“The last of Zahhara’s patients died that night. In the end it happened very quickly. About half of them had been human, the others different alien species, but it didn’t make a difference. In the last moments some of the nonhumans had reverted to their native languages, some had clutched her hand and talked to her passionately- if brokenly, through uncontrollable coughing-as if she were some family member or loved one, and she’d listened and nodded even if she didn’t understand a word of it.”
