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The Doomsday Conspiracy :: Sheldon Sidney
Страница: 36 из 213The walls were covered with panels containing vibrating metal discs.
“There’s a lot here we haven’t been able to figure out yet,” General Paxton admitted. “But what we’ve already learned is amazing.” He pointed to an array of equipment in small panels. “There’s an integrated wide-field-of-view optical system, what appears to be a life-scan system, a communication system with voice-synthesis capability, and a navigational system that, frankly, has us stumped. We think it works on some kind of electromagnetic pulse.”
“Any weapons aboard?” Janus asked.
General Paxton spread out his hands in a gesture of defeat. “We’re not sure. There’s a lot of hardware here we don’t begin to understand.”
“What is its source of energy?”
“Our best guess is that it uses monoatomic hydrogen in a closed loop so its waste product is water that can be continually recycled into hydrogen for power. With all that perpetual energy, it has a free ride in interplanetary space. It may be years before we solve all the secrets here. And there’s something else that’s puzzling. The bodies of the two aliens were strapped into their couches. But the indentations in the third couch indicate that it was occupied.”
“Are you saying,” Janus asked slowly, “that one may be missing?”
“It certainly looks that way.”
Janus stood there a moment frowning. “Let’s have a look at our trespassers.”
The two men walked over to the tables where the two aliens lay. Janus stood there, staring at the strange figures. It was incredible that things so foreign to humanity could exist as sentient beings. The foreheads of the aliens were larger than he had expected. The creatures were completely bald, with no eyelids or eyebrows. The eyes resembled ping-pong balls.
The doctor performing the autopsy looked up as the men approached. “It’s fascinating,” he said. “A hand has been severed from one of the aliens. There’s no sign of blood, but there are what appear to be veins that contain a green liquid. Most of it has drained out.”
“A green liquid?” Janus asked.
“Yes.” The doctor hesitated. “We believe these creatures are a form of vegetable life.”
“A thinking vegetable? Are you serious?”
“Watch this.” The doctor picked up a watering can and sprinkled water over the arm of the alien with a missing hand. For a moment, nothing happened. And then suddenly at the end of the arm, green matter oozed out and slowly began to form a hand.
The two men stared, shocked.
“There’s a lot here we haven’t been able to figure out yet,” General Paxton admitted. “But what we’ve already learned is amazing.” He pointed to an array of equipment in small panels. “There’s an integrated wide-field-of-view optical system, what appears to be a life-scan system, a communication system with voice-synthesis capability, and a navigational system that, frankly, has us stumped. We think it works on some kind of electromagnetic pulse.”
“Any weapons aboard?” Janus asked.
General Paxton spread out his hands in a gesture of defeat. “We’re not sure. There’s a lot of hardware here we don’t begin to understand.”
“What is its source of energy?”
“Our best guess is that it uses monoatomic hydrogen in a closed loop so its waste product is water that can be continually recycled into hydrogen for power. With all that perpetual energy, it has a free ride in interplanetary space. It may be years before we solve all the secrets here. And there’s something else that’s puzzling. The bodies of the two aliens were strapped into their couches. But the indentations in the third couch indicate that it was occupied.”
“Are you saying,” Janus asked slowly, “that one may be missing?”
“It certainly looks that way.”
Janus stood there a moment frowning. “Let’s have a look at our trespassers.”
The two men walked over to the tables where the two aliens lay. Janus stood there, staring at the strange figures. It was incredible that things so foreign to humanity could exist as sentient beings. The foreheads of the aliens were larger than he had expected. The creatures were completely bald, with no eyelids or eyebrows. The eyes resembled ping-pong balls.
The doctor performing the autopsy looked up as the men approached. “It’s fascinating,” he said. “A hand has been severed from one of the aliens. There’s no sign of blood, but there are what appear to be veins that contain a green liquid. Most of it has drained out.”
“A green liquid?” Janus asked.
“Yes.” The doctor hesitated. “We believe these creatures are a form of vegetable life.”
“A thinking vegetable? Are you serious?”
“Watch this.” The doctor picked up a watering can and sprinkled water over the arm of the alien with a missing hand. For a moment, nothing happened. And then suddenly at the end of the arm, green matter oozed out and slowly began to form a hand.
The two men stared, shocked.