Gibraltar Earth Michael McCollum(1)

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you think we keep this section under quarantine?
Surely you must know the probability of us catching something from him is low or else you wouldn t
have brought him aboard this station.
Low, but not yet zero. It will still take several months to be absolutely sure, Bendagar insisted. Until
then, you will have to work through the glass like the rest of us.
Lisa let loose with a comment that she had not learned in linguistics class. If I work through the glass, I
will have about as much success as you have had. If this is to succeed, it must be a saturation learning
experience for both of us.
The chief scientist hesitated and pondered his dilemma. He noted Dieter Pavel s look and knew what the
government man s recommendation would be. He had made it clear enough in the office that afternoon
that he wanted the alien speaking at the earliest possible moment. Then again, if this impetuous woman
wanted to risk her life, who was he to stop her? Finally, he nodded. Very well. I hope you realize that
you are offering yourself up as a human guinea pig for the biologists studies.
I realize that.
What if he bites? Pavel asked.
Lisa turned to him and smiled. Then I ll bite him back. Seriously, I would not suggest this if it were not
important. Two rational beings ought to be able to understand one another, but only if they can establish
common ground of some kind. This is the only way I know to learn what I must to crack this being s
language - assuming, of course, that he has one. I certainly won t succeed if I am limited to an hour a day
of Me Tarzan, You Jane through a centimeter of armor glass.
She turned to Bendagar. How do I get inside?
Do you meannow ?
Why not?
He sighed, recognizing her determination. What will you need?
A sleeping bag, my kit bag, and enough food to last me a week. Give me space rations. I will switch to
real food once I am sure the smell will not upset our guest. Oh yes, and I want the camera turned off in
the head whenever I need to use it.
Very well.
Now, how do I get inside?
Bendagar reached for his communicator. Wait, I ll call for some of the station maintenance people. They
will unbolt this door for you.
#
Sar-Say watched with apprehension as the barrier was removed and one of the bipeds floated into his
cage. At first, he thought they were after more tissue samples. He prepared himself to be prodded and
poked again. He was surprised when, after the others handed several bundles to the creature, they
replaced the thick transparency that kept him prisoner.
The newcomer was female, he observed, or at least of the subgroup of creatures he had tentatively
identified as such. The cylindrical roll she carried had the looks of one of the null gravity beds they had
provided to him for sleeping. In addition, the other packages were similar to the small rectangular packets
from which Sar-Say had observed the guards eating on more than one occasion. It was then he realized
that this creature intended to take up residence inside his cell. Evidently, then, this knowledge seeker
would attempt to establish communication with him. It was a turn of events that he had been expecting.
After stowing her gear on the far side of the compartment from where Sar-Say s own sleeping mattress
was hung, the female pulled herself to a point just beyond reach and lashed herself to a chair. She then
leaned forward, showed her teeth in the ferocious gesture that Sar-Say had learned signified mirth among
these beings, and spoke two syllables: Leee ... Saa!
As she uttered the sound, she gestured in her own direction, then bared her teeth again and gestured
toward Sar-Say. When he did not respond, she repeated the performance. He continued to watch her in
silence as his brain worked overtime to resolve a dilemma he had been considering ever since his
capture.
It had taken Sar-Say several days to come to the realization that these people were ignorant of
Civilization. The situation was not without precedent, of course. There were stations throughout the
Broan dominion that swept the stars for telltale signs of a technologically advanced species. Once
detected, a flotilla of warcraft would use dozens of refocused stargates to converge on that system.
Usually a show of overwhelming force was sufficient to gain a species grudging acceptance of Broan
domination. Sometimes actual fighting took place. In either event, the decision was never in doubt. A
species either submitted to the overlords or else they were exterminated.
However, this was the first time such outsiders had, in effect, discovered Civilization for themselves. The
situation held great danger, but also, the prospect of great opportunity. Properly exploited, it would bring
considerable profit to Sar-Say and all his line. Everything turned on what he told these beings of the
situation out among the stars. To be caught in a lie would be disastrous. It would likely end his life and all
possibility of personal profit. Yet, the whole truth would be equally disastrous. How much to tell these
strange bipeds and how much to conceal? That was the dilemma.
There had been no need to commit himself so long as his captors were content merely to watch him.
With the arrival of this knowledge seeker, however, the time for contemplation had ended. Eventually he
must acknowledge their attempts at communication. Once committed, he would have to tell them
something of Civilization, and whatever that something was, it would have to be self-consistent. He had [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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