Prologue
In a medical facility corridor, a wide sliding door opened… two medical technicians rushed someone on a gurney through the doors and into a small room crowded with medical equipment for emergency trauma care. The level of technology in evidence was approximately mid 21st century Earth with just enough differences for an observer to tell that this was an alien world. There were two treatment bed/tables, cabinets and trays with medical instruments, and a display for reading scans. The race was humanoid with a slight difference in facial features… there hands were shaped like mittens without fingers.
There was a sense of urgency as the technicians rushed the gurney into the Emergency Room… two young physicians quickly moved equipment and got a table ready for the incoming patient. The woman lying on the gurney was in local civilian garb and had a large bandage on her head. She wore mittens on her hands. They had the gurney in position and the technicians helped to move the victim off the gurney and onto the table.
"Ready… lift!"
They all lifted and moved the victim on the table. The technicians moved away and exited. The two doctors moved with the smooth efficiency of hurried professionalism. The began to attach the victim to emergency equipment…
"She took a severe blow… possible trauma to the telencephalon…"
Sachi examined the patient. "Start fifteen octares of quadroline. We'll need a complete del-scan series."
Anderson took a stethoscope-type device and put it on the patient's stomach. Anderson listened… frowned… "I can't find her cardial organ…"
Sachi quickly grabbed the patient's wrist… "What do you mean? I'm reading a steady circulation…"
Anderson went searching for the heart with his scope… moved it around… finally placed it on her chest… "There it is… up here…"
"In her digestive tract?"
"Have you ever seen anything like this…?"
They exchanged a puzzled look and then Anderson got back to work as Sachi gingerly used his hands to probe the woman's stomach…
"She's missing three costal struts on one side and four on the other…"
"You think that's something… look at this…"
Anderson was at the woman's feet, having removed her shoes and socks, showing toes- "She has digits on her terminus…"
They moved to her hands and peeled off her gloves… to reveal fingers on her hand… They exchanged a look. Look at her.
"What are you?"
It was Nita lying unconscious on the table. Her face had been altered so she looked like a Malcorian, the local species.