"You're not." Docchi pretended to be busy while they waited. He had to
learn whether his suspicions were unfounded. Cameron may have stayed
in the best medical tradition. But there was another tradition less
honorable and it was an equal possibility.
It was better not to say anything to Jeriann. She respected the doctor
but she wouldn't be blinded by that attitude. She'd report any untoward
thing she saw. And she was attractive. Sooner than anyone else save
Nona, who couldn't communicate, she'd learn what the doctor's true
motives were.
Docchi found himself studying her. She didn't have to be that anxious.
He wished she weren't so eager for the doctor to arrive.
* * * * *
Cameron shook his head. "Don't let your enthusiasm run away with you.
I can help the deficients but if new treatments are developed it will
probably be the result of ideas you people have."
"What about the list? Can we synthesize for them?"
"I haven't studied it and I'm not familiar with the medical history of
everyone here. I do know three of the eleven that Jeriann's selected
and in each one she's exactly right. It's merely a matter of testing
the preparations. I'll check but I'm sure she can do it as well as I
can."
It was nice to know that they were doing all right by themselves, that
they'd have gotten along without the doctor. It helped that he was here
but they'd have survived anyway. "Can you do anything for Maureen?"
asked Docchi.
"I don't remember her. I'll have to look it up."
"The records aren't in the best condition."
"Guards?" Docchi noted that Cameron scowled. Either he was a good
actor or he was sincere. "I tried to get the general to restrain them
but he wouldn't listen."
"No harm done, I suppose," said Docchi. He wanted to forget as much of
that episode as he could. "However I can tell you what's wrong with
Maureen. No male hormones."
"I remember." Cameron pondered. "I've never had anything to do with
her. Most of her treatment came direct from Earth. I don't know. I
really can't say."
"Most glands are paired. Can't you transplant one, or part of one, from
some of us? We'll get donors."
"Off hand I'd say that if it were possible it would have been done
long ago. For reasons that aren't understood transplants aren't always
effective. Sometimes the body acts to dissolve foreign tissue or, if
there's irritation, grow a tumor around it."
"That's why she's still a deficient?"
"It's my guess. They tried transplants but had to cut them out."
Cameron turned to Jeriann. "Do we have equipment for synthetic
hormones?"
"Maybe. I never prepared any."
The doctor leaned over the desk, flipping through the files until
he came to the section he wanted. "Some test animals. Probably not
enough," he said after studying it briefly. "I'll do something to keep
her quiet until I can figure out a substitute."
"No experiments on us, Cameron."
He smiled wryly. "The history of medicine is a long series of
experiments. If it weren't for that we'd still be in the stone age,
medically speaking."