker was another matter. When he first boarded ship
North was amazed. He was a wall of muscle, but walked with a gentleness
that was uncommon among The Hashons.
73 Within a couple of days, he was the close friend of every crewperson
and even North's hesitancy