[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
was the first to be off-loaded. The Illensan material and their own tanks of
compressed Hudlar nutrient required more handling before transfer to their
respective storage facilities by the hands and gravity floats of specialist
cargo teams, rather than being thrown about by tractor beam operators. The
internal transfer teams, who operated without spacesuits, would join the other
handlers as soon as the freighter's hold and the airless loading bay were
returned to normal atmospheric pressure. This was happening as they watched,
but given the size of the combined volume of the receiving dock and freight
hold, the process was necessarily a slow one, and so would leave just enough
time for the less fragile stores to be unloaded.
"The ship carries enough of all three types of cargo to keep the hospital
supplied for one-quarter of a standard year," the Hudlar went on. "Supplying
food for the more exotic life-forms, like that TLTU Diagnostician you have who
breathes superheated steam and eats the Maker alone knows what, or the
radiation-eating Telfi VTXMs is not our responsibility. Nor, I hope, is it
yours."
"It isn't," said Gurronsevas, and added silently, "at least not yet."
If anything, he thought, the ship's dining area resembled an other-species
communal shower. It was capable of accommodating up to twenty diners at a time
although there were only five crew-members waiting to enter when Gurronsevas
and his escort joined them. He was advised to remain outside and to observe
the pro-
ceedings through a direct vision panel in the corridor rather than suffer the
inconvenience of a protective suit and helmet plastered with Hudlar food. His
two guides, whose well-covered organs of absorption showed that they had dined
recently, remained with him. The others hurried inside and the last one in
switched on the facil-
ity.
Page 40
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Immediately the food sprayers set at close intervals into the walls and
ceiling began pumping in nutrient at high pressure until a thick fog of the
stuff filled the room. Then fans concealed around in walls came to life,
whipping the dense atmosphere into a room-sized storm and keeping the food
particles airborne.
"The food is identical with that used in the hospital and on all Hudlar ships
and space accommodations," the Hudlar medic explained, "but the violent air
movement closely resembles the continual storm conditions found on our world
and makes it feel, if not taste, more homely. The recreation deck is even more
homelike as you will see, but foodless and, for you, much less messy."
The recreation deck was empty because the rest of the crew were either dining
or off-loading cargo. Lighting that was more subdued than that of the corridor
outside made it just possible for him to see the details of exercise
equipment, unlit reading and entertainment screens and hard, irregular masses
of what might have been sculptures. There was no soft furniture or bedding
because the Hudlars were too hard-
skinned to require soft padding on which to relax. A tightly-stretched,
circular membrane set into the ceiling was emitting whistling and moaning
noises which he was told was relaxing Hudlar music, but it was fighting a
losing battle against the howling and buffeting sounds of the artificial gale
that was blowing around the room.
So strong were some of the gusts at times that they threatened to blow him off
his six widely braced Tralthan feet.
"Small objects are striking my suit and visor," said Gurronsevas. "Some of
them appear to be alive."
"They are wind-borne stinging and burrowing insects native to our home world,"
said the Hudlar medic. "The tiny amounts of toxic material secreted by their
stings affects our absorption organs briefly before being neutralized. To a
species like your own, who have a well-developed sense of smell, the insects
perform a function analogous to that of a sharp-tasting, aromatic vegetation.
How many specimens will you require?"
"A few of each species, if there is more than one," Gurronsevas replied.
"Preferably living insects with their stings and poison sacs intact. Is this
possible?"
"Of course," said the medic. "Just open your specimen flask and reseal it when
enough of them have been blown inside..."
He had been toying with the idea of sectioning off an area of the hospital's
main dining room for the exclusive use of Hudlars, and of introducing wind
machines and a small swarm of native insects so as to make their dining
environment more enjoyable, but now it would have to be discarded. The insects
blowing against his suit were trying with great persistence to bite and sting
him through the fabric, and the thought of the havoc they could create among
the hospital's unprotected diners should they escape from the Hudlar enclosure [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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was the first to be off-loaded. The Illensan material and their own tanks of
compressed Hudlar nutrient required more handling before transfer to their
respective storage facilities by the hands and gravity floats of specialist
cargo teams, rather than being thrown about by tractor beam operators. The
internal transfer teams, who operated without spacesuits, would join the other
handlers as soon as the freighter's hold and the airless loading bay were
returned to normal atmospheric pressure. This was happening as they watched,
but given the size of the combined volume of the receiving dock and freight
hold, the process was necessarily a slow one, and so would leave just enough
time for the less fragile stores to be unloaded.
"The ship carries enough of all three types of cargo to keep the hospital
supplied for one-quarter of a standard year," the Hudlar went on. "Supplying
food for the more exotic life-forms, like that TLTU Diagnostician you have who
breathes superheated steam and eats the Maker alone knows what, or the
radiation-eating Telfi VTXMs is not our responsibility. Nor, I hope, is it
yours."
"It isn't," said Gurronsevas, and added silently, "at least not yet."
If anything, he thought, the ship's dining area resembled an other-species
communal shower. It was capable of accommodating up to twenty diners at a time
although there were only five crew-members waiting to enter when Gurronsevas
and his escort joined them. He was advised to remain outside and to observe
the pro-
ceedings through a direct vision panel in the corridor rather than suffer the
inconvenience of a protective suit and helmet plastered with Hudlar food. His
two guides, whose well-covered organs of absorption showed that they had dined
recently, remained with him. The others hurried inside and the last one in
switched on the facil-
ity.
Page 40
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Immediately the food sprayers set at close intervals into the walls and
ceiling began pumping in nutrient at high pressure until a thick fog of the
stuff filled the room. Then fans concealed around in walls came to life,
whipping the dense atmosphere into a room-sized storm and keeping the food
particles airborne.
"The food is identical with that used in the hospital and on all Hudlar ships
and space accommodations," the Hudlar medic explained, "but the violent air
movement closely resembles the continual storm conditions found on our world
and makes it feel, if not taste, more homely. The recreation deck is even more
homelike as you will see, but foodless and, for you, much less messy."
The recreation deck was empty because the rest of the crew were either dining
or off-loading cargo. Lighting that was more subdued than that of the corridor
outside made it just possible for him to see the details of exercise
equipment, unlit reading and entertainment screens and hard, irregular masses
of what might have been sculptures. There was no soft furniture or bedding
because the Hudlars were too hard-
skinned to require soft padding on which to relax. A tightly-stretched,
circular membrane set into the ceiling was emitting whistling and moaning
noises which he was told was relaxing Hudlar music, but it was fighting a
losing battle against the howling and buffeting sounds of the artificial gale
that was blowing around the room.
So strong were some of the gusts at times that they threatened to blow him off
his six widely braced Tralthan feet.
"Small objects are striking my suit and visor," said Gurronsevas. "Some of
them appear to be alive."
"They are wind-borne stinging and burrowing insects native to our home world,"
said the Hudlar medic. "The tiny amounts of toxic material secreted by their
stings affects our absorption organs briefly before being neutralized. To a
species like your own, who have a well-developed sense of smell, the insects
perform a function analogous to that of a sharp-tasting, aromatic vegetation.
How many specimens will you require?"
"A few of each species, if there is more than one," Gurronsevas replied.
"Preferably living insects with their stings and poison sacs intact. Is this
possible?"
"Of course," said the medic. "Just open your specimen flask and reseal it when
enough of them have been blown inside..."
He had been toying with the idea of sectioning off an area of the hospital's
main dining room for the exclusive use of Hudlars, and of introducing wind
machines and a small swarm of native insects so as to make their dining
environment more enjoyable, but now it would have to be discarded. The insects
blowing against his suit were trying with great persistence to bite and sting
him through the fabric, and the thought of the havoc they could create among
the hospital's unprotected diners should they escape from the Hudlar enclosure [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]