"Michael McCollum - Gibraltar earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCollum Michael)

тАЬThe survivor represents a third species, and those who destroyed our scout, a possible fourth.тАЭ

тАЬWhere does that leave us?тАЭ

тАЬIn a very precarious position, Madame Coordinator. The evidence suggests that somewhere not far
from here, there are two interstellar civilizations at war with one another. One of these civilizations
contains at least three stars, probably more. Possibly, a lot more! Maybe they both do.тАЭ

тАЬDoes that necessarily follow?тАЭ Nadine asked as she stared at the director over steepled fingers. тАЬAfter
all, if someone boarded one of our starships, theyтАЩd find humans, dogs, cats, parakeets, cockroaches,
and a dozen other species.тАЭ

тАЬYou havenтАЩt had time to read Captain LandonтАЩs report,тАЭ the director said as he held aloft a report
markedStellar Survey Confidential . тАЬMagellanтАЩs biologists autopsied several of the corpses. The
six-legged aliens developed under a star cooler than our own, a K5 stellar type to judge from the
construction of their oculars. The second species of dead aliens came from a hotter star, probably one in
the F-class. The survivor comes from a star very like our own. In addition, the scientists say the survivor
and the six-limbed species have blood chemistry based on iron, same as human. The insectoid had a
magnesium-based circulatory fluid. The three could not possibly have come from a single biosphere.
Human beings and oak trees are more closely related.тАЭ

тАЬSo we face a minimum of three star systems and two contending interstellar associations --тАЭ

тАЬOr a single association infested with space pirates.тАЭ

тАЬThat doesnтАЩt cheer me up any.тАЭ

тАЬNo, MaтАЩam. Still, there is one bit of good news. They donтАЩt know where we live.тАЭ

тАЬAre you sure? One explanation for their quickness to attack a human starship is that they recognized it
for what it is.тАЭ

тАЬThe fact thatMagellan destroyed the attacker would argue against that,тАЭ Bartok insisted. тАЬAnd if our
ship was their target, why were they fighting the other vessel? No, I think we stumbled into someone
elseтАЩs fight.тАЭ

тАЬHow do we confirm or refute that?тАЭ

тАЬTwo ways,тАЭ Bartok said, holding up a similar number of fingers for emphasis. тАЬIf we can learn to talk to
the alien, he can tell us what is going on. For that, we will need a good linguist and knowledge of his
psychology. We need to establish a baseline sufficient to tell when he is lying to us. Luckily, semantic
analysis has developed into quite a science since the two of us were in school. Given time, we will be
able to tell when he lies to us merely from analyzing the internal contradictions that creep into his story.
Luckily, no knowledge of alien physiological reactions will be required.тАЭ

тАЬNot that we wonтАЩt use bio-monitoring as well, once we learn how he reacts.тАЭ

тАЬAgreed, Madame Coordinator.тАЭ

тАЬWhat are your immediate personnel requirements?тАЭ