"As much as any Mentorian." Bart found he could move his right arm, and
twitched the bandage away. Vorongil and the medic stood over him; in the
other infirmary bunk a form was lying, covered with a white sheet.
Sickly, Bart wondered if they had found Montano. Vorongil followed the
direction of his eyes.
"Yes," he said, and his voice held deep bitterness, "poor old Rugel is
dead. He didn't get much of the radiation, but his heart wouldn't stand
it, and gave out." He bowed his head. "He was bald in the service of the
ships when my crest was new-sprouted," he said in deep grief.
Bart felt the shock of that, even through his own fear. He looked down
at his left arm. It was strapped to a splint, and fluid was dripping
slowly into the vein there.
Vorongil nodded. "I expect you feel pretty sick. You got a good dose of
radiation yourself, but we've given you a couple of transfusions--one of
the Mentorians matched your blood type, fortunately. It was a close
call."
The medic was looking down in ill-disguised curiosity. "Fantastic," he
said. "I don't suppose you'd tell me who changed your looks. I admit I
wouldn't believe it until I had a look at your foot bones under the
fluoroscope."
Vorongil said quietly, "Bartol--I don't suppose that's your real
name--why did you do it?"
"I couldn't see you all die, sir," Bart said, not expecting them to
believe him. "No more than that."
The medic said roughly in Lhari, "It's a trick, sir, no more. A trick to
make us trust him!"
"Why would he risk his own life then?" Vorongil asked. "No, it's more
than that." He hesitated. "We checked the bunkers--in radiation
suits--before we took off. We found a man in one of them."
"Was he dead?" Bart whispered.
"No," Vorongil said quietly.
"Thank God!" It was a heartfelt explosion. Then, apprehensively, "Or did
you kill him?"
"What do you think we are?" Vorongil said incredulously. "Indeed no. His
own men have probably found him by now. I don't imagine he got half as
much radiation as you did."
Bart surveyed the needle in his arm. "Why are you taking all this
trouble if I'm going to be put out of the way?"
"You must have some funny ideas about us," Vorongil said shaking his
head. "That would be a fine way to reward you for saving all of our
lives. No, you're not going to be killed."