Bloodhype (7 page)

“Well said,” huffed Arris as they turned yet another corner.

For a time now the Vom had perceived atmosphere around itself. At least its senses had improved to that point, however little. Otherwise it was aware only of being suspended in a strong metallic container between two pulsing energy sources. These it correctly interpreted as sources of motive power for its “cage.” The gravity field of the planet beneath had been felt long ago. The Vom was still terribly, terribly weak. Its awareness of that weakness made it cautious.

For example, even though it had now regained enough strength to break free, it did not long consider the idea. It knew that it could spread its organic envelope thin enough to float gently to the surface below, or compact itself and drop to safety deep in rock.

Wait and observe, counseled one neural nexus. Pause and see, concurred a thousand others.

Commander Parquit and the two scientists entered the hastily constructed central control area. All observation and experiments to be performed on the creature would be supervised from this room. The center was buried even deeper than most of the AAnn station. A good nine or so fathoms beneath the low-tide point, it rested in water a deep blue. Tridee after tridee gave views of the interior of the special holding room, the halcyon surface, and a respectable portion of gray sky. Just now the center was a hive of frenzied activity. Technicians and mechanics predominated, making last-minute inspections, wirings, installation, and equipment checks. Engineers and an occasional scientist argued quietly over the performance or placement of various bits of exposed instrumentation.

The xenobiologist gestured towards one of the larger screens. It displayed a view of what seemed to be a large rectangular hole in the sea, surrounded by
pecces,
the Replerian coral-equivalent. Most of the small reef was the metal and plastic product of AAnn camouflage experts.

“The cage is located at the bottom of that shaft,” Arris informed Carmot. “It rests at the same level as this control center and is actually only
verrs
away, beyond this very wall. The paneling is undergoing final wiring, so I can’t pull them off the glass yet. When that is done we shall be able to observe directly everything the creature does. Or that we do to the creature. There will be no temperature or pressure difficulties, I am assured. The sides of that ‘hole’ are quite strong. They are also easily removed, as is the ‘reef.’ The walls of the shaft will be towed away as soon as the creature is safely ensconced in its new home. If the thing accepts water as a barrier, it will be barred from the surface by a good forty
teverrs
of ocean. And the restraining walls, of course.

“The most difficult problem was one that you and the spatial corps solved for us. Whether or not we would be forced to maintain an artificial atmosphere similar to the one of the planet from which the creature was removed. Fortunately, the thing appears extremely adaptable.”

“Insofar as our very cursory testings indicated,” Carmot reminded.

“True. A fortunate bit of luck for us, since our experimenters and handlers will be able to operate without the bother of special equipment and protective suits. Its sole requirement seems to be a certain minimal amount of oxygen. From tests it appears that the creature can break down any of a great number of substances and remove the required element. If nothing else, it proves itself a remarkably efficient combustion engine.”

“Perhaps a noteworthy fact already,” said Parquit. “Ah, here they come now.” He indicated a smaller console screen, and the two scientists moved closer for a better look.

Three rapidly moving blips, set close together, showed on the screen. As they descended further, they gradually resolved into two
Aphon
shuttles sandwiched around a massive, featureless ellipsoid.

“Compliments to the Emperor’s pilots, Commander,” said Carmot honestly. “Some remarkable maneuvering, there.”

“Proper balancing of forces for such a task, on descent . . . yes, very well managed,” said Parquit, adding, “I’m certain Sectorcav supplied the best nye available.”

“I can guess the need for such a complex arrangement,” said Carmot.

Parquit spoke without taking his eyes from the screen.

“Yes. There are no shuttles this side of the Homeworld capable of handling that much bulk. Not only would it take too long to transfer one, but the humanx would be certain to inquire into the need for shuttles of that size.
Aphon-
class occasionally operate out of the capitol. We manage things too openly for my taste as it is.”

The two shuttles slowed and maneuvered from side to side; a little lower and they were positioned directly over the shaft. A lift pressor at the bottom of the shaft gently locked in and the two shuttles released their hold. A tricky operation. The idea was that the two shuttles would release their hold at the same moment the main pressor took over. Unless timing and power were precisely matched, a catastrophic misalignment of forces could occur.

The two shuttles pulled away, one to the left, one right, and boosted heavenward to rejoin the mother ship somewhere in orbit. If the timing had been exact all around, none of the operation should have been observable from Repler City’s beacons hundreds of kilometers to the north.

Not that the humanx could do anything about it even if they were to detect the movements. The AAnn rights were unassailable where practically everything was concerned. But it was better not to have nosy bureaucrats poking around until many answers had been obtained. So the only humanx within detector range were a few improperly equipped hunters and fishers.

Gently, Engineering lowered the massive container to the bottom of the shaft. A basso grinding from, the big room heralded touchdown. Relays snapped and sliding panels formed a new, permanent roof to the great cage. Outside, automatic work-tugs set about the task of dismantling the camouflaged shaft. Parquit did not permit himself to relax until all four panels of the structure and the accompanying artificial reef had been removed and stored. An unbroken sea flowed over the now-sealed subterranean structure. He smoothed his tail absently.

“Over and done and buried. So. Now the besotten freefliers may flit overhead to their heart’s content!”

“The structure, then, is completely invisible from the air?” asked Carmot.

“Like the rest of our undersea facilities, the containment area appears as normal seabottom when viewed from a height, complete with
Pecces
and an artificial piscean breeding ground.” The Commander leaned over the railing of the upper observation ramp and yelled into the big room. “Communications!”

From within a maze of screens and dials a slim technic looked up alertly.

“Radar and audor report all negative, Commander.”

“Good!” He turned back to the two scientists. “It only remains to release the creature from its life-support container. Then, Arris, you and your eager subordinates may proceed with the first of your experiments.” He turned to Carmot and began easily. “As a military man, I am of course particularly interested to see for myself proof of your claims as to the thing’s ability to resist powerful laser and other heat . . . .”

Within the shell the Vom rested quietly. It allowed its perceptions to roam freely through the thick metal and plastine and ferroconcrete walls. Still unbearably weak, it could nonetheless differentiate between the atmosphere within its container and that outside a yet larger cell. There the atmosphere became liquid. It was pleasingly high in oxygen content and well-mixed with hydrogen. A short distance above this area the atmosphere turned gaseous once again. An ocean or sea, then.

The Vom detected a host of small intelligences performing typical heat-generating tasks in the liquid around it. Others lay dormant and unmoving. Extending further, it made a tremendous discovery. This liquid atmosphere was violently alive with organisms! The sheer bulk staggered the Vom. It had been so long since life-force had been present nearby in any quantity that the Vom was stunned by the sheer fertility. True, the intelligence of all was low, low, carrying a proportionately smaller amount of life-energy. The volume, however, would come near to making up for that. There was no question as to pure numbers.

For one moment the Vom bravely extended its perceptions to the utmost. At the furthest limit of its terribly fatigued senses was at least one, possibly two large concentrations of high-quality life-force.

The Vom debated. It was still difficult to think clearly. How much longer could it wait before a real feeding was necessary to insure expansion? In order to energize the higher functions, it was life-energy and not bulk protein that was needed. Especially intelligent life-energy.

A small number of AAnn technicians floated in little work-cars above the metal ellipsoid, equipped with strip saws. They positioned themselves preparatory to cutting the shell from the creature. From there it was presumed the being would move about on its own to relax in the cell. There was no reason to think it would behave otherwise.

The Vom considered.

It was hungry
now.

Tortured metal screamed. The ellipsoid tore like paper in half a dozen, two dozen places. Long pseudopods black as the Pit extruded from the cracks and snatched the scooter-mounted techs like a frog catching flies. A few barely had enough time to scream. Metal and nye alike were absorbed into that black ichor. The Vom flowed out rapidly in all directions, examining every section of the vault.

Two biologists who had been taking notes nearby the single massive door turned and ran for their souls. They barely beat that flowing black hell. It slammed up against the water-tight barrier like a wave of ink seconds after they’d slipped through to safety. Sensing intelligent construct, the Vom began to analyze the barrier separating it from its food. A moderately complex duralloy construct, the metals yielded to rapid identification. Their tolerances were judged, gauged. A small section of the Vom began to produce heat, focused it on the door.

The duralloy turned red-hot, then white-hot. It began to flow like soapy water.

Parquit reacted first. The mental blast that had been the Vom’s first free-emoting thought—that of a cosmic hunger—had momentarily paralyzed everyone. “Close all doors in that tubeway access! Also all doors in sections six, seven and nine!”

Suddenly the room was a frenzy of activity. Parquit’s commands galvanized the technicians into action.

The first doorway melted through, giving access to the first section of tubeway. The ravenous intelligence consumed the envelopes and life-energy of two more nye. The two scientists had narrowly made the tube before the first door slammed shut behind them. They hadn’t made the second ahead of Parquit’s orders. The life energy the Vom received, however, was less than it might have been, since the minute the monster had breached the first door and flowed for them, one biologist shot his companion and then turned the little needle-ray on himself. They perished differently from the scooter-techs in that they didn’t have time to scream.

Parquit strode up and down the railing, bawling orders at every section.

“Power nexus!” he roared.

Engineer-Physicist Pyorn looked up helplessly from his control desk. “Commander! Consider, the final linkage has never been tested! The possible effects remain theoretical at this point and—”

Parquit looked hard at the Engineer. “To the Dead Star with your linkages, nye! A good time to test them, vya-nar? And if your effects prove theoretical, our deaths will not. Full power! And hold!”

“Exalted commands,” Pyorn muttered faintly. He broke back two plated switches, one yellow, the other brown. Pressing both in sequence, he uttered a quiet prayer to the dust demons to hold the newly installed systematization together.

The Vom recoiled in terrible pain. The entire vault, excepting a large section of the center flooring, had suddenly and unexpectedly come alive with several million volts. The access tunnel was similarly charged. In its weakened condition, the powerful overload was more than its unprepared cells could distribute. It shrank back on itself towards the one section of the vault that was uncharged. All movement was agony. Misjudged, misjudgment! It cried. One by one centers shut down to avoid being burned out forever. Those which tried to distribute the charge had some success before failing. Those on the organic periphery went first.

Unfortunately, very unfortunately, it did not quite die.

“Full off, back down slowly,” Parquit ordered after several minutes had elapsed. The Vom had long since ceased all movement of any kind, but the Commander was not about to be undercautious. Obediently, Pyorn closed down the system. The Engineer examined dials and meters intently.

“All sections holding Commander.” There was a hint of pride in the voice, which Parquit, under the circumstances, did not reprimand.

“Compliments,” he said curtly. To the two scientists, “Follow me, please, sanderings.” They descended to the floor of the great control center. Parquit singled out an elderly AAnn seated alone amid thousands of tiny glass cages with captive dials.

“Well, Amostom, is it ruled a final dueling?”

“I cannot say yet, Commander. According to life-support monitor . . .” he gestured at the meters and such, “ . . . the thing still lives.”

“Impossible,” Arris said quietly.

“Strange words to come from a xenobiologist,” replied the Commander.

“Exalted, there isn’t a living creature that can take half the voltage that was poured into that vault for more than a few milliseconds. Even then, the aquatic being in question has all its higher neurological functions crisped. The thing must at least be paralyzed beyond possibility of recovery, a point where ‘death’ becomes an exercise in convenient semantics.”

“Well,” Parquit said grimly, “you may be right, there. If not, your scheme of tolerance will be forced to revise itself to include a variable.” He turned to stare at the monitors which relayed images from the vault.

“If it is still alive, it shows no sign of it. All visible motion has halted.”