White, James – Sector General 05 – Sector General

a longer sequence, displayed graphically, which showed a modified coilship

com­ing in to land on a fresh, green world with the two capital ships and

Descartes linked together so as to replace the missing support structure and

thrusters.

The presentation ended by showing the coilship with the missing segments

indicated in throbbing red, then with the red sections removed and the gaps

closed up to make a slightly shorter coil, and the final scene showed the

successful link-up of the first two CRLTs.

As a piece of visual communication it left very little room for

misunderstanding, and Conway did not need Prilicla’s em-pathic faculty to tell

him that the message had been under-

stood—the two CRLTs were already moving cautiously toward each other.

“Recorders?” Conway said urgently.

“Running,” Murchison said.

Conway held his breath as once again the two massive creatures attempted fusion.

The movements of their stubby, caterpillarlike legs were barely perceptible and

their dorsal ap­pendages were tensely still, making them resemble two enor­mous,

alien logs being pushed together by the current of an invisible river. When they

were separated by about six inches, the forward face of the rearmost creature

had grown the pattern of bumps and fleshy projections which they had seen during

the first two link-ups, and the rear interface of its companion had twitched

itself into a pattern of fissures and a single deep recess. Around the periphery

of the interface four wide, tri­angular flaps of muscle tipped with osseus

material, features which had not appeared to be of any importance when examined

on sleeping or dead CRLTs, had grown suddenly to nearly four times their size in

the unconscious state and opened out like fleshy, horn-tipped petals. But with

these two the interfaces did not correspond. They touched, held contact for

perhaps three seconds, then jerked apart.

Before Conway could comment, they were coming together again. This time the

forward creature remained still while the second twisted its forward interface

into a slightly different position to try again, but with the same result.

It was obvious that the contacts were intensely uncomfort­able, and the

resultant pain had triggered off the involuntary movement which had jerked them

apart. But the CRLTs were not giving up easily, although it appeared at first as

if they had. They withdrew until their bodies were again inside their

hibernation cylinders, then their stubby legs blurred into motion as they drove

themselves at each other seeking, it seemed, by sheer brute force and bodily

inertia to force a fusion. Conway winced as they came together with a sound like

a loud, multiple slap.

But to no avail. They broke contact to lie a few feet from each other with their

dorsal appendages twitching weakly and air hissing loudly as it rushed in and

out of their breathing orifices. Then slowly they began to move together again.

.”They are certainly trying,” Murchison said softly.

“Friend Conway,” Prilicla said, “the emotional radiation from both creatures has

become more complex. There is deep anxiety but not, I would say, personal fear.

Also a feeling of understanding and great determination, with the determination

predominating. I would say that both entities fully understand the situation and

are desperately anxious to cooperate. But these unsuccessful attempts at fusion

are causing great pain, friend Conway.”

It was characteristic of the little empath that it did not men­tion its own

pain, which was only fractionally less severe than that of the emoting CRLTs.

But the uncontrollable trembling of its pipestem legs and fragile eggshell of a

body spoke more eloquently than words.

“Put them to sleep again,” Conway said.

There was silence while the hibernation medication was taking effect, broken

finally by Prilicla who said, “They are losing consciousness, but there is a

marked change in the emo­tional radiation. They are feeling both anxiety and

hope. I think they are expecting us to solve their problem, friend Conway.”

They were all looking at him, but it was Naydrad, whose mobile, silvery fur was

registering its bafflement and concern, who put the question everyone else was

too polite to ask.

“How?”

Conway did not reply at once. He was thinking that two highly intelligent elder

CRLTs from the coilship’s stern, fol­lowing their first abortive attempt at