Udell without a qualm.
The doctor went back to the room where Mr. Nesslun's medical treatment was still being discussed. The doctor told the Emperor that he had reevaluated Mr. Nesslun's condition and it was imperative that Mr. Nesslun go to the closest facility. The Barony representative spoke up. “If time is such an important factor, Mr. Nesslun should go to the planet Unity. Their facilities are every bit as good as the facilities on Court and Unity is closer.”
“It’s closer if we go through the Trellian mine field. If we go around it the planet Court is closer,” the Doctor told him.
The Barony representative did not have a star transport available that could carry a man in suspension and he didn't have the authority to give out the safe passage through the mine field to another power. The Barrillean switched his side to Dr Carroll's. Going back to Market immediately was important but it was not worth risking Mr. Nesslun's life. The Thurian reluctantly agreed. Mr. Nesslun would go to the Imperial Hospital on the planet of Court for treatment.
After the others had left or disconnected their links, the Doctor explained to the Emperor what happened. The doctor had done research at Market about Udell by deep space line. The doctor learned about the mining federation squadron sent to take Mr. Nesslun to Udell by force and how Mr. Nesslun was to be tested.
The Emperor motioned over a member of his security staff. “I want people sent to Udell to make certain that this is true. Then I will decide what to do next.”
Wars threatened to break out all across the border between the Empire and the Baronies. The Emperor used the code that only he knew to activate the Emperor’s frequency that let him talk to every Imperial Soldier anywhere in the Empire. The Emperor told his loyal troops that he was safe and he didn't blame the Baronies for what happened on Lindle 4. Still warships chased each other all along the border between the Empire and the Baronies. Udell would have to wait.
When Nesslun walked out of the Lindle mine not only was the event recorded and broadcast live across the galaxy, large numbers of event recorders and their staffs started a massive invasion of the Market Sphere to find out more about the man newly named “The Monster Killer.” The planet Cocuru was especially overrun. As most gloride mines were well covered by point recorders Nesslun was able to take home a recording from every gloride mine of his fight with the gloride monster he had come to kill. Upon returning to Cocuru he would throw a party for his friends and show them his latest battle. Nesslun was always happy to make a copy of the recording for anyone who wanted one. Several hundred recordings of Bob Nesslun killing gloride monsters were soon being broadcast from one end of the galaxy to the other. When he was transferred from the Emperor's flagship to the Imperial Hospital, event recorders were swarming everywhere. Huge amounts of money were being offered to medical personnel for the privilege of being the first to interview Mr. Nesslun. The Emperor put down an iron clad edict. Absolutely no one except approved medical personnel and Dr Carroll were to have any contact with Nesslun. Even the Emperor’s daughter Lindwella was not allowed to see him. Lindwella tried to contact her father. He was too busy trying to prevent the wars that threatened to break out all along the border between the Baronies and the Empire to talk to her.
◊When I woke up I opened my eyes to a bright clean hospital room. Open windows revealing crystal blue sky meant I wasn't on Udell.
Dr Carroll was sitting next to my bed. She was going through still recordings of Lindle relics and making notes in her journal. Dr Carroll had lovely, well cared for, nicely shaped hair, surrounding an intelligent, almost startlingly beautiful face. Even so, I couldn't help but let my attention drift to those exquisitely beautiful hands. I knew those hands were surprisingly strong, while at the same time capable of the most precise, delicate movements.
Again I wondered about that sexual exhaustion technique of hers. Why did the fates always send me to the hospital just as Dr Carroll was about to send me to the hospital in a much nicer way? She said I would have a smile on my face when I got there and I believed her. I had visited a man who had been sent to the hospital by Dr Carroll. He had a grin on his face that made you want to slap him. All he could talk about was getting well enough so that he could leave the hospital and have her send him back.
Dr Carroll was a medical doctor as well as being a trained archaeologist specializing in the Lindle. Her general rule was that she would never sexually exhaust a man more than once a year. She had never killed anyone with her sexual exhaustion technique. A woman would have to be a medical doctor to perform it safely. Dr Carroll’s sexual exhaustion technique took a lot out of a man. She had never had anyone die as a result of her sexual exhaustion technique, but being the first was a chance I was willing to take.
Dr Carroll turned to look at me, realized I was awake, and smiled. “I see you decided to come back to the land of the living.” I tried to speak, but all that came out was a gurgling noise. “They just pulled the tube out of your throat and the anesthetic will take awhile to wear off.”
Dr Carroll took my wrist in her hand for a moment, then looked into my eyes, then listened to my chest. “You're in surprisingly good shape. The equipment they have here is absolute state of the art.” I took her hand in mine and grinned. “You’re not healthy enough for that,” she said. Dr. Carroll bent down to look directly into my eyes and then continued. “The next time you go to the hospital I want to be the one that sends you there,” she told me.
Half a dozen people came in the room and two of them ushered Dr Carroll out. My gown was taken off, more tubes were removed, and I was poked and prodded and pronounced well enough to leave. After I cleaned up and dressed, I was taken to my apartment.
She was waiting, arms wide, to give me a hug. Dr Carroll is a great hugger. It wasn't a bear hug, it wasn't the kind of fierce hug a girl will sometimes give you that really means, you belong to me, let's get naked, and it certainly wasn't the sexless hug of a relative. It was the kind of hug that says I really care about you. I want you to be healthy and happy and I want to be part of your life. The hug was far too short when she pushed me away to speak to the men who followed me in the room. “Could I have at least a couple of minutes alone to talk to him?” Dr Carroll asked.
The men looked at each other than back to Dr Carroll. “Yes, but only a couple of minutes. His presentation ceremony is in only two hours and we have to get him ready.” They turned and left.
The door hadn't closed behind them when I had Dr. Carroll in my arms and was kissing her passionately. The dress she was wearing had far too many buttons.
Dr Carroll gently pushed me away. “I need to talk to you. The Lindle relics are being split three ways. One third is going into a massive museum on the planet of Court. One third is going into a massive museum on the planet of Unity. And one third is to be put in a massive museum on the planet of Market, to be built with Imperial funds, and I am going to be its curator. I'm going to be in charge.”
“Why do I have the feeling this means that you have to leave right away Dr. Carroll?”
“We both have to leave right away. Right after you are given the Emperor's Commendation, they are putting you on one of those massive luxury star transports. It is a virtual pleasure palace. Every entertainment you can think of right on the transport.”
“And you won't be with me?” I asked her sadly.
“I am getting on a courier craft so I can get to Market to supervise the construction of the museum. I'm going to recreate one of the streets of Lindle 4. Bob it's going to be magnificent.”
“Couldn't you take the luxury transport with me Dr Carroll? It won't be any fun alone.”
“They are going to give you
