It was Yon who did the piloting. He did a very creditable job of settling down to the plateau near the Caduceus. Hale asked him to remain with the ship while he went to the hospital ship.
Hale stepped out of the ship, and he hadn't gone more than ten paces when the speaker called: "Halt! Stop or we fire!"
Hale identified himself. "You can let me in now," he called. "The Plague has been completely whipped."
Captain Doctor Wills met him at the airlock of the Caduceus and wrung his hand. "I'm glad to see you carried it off!" He had once been a tall, strong, lean man; now he was merely lean and bent.
"I haven't much time to talk, sit," Hale said rapidly. "I've got the diamond—here. Call the Health Center as soon as I leave and tell them what's happened."
"Why—why—What's the matter?"
"Can't you see? That ship is the Morris—they've repaired it!"
"But I thought you said the Plague had been eliminated!"
Hale shook his head. "Not completely, sir. They're still carriers. I'm not a carrier, myself; I checked that on my own instruments. But these people are; only the virulent phase has been stopped."
"What are you going to do, Lieutenant?"