dn't
notice any conferences going on."

"You were back at the ship getting the surgical pack," Tiger said. "You
didn't know anything about it. You didn't hear us talking, and we didn't
see any reason to consult you about it."

The Black Doctor stared from Dal to Tiger, his face growing angrier by
the minute. He jerked to his feet, and stalked back and forth across the
control room, glaring at them. Then he took a capsule from his pocket,
gulped it down with some water, and sat back down. "I ought to throw
you both out on your ears," he snarled. "But I am forced to control
myself. I mustn't allow myself to get angry--" He crashed his fist down
on the control panel. "I suppose that you would swear to this statement
of yours if it came to that?" he asked Tiger.

Tiger nodded and swallowed hard. "Yes, sir, I certainly would."

"All right," the Black Doctor said tightly. "Then you win this one. The
code says that two opinions can properly decide any course of action. If
you insist that two of you agreed on this decision, then I am forced to
support you officially. I will make a report of the incident to patrol
headquarters, and it will go on the permanent records of all three of
this ship's crew--including my personal opinion of the decision." He
looked up at Dal. "But be very careful, my young friend. Next time you
may not have a technicality to back you up, and I'll be watching for the
first plausible excuse to break you, and your Green Doctor friend as
well. One misstep, and you're through. And I assure you that is not just
an idle threat. I mean every word of it."

And trembling with rage, the Black Doctor picked up the folder, wrapped
his cape around him, and marched out of the control room.

* * * * *

"Well, you put on a great show," Jack Alvarez said later as they
prepared the ship for launching from the snow-swept landing field on
Morua VIII. An hour before the ground had trembled as the Black Doctor's
ship took off with Dr. Tanner and the Four-star Surgeon aboard; now Jack
broke the dark silence in the _Lancet_'s control room for the first
time. "A really great show. You missed your calling, Tiger. You should
have been on the stage. If you think you fooled Dr. Tanner with that
story for half a second, you're crazy, but I guess you got what you
wanted. You kept your pal's cuff and collar for him, and you put a black
mark on all of our records, including mine. I hope you're satis