Uzcudun was excited by the chance to help on such important work. Tom gave his guest a brief tour and described his plans for a television probe of the Green Orb. After lunch they rejoined Doc Simpson at the infirmary.
“Let’s test your reception now,” Doc said.
The reclining chair and electroencephalograph were moved out to the sun deck. Doc attached sixteen wires to the man’s temples and scalp, and 102 3-D TELEJECTOR
flicked a switch to record the waves from various parts of the brain on inked tapes, called electroencephalograms or “EEC’s” for short.
For half an hour Pedro sat quietly in the chair and tried to attune his mind to pick up more of the strange messages and visions that had come to him in the Texas hills. The results were a blank.
“I am sorry, senors,” Uzcudun apologized.
“Don’t worry-we can’t expect you to turn your reception on and off like a tap.
But Doc and I will come at once and record your brain-wave patterns any time you start to ‘receive.’ “
“By the way,” Tom added, “what did your other messages or visions consist of?”
“I do not like to tell you, Tom, but it seemed as if someone out in space were speaking to someone on earth-plotting trouble for you. Once I seemed to see or hear the letter Q.”
Tom and Doc Simpson exchanged startled looks, but said nothing to Uzcudun. Before leaving, Tom inquired about Dr. Grimsey and his other ill associates.
“Dr. Grimsey’s thin and run down from his illness but otherwise completely recovered,” Doc said. “I may release him from the infirmary today.”