a matter of fact, you spent two solid years in micro-surgical training
in Hospital Philadelphia, with all sorts of glowing reports from your
preceptors about what a flair you had for the work."

Dal shook his head. "I--I did some work in the field, yes, but not on
critical cases under field conditions."

"You mean that this case required some different kind of technique than
the cases you've worked on before?"

"No, not really, but--"

"But you just couldn't quite shoulder the responsibility the job
involved when you got into a pinch without any help around," the Black
Doctor growled.

"I just thought it would be safer to wait," Dal said helplessly.

"A good conservative approach," Dr. Tanner sneered. "Of course, you
realized that prolonged anaesthesia in itself could threaten that
patient's life?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you saw the patient's condition steadily deteriorating while you
waited, did you not?"

"It was too late to change my mind then," Dal said desperately. "We'd
sent for you. We knew that it would be only a matter of hours before you
arrived."