Part 2 (1/2)
”But if the Rell inside are too large to have developed intelligence, how could this gigantic monster in which they live have done so?”
”We cannot yet say. Remember, the theory that intelligence cannot develop in creatures above a certain size is unproven, even though never before challenged. We've watched other races die through failure to adapt to change so apparently it is true of Rell-like creatures on this world. But who can say about organisms on another world or of the unprecedented size of this one? Completely different physical laws may apply.”
It was later that afternoon after the Rell had spent much time observing Brown while Brown was busy observing the landscape that the interpretive bank made the triumphant announcement, ”We have it! We've broken the thought waves down to their meanings and know what he's thinking. What would you like to know first?”
”Check and see if there are any Rell inside the other thing or on his home world. They might have constructed him.”
”Apparently there are none, or at least no intelligent Rell, on his world. We can't guide his mind but the memory bank recorded all the thoughts we've received and some time ago he was thinking of something he termed 'vermin'. Apparently these are sometimes Rell-like creatures, although far larger. He regards them as a great nuisance, but mindless.
The big thing, by the way, he calls a 's.h.i.+p' and it is utterly lifeless.
We needn't fear the flame until this creature leaves.”
”What about him? What is he like?”
”That's the most exciting part! He thought of his bodily needs once and we glimpsed a concept dealing with his physical construction. It's incredible! His body is composed almost entirely of water ... there's enough water in him alone to prolong the life of the Rell many ages.
Further, the air in his 's.h.i.+p' is heavily impregnated with moisture and he even has reserve supplies of water for his needs.”
At this, not only Raeillo/ee13, but all except perhaps the most responsible units felt a s.h.i.+ver of primitive longing and perhaps even greed. Not for millennia had there been such a plent.i.tude of water so close!
”Then can't we appropriate at least part of it?” asked the speculative bank.
”Unfortunately both the 'man', as he calls himself, and his 's.h.i.+p' are sealed so tightly that we could not penetrate either. Worse yet, almost half his time here is already gone. We don't quite understand his purpose here. His thoughts seem to say he is searching for Rell for some unfathomable reason yet he seems to know nothing of the Rell and cannot even detect us.”
It was the next day when the time was almost all gone that the two big discoveries were made. During a routine check, the mesh came across a thought of the man's return and a visualization of his home world. It was so startling that the interpretive bank was recalled from its effort to try to devise a means through the s.p.a.cesuit and set at the new problem.
A hasty check of the man's subconscious thoughts revealed the big news.
”Do you know,” the interpretive bank announced, ”not only does this being's home world have a moist atmosphere like that in his s.h.i.+p but two thirds of the surface of his world is _liquid water_!”
Even the speculative bank was silent for a full two seconds after this news. Then a hasty impulse was sent to the disciplinary corps and the entire mind called into action. An extreme emergency upon which the fate of the race hinged called for the utmost effort by even the humblest members of the group.
The Rell worked diligently and many blind alleys were explored, but it was not for some time that anyone thought of enquiring of the not-too-bright feeding bank how they were managing to keep the mind operating at considerably more than normal power with no frost within feeding distance.
”We're taking moisture from the air,” was the answer.
”Where is the moisture coming from?” the interpretive bank was asked.
The answer didn't take long. Rapid measurements supplied it. ”Some of it is vaporized frost but that wouldn't be enough for our needs. The only other possibility is that moisture must be seeping away from either the man or his s.h.i.+p despite his sureness that they were both airtight and our own investigations which confirmed it.”
They had maintained a cautious distance from the s.h.i.+p for the most part despite the interpretive bank's a.s.surance of no immediate danger. But now they swarmed over both it and the s.p.a.cesuit determined to detect the leak.
They found none.
And now the man was returning to his s.h.i.+p.