[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
together, but there were too many louder conversations going on at once for
the ship's translator to separate them, and the third adult had stopped beside
the communicator which immediately ceased broadcasting.
"The silence, at least, is welcome," said the Wem without any sign of
hesitation.
It went on, "Do you think we are all deaf? Or of retarded intelligence since
the same message was repeated over and over? Don't you people know that
shouting reassurances at us, loudly and continually, angers more than it
reassures? From beings who must have come from the stars, I expected more
intelligence. Can this stupid machine listen as well as shout? What do you
want of us?"
"Sound level reduced by two-thirds," said the Captain quietly. "Go ahead,
Doctor."
"Thank you," said Prilicla. It drifted closer to the communicator and tapped
the transmit stud before going on, "We are sorry that the device was too noisy
and that it angered you. The offense was not intended and neither was there
any implication that your hearing or intelligence is defective. It was simply
that we wished to be heard over a wide area.
"We want to talk with you and your friends," Prilicla continued, "and to learn
from you and to help you in whatever way is possible. You are as strange to us
as we will be to you when you see us. We will answer questions about ourselves
and we would like to ask questions of you. Provided there are no personal or
cultural reasons for not giving the information and you are willing to give
the answer to a stranger, the first question is what is your name. My name is
Prilicla and I am a healer."
"That's a ridiculous name," said the Wem. "It sounds like a handful of pebbles
being rattled together. I am Tawsar, the First Teacher. I leave healing and
preservation to others. What is your second question?"
"Are the young Wem safe where they are," asked Prilicla, "so far from the
shelter of your mine? They are in no danger from us but, now that it will soon
be dark, is there a risk to them from night predators?"
Gurronsevas's first thought was that there were more important questions that
Prilicla could have asked, but his second thought was that expressing an early
concern for the safety of the young displayed consideration and friendliness
that would reinforce its words of reassurance more than anything else it could
have said.
"It is our practice," Tawsar replied, "to allow the children to escape from
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
the mine for a few hours every day when the sun will not blight their young
skins or work changes in the offspring they may one day bear. It also releases
the energy that would otherwise make them unruly and noisy in class and keep
them and their teachers from going to sleep. In the mine they cannot run
freely or tail-jump, which is an unnatural situation for the very young. But
they are in no danger from predators because all such creatures, be they large
and dangerous or tiny rodents, have long since been
hunted to extinction in this area. Your ship has provided a new experience for
them as well as an outlet for their surplus energy. How long will your ship
remain here?"
A school, thought Gurronsevas, was the ideal place to find curious and
flexible minds. He could sense the medical team's growing excitement.
"As long as you allow us to stay," said Prilicla quickly. "But we would like
to meet you and your friends in person instead of speaking through this
device. Is that possible?"
Tawsar was silent for a long moment, then it said, "We should not waste time
talking to you. Our behavior will be publicly criticized. No matter, we are
curious and too old to care. But you must leave before the return of our
hunters. This you must promise me."
"We promise it," said Prilicla simply, and there was no doubt in the minds of
the medical team that the promise would be kept. "But there may be a problem
when we show ourselves to you. Physically we differ greatly from the Wem. The
young, perhaps you yourself, might find us visually horrendous and repulsive."
Tawsar made a sound that did not translate, then said, "We have not seen the
creatures from the other starship, but they have given us word-pictures of
themselves.
They are strange, upright creatures without a balancing tail, some of them
covered in fur and others with fur only on their heads. But they wanted to
change our ways, so our hunters smashed their speaking devices before leaving.
As for frightening the children, I doubt that you could appear more horrendous
than the creatures with which their imaginations have already populated your
ship.
"Upon consideration," it went on before Prilicla could reply, "it would be
better if you didn't show yourselves now. The young are excited enough as it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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together, but there were too many louder conversations going on at once for
the ship's translator to separate them, and the third adult had stopped beside
the communicator which immediately ceased broadcasting.
"The silence, at least, is welcome," said the Wem without any sign of
hesitation.
It went on, "Do you think we are all deaf? Or of retarded intelligence since
the same message was repeated over and over? Don't you people know that
shouting reassurances at us, loudly and continually, angers more than it
reassures? From beings who must have come from the stars, I expected more
intelligence. Can this stupid machine listen as well as shout? What do you
want of us?"
"Sound level reduced by two-thirds," said the Captain quietly. "Go ahead,
Doctor."
"Thank you," said Prilicla. It drifted closer to the communicator and tapped
the transmit stud before going on, "We are sorry that the device was too noisy
and that it angered you. The offense was not intended and neither was there
any implication that your hearing or intelligence is defective. It was simply
that we wished to be heard over a wide area.
"We want to talk with you and your friends," Prilicla continued, "and to learn
from you and to help you in whatever way is possible. You are as strange to us
as we will be to you when you see us. We will answer questions about ourselves
and we would like to ask questions of you. Provided there are no personal or
cultural reasons for not giving the information and you are willing to give
the answer to a stranger, the first question is what is your name. My name is
Prilicla and I am a healer."
"That's a ridiculous name," said the Wem. "It sounds like a handful of pebbles
being rattled together. I am Tawsar, the First Teacher. I leave healing and
preservation to others. What is your second question?"
"Are the young Wem safe where they are," asked Prilicla, "so far from the
shelter of your mine? They are in no danger from us but, now that it will soon
be dark, is there a risk to them from night predators?"
Gurronsevas's first thought was that there were more important questions that
Prilicla could have asked, but his second thought was that expressing an early
concern for the safety of the young displayed consideration and friendliness
that would reinforce its words of reassurance more than anything else it could
have said.
"It is our practice," Tawsar replied, "to allow the children to escape from
Page 84
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
the mine for a few hours every day when the sun will not blight their young
skins or work changes in the offspring they may one day bear. It also releases
the energy that would otherwise make them unruly and noisy in class and keep
them and their teachers from going to sleep. In the mine they cannot run
freely or tail-jump, which is an unnatural situation for the very young. But
they are in no danger from predators because all such creatures, be they large
and dangerous or tiny rodents, have long since been
hunted to extinction in this area. Your ship has provided a new experience for
them as well as an outlet for their surplus energy. How long will your ship
remain here?"
A school, thought Gurronsevas, was the ideal place to find curious and
flexible minds. He could sense the medical team's growing excitement.
"As long as you allow us to stay," said Prilicla quickly. "But we would like
to meet you and your friends in person instead of speaking through this
device. Is that possible?"
Tawsar was silent for a long moment, then it said, "We should not waste time
talking to you. Our behavior will be publicly criticized. No matter, we are
curious and too old to care. But you must leave before the return of our
hunters. This you must promise me."
"We promise it," said Prilicla simply, and there was no doubt in the minds of
the medical team that the promise would be kept. "But there may be a problem
when we show ourselves to you. Physically we differ greatly from the Wem. The
young, perhaps you yourself, might find us visually horrendous and repulsive."
Tawsar made a sound that did not translate, then said, "We have not seen the
creatures from the other starship, but they have given us word-pictures of
themselves.
They are strange, upright creatures without a balancing tail, some of them
covered in fur and others with fur only on their heads. But they wanted to
change our ways, so our hunters smashed their speaking devices before leaving.
As for frightening the children, I doubt that you could appear more horrendous
than the creatures with which their imaginations have already populated your
ship.
"Upon consideration," it went on before Prilicla could reply, "it would be
better if you didn't show yourselves now. The young are excited enough as it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]