“What you have to learn here is something no Earth doctor knows or could teach you,” he said. “You have to have time to learn⁠—and you need equipment and drugs.”

“If I could have antibiotics and other drugs⁠ ⁠… I wanted to get a supply from the dispensary but the Gerns wouldn’t let me go.”

“Some of the Ragnarok plants might be of value if a person could find the right ones. I just came from a talk with Anders about that. He’ll provide you with anything possible in the way of equipment and supplies for research⁠—anything in the camp you need to try to save lives. He’ll be at your shelter tonight to see what you want. Do you want to try it?”

“Yes⁠—of course.” Chiara’s eyes lighted with new hope. “It might take a long time to find a cure⁠—maybe we never would⁠—but I’d like to have help so I could try. I’d like to be able, some day once again, to say to a scared kid, ‘Take this medicine and in the morning you’ll be better,’ and know I told the truth.”