[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
at the Center and their students. They all listened politely to Deirdre's
commendably brief description of their own life cycle. Cinnamon felt an aura
of disbelief, when Deirdre began, but sensed an exciting change in the
attitude of the icerugs as Katrina displayed microscopic images and other
Page 157
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
pictures on electrorase prints. Oddly, the really convincing pictures were the
color photographs of the decaying coelashark oozing pus and the infant icerug.
The icerug scientists studied them carefully, their highly discriminating
color sense enabling them to see that the pus and the infant were the same
color. This made it easier for their acceptance of the microscope images of
the individual cells taken from both, showing that they had identical genetic
patterns -- and that the decaying coelashark had indeed changed into an
icerug.
They had more difficulty with the idea of being part of the
reproduction of the coelasharks, however, since the biologists had no photos
to show them, only microscopic images of "virgin" worms taken from a
vermicyst, and the single "pregnant" worm that Little Red had captured near
Pink-Orb's waste vent.
"So, somewhere in the body of an icerug, the wee creature from the
vermicyst is changed from a single-knobbed cell, with only half of the genes
needed to make a coelashark, to a double-knobbed cell with a full complement
of coelashark genes. The second half of the gene set is obtained, in some
unknown fashion, from the icerug as the worm passes through. We cannot fathom
how, or where, or when, it is done."
Cinnamon interpolated, "It is a mystery! Perhaps with further study,
you can discover the answer."
"The altered worm leaves your body," continued Deirdre, "and swims to
the sea floor. Here, the worms who survive grow large and strong, and live out
their lives as coelasharks. As they mature, vermicysts form within them. At
the correct biological time, coinciding with a massive geyser eruption, the
coelasharks move instinctively towards the event which will cause their own
deaths -- but ensure the survival of their kind."
"And that works, for them," said Cinnamon, "because if you icerugs find
the vermicysts and eat them, there will be more coelasharks. But it works for
you too, because if there are too few icerugs clustered around a geyser, the
coelashark does not land on an icerug and so the vermicysts stay inside. The
little worms then survive on their own, consuming the dead coelashark and each
other until the last grows into an infant icerug."
"Which you find, and raise, and add to the community, thus increasing
the icerug population!" said Katrina triumphantly.
There was a long silence as the icerugs considered what the three
humans had told them. Finally, Green-Eye broke the silence. "You have
presented a very interesting conjecture. It will most certainly provide for
lengthy discussions in our Center of Medical Studies meetings for many cycles
to come."
"It seemed extremely involved and convoluted to me," objected one of
the more beribboned and elder lecturers. "The Theory of Spontaneous
Reproduction is a much simpler explanation for the origin of younglings than
this conjecture that the humans have hypothesized."
"It isn't a conjecture! It's the _truth_!" whispered Katrina, upset.
Joe was wise enough not to translate her words for the aliens.
"Hush," warned Deirdre. "The idea is there, let the creatures develop
it or no, as they will!"
* * * *
The last several days of the mission were filled with small but important
duties, and all of the crew were busy. Reports, videos, further consultations
with the icerugs on points of culture and function -- and, for Deirdre and
David, the poignant joy of hearing, once more, the huge pipe organ, looking
like it had been made of crystal, and sounding more majestic than anything on
earth. The whole crew stood, awed, as the mighty notes swelled and echoed
through the Great Meeting Hall during the farewell ceremony. The new Presider,
a sapphire-colored icerug with an eye to match, stood with them, as did
Green-Eye. When the music ended, the humans, flouwen, and icerugs looked at
each other, and George spoke a brief farewell.
"We'll see you again before we go," said George, "but as we are all
Page 158
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
here at once, I should like to thank you for all you have taught us."
"We are glad of your visit," responded the young Presider seriously.
"We have learned things from you. We can now enjoy music from this grand
instrument, certainly a vast improvement upon your primitive model. We know
how to make paper, although it is usually too much trouble. The batteries, we
have also constructed, although they are heavy, and are only used on our
occasional trips deep below the surface. And we are
interested to hear your conjectures about our origins, although even if
the discussions at the Center for Medical Studies eventually conclude that
they are true, they won't make much difference to our daily lives." There was
a pause.
"And that's _all_?" Shirley asked, dismayed. But Deirdre's heart sang
again. They had interfered, but not too much.
Back on _Victoria_, Shirley, George, and Katrina, with Josephine's
assistance, were readying the Ascent Propulsion Stage of the rocket for
takeoff, and discussing the disposal of the _Dragonfly_ airplane. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl ocenkijessi.opx.pl
at the Center and their students. They all listened politely to Deirdre's
commendably brief description of their own life cycle. Cinnamon felt an aura
of disbelief, when Deirdre began, but sensed an exciting change in the
attitude of the icerugs as Katrina displayed microscopic images and other
Page 157
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
pictures on electrorase prints. Oddly, the really convincing pictures were the
color photographs of the decaying coelashark oozing pus and the infant icerug.
The icerug scientists studied them carefully, their highly discriminating
color sense enabling them to see that the pus and the infant were the same
color. This made it easier for their acceptance of the microscope images of
the individual cells taken from both, showing that they had identical genetic
patterns -- and that the decaying coelashark had indeed changed into an
icerug.
They had more difficulty with the idea of being part of the
reproduction of the coelasharks, however, since the biologists had no photos
to show them, only microscopic images of "virgin" worms taken from a
vermicyst, and the single "pregnant" worm that Little Red had captured near
Pink-Orb's waste vent.
"So, somewhere in the body of an icerug, the wee creature from the
vermicyst is changed from a single-knobbed cell, with only half of the genes
needed to make a coelashark, to a double-knobbed cell with a full complement
of coelashark genes. The second half of the gene set is obtained, in some
unknown fashion, from the icerug as the worm passes through. We cannot fathom
how, or where, or when, it is done."
Cinnamon interpolated, "It is a mystery! Perhaps with further study,
you can discover the answer."
"The altered worm leaves your body," continued Deirdre, "and swims to
the sea floor. Here, the worms who survive grow large and strong, and live out
their lives as coelasharks. As they mature, vermicysts form within them. At
the correct biological time, coinciding with a massive geyser eruption, the
coelasharks move instinctively towards the event which will cause their own
deaths -- but ensure the survival of their kind."
"And that works, for them," said Cinnamon, "because if you icerugs find
the vermicysts and eat them, there will be more coelasharks. But it works for
you too, because if there are too few icerugs clustered around a geyser, the
coelashark does not land on an icerug and so the vermicysts stay inside. The
little worms then survive on their own, consuming the dead coelashark and each
other until the last grows into an infant icerug."
"Which you find, and raise, and add to the community, thus increasing
the icerug population!" said Katrina triumphantly.
There was a long silence as the icerugs considered what the three
humans had told them. Finally, Green-Eye broke the silence. "You have
presented a very interesting conjecture. It will most certainly provide for
lengthy discussions in our Center of Medical Studies meetings for many cycles
to come."
"It seemed extremely involved and convoluted to me," objected one of
the more beribboned and elder lecturers. "The Theory of Spontaneous
Reproduction is a much simpler explanation for the origin of younglings than
this conjecture that the humans have hypothesized."
"It isn't a conjecture! It's the _truth_!" whispered Katrina, upset.
Joe was wise enough not to translate her words for the aliens.
"Hush," warned Deirdre. "The idea is there, let the creatures develop
it or no, as they will!"
* * * *
The last several days of the mission were filled with small but important
duties, and all of the crew were busy. Reports, videos, further consultations
with the icerugs on points of culture and function -- and, for Deirdre and
David, the poignant joy of hearing, once more, the huge pipe organ, looking
like it had been made of crystal, and sounding more majestic than anything on
earth. The whole crew stood, awed, as the mighty notes swelled and echoed
through the Great Meeting Hall during the farewell ceremony. The new Presider,
a sapphire-colored icerug with an eye to match, stood with them, as did
Green-Eye. When the music ended, the humans, flouwen, and icerugs looked at
each other, and George spoke a brief farewell.
"We'll see you again before we go," said George, "but as we are all
Page 158
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
here at once, I should like to thank you for all you have taught us."
"We are glad of your visit," responded the young Presider seriously.
"We have learned things from you. We can now enjoy music from this grand
instrument, certainly a vast improvement upon your primitive model. We know
how to make paper, although it is usually too much trouble. The batteries, we
have also constructed, although they are heavy, and are only used on our
occasional trips deep below the surface. And we are
interested to hear your conjectures about our origins, although even if
the discussions at the Center for Medical Studies eventually conclude that
they are true, they won't make much difference to our daily lives." There was
a pause.
"And that's _all_?" Shirley asked, dismayed. But Deirdre's heart sang
again. They had interfered, but not too much.
Back on _Victoria_, Shirley, George, and Katrina, with Josephine's
assistance, were readying the Ascent Propulsion Stage of the rocket for
takeoff, and discussing the disposal of the _Dragonfly_ airplane. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]