from the information bank.
"Yes. The eighth planet of a large Sol-type star, the only inhabited
planet in the system with a single intelligent race, ursine evolutionary
pattern." He handed the cards to Tiger. "Teddy-bears, yet!"

"Mammals?" Tiger said.

"Looks like it. And they even hibernate."

"What about the contract?" Dal asked.

"Grade I," said Tiger. "And they've had a thorough survey. Moderately
advanced in their own medical care, but they have full medical coverage
any time they think they need it. We'd better get an acknowledgment back
to them. Jack, get the ship ready to star-jump while Dal starts digging
information out of the bank. If this race has its own doctors, they'd
only be hollering for help if they're up against a tough one."

Tiger settled down with earphones and transmitter to try to make contact
with the Moruan planet, while Jack went forward to control and Dal
started to work with the tape reader. There was no argument now, and no
dissension. The procedure to be followed was a well-established routine:
acknowledge the call, estimate arrival time, relay the call and response
to the programmers on Hospital Earth, prepare for star-drive, and start
gathering data fast. With no hint of the nature of the trouble, their
job was to get there, equipped with as much information about the planet
and its people as time allowed.

The Moruan system was not distant from the _Lancet_'s present location.
Tiger calculated that two hours in Koenig drive would put the ship in
the vicinity of the planet, with another hour required for landing
procedures. He passed the word on to the others, and Dal began digging
through the mass of information in the tape library on Morua VIII and
its people.

There was a wealth of data. Morua VIII had signed one of the first
medical service contracts with Hospital Earth, and a thorough medical,
biochemical, social and psychological survey had been made on the people
of that world. Since the original survey, much additional information
had been amassed, based on patrol ship reports and dozens of specialty
studies that had been done there.

And out of this data, a picture of Morua VIII and its inhabitants began
to emerge.

The Moruans were moderately intelligent creatures, warm-blooded air
breathers with an oxygen-based metabolism. Their planet was cold, with
17 per cent oxygen and much water vapor in its atmosphere. With its vast
snow-fields and great mountain ranges, the