Human-alien encounters -- Fiction; Life on other planets -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories
Captain Wanderman bent down, studied the arm of the man carefully. He
remained silent for some time, then he stood up. There was a tone of
awe and bewilderment in his voice when he spoke.
"It has moved, and what is more, it is still moving. I saw that hand
pass a given point on the body of the person in a few minutes. It's
like watching the hands of a clock. At first, they do not seem to move
at all, but if you watch closely enough for a time, you can observe the
motion."
"Do you mean this fellow is still alive?"
"It would seem so."
"But why the slow motion?" asked Opp.
"I think," said the captain slowly, "that the mentascope can help us
answer the whole business."
They came to the courtyard of the running woman. The tableau had
changed; it seemed as if a few seconds had passed since they left. Now
the figure of the woman was closer to the gate; the two guards from
outside had passed through and were going forward to seize her, while
the men behind were in full running appearance, as if, having recovered
from a surprise move, they were taking to pursuit.
"All right men: set down the apparatus."
Two men set down a small battery, attached it to wires leading from a
large metal helmet which another was placing over the head of the still
woman-figure. Other wires were attached to the space-suit helmet worn
by Captain Wanderman. Through the glassite panes it could be seen that
he was wearing a somewhat similar helmet himself, having donned this
while back on the ship.
* * * * *
A current of electrical energy was passed from an electrode pressed
against one particular part of the woman's head through to another
leading out. In passing through the brain of the woman, this current
picked up the last and deepest occurrences in the life of the person
subjected to it. It activated the cells on which these events were
recorded in a form much like that of a charged body. Passing out of the
brain, it carried these impressions with it and brought them to the
mind of the operator as distinct thoughts. Since basic thoughts are not
expressed in any language save impressions and pictures, the operator
finds that he has suddenly acquired the knowledge of the other.
Thus, in a brief time, Wanderman told the men of the story concerning
Nimbor and Toom, of the _mataiya's_ part in the drama. The men stood
in wonder, staring at the figures; Opp calmly walked over to Aald and
tweaked his nose. The Nimborian's expression did not change.
"I still can't grasp why these people are all like frozen statues,"
exclaimed Barth. "How can they live and act like everyday terrestrials
when this planet is so lacking in heat and light?"
"I think I can explain," said Wanderman. "It sounds fantastic, but it
is not impossible. And it would account for all the factors. I'll tell
you when we get back to the ship: right now we have work to do."
"What work?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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