he boxes on the table and floor, everything was
behind secured locker doors. In one corner, the compact
diagnostician--capable of analyzing many known human bodily ailments
and every possible violent injury to the body--was locked in its
riding clamps. Surgical trays and instrument racks were all hidden
behind locker doors along with medical and surgical supplies. On
either side of the emergency ramp door at the stern of the vehicle,
three collapsible autolitters hung from clamps. Six hospital bunks in
two tiers of three each, lined another wall. On patrol, Kelly utilized
one of the hospital bunks for her own use except when they might all
be occupied with accident or other kind of patients. And this would
never be for more than a short period, just long enough to transfer
them to a regular ambulance or hospital vehicle. Her meager supply of
personal items needed for the ten-day patrol were stowed in a small
locker and she shared the latrine with the male members of the team.

Kelly completed her scan, glanced down at the checklist in her hand.
"I'll have these boxes stowed in five minutes. Everything else is
secure." She raised her hand to her forehead in mock salute.
"Medical-Surgical Officer Lightfoot reports dispensary ready for
patrol, sir."

Clay smiled and made a checkmark on his clipboard. "How was the
seminar, Kelly?" he asked.

Kelly hiked herself onto the edge of the operating table. "Wonderful,
Clay, just wonderful. I never saw so many good-looking, young, rich
and eligible doctors together in one place in all my life."

She sighed and smiled vacantly into space.

Clay snorted. "I thought you were supposed to be learning something
new about tissue regeneration," he said.

"Generation, regeneration, who cares," Kelly grinned.

Clay started to say something, got flustered and wheeled around to
leave--and bounded right off Ben Martin's chest. Ferguson mumbled
something and pushed past the older officer.

Ben looked after him and then turned back to Car 56's combination
doctor, surgeon and nurse. "Glad to see the hostess aboard for this
cruise. I hope you make the passengers more comfortable than you've
just made the first mate. What did you do to Clay, Kelly?"

"Hi, Ben," Kelly said. "Oh, don't worry about junior. He just gets all
fluttery when a girl takes away his masculine prerogative to make
cleverly lewd witticisms. He'll be all right. Have a happy holiday,
Ben? You look positively fat."

Ben