"James White - SG 06 - Star Healer" - читать интересную книгу автора (White James)

Hudlar at the other end of the ward, then turned toward Danalta. тАЬPerhaps you
would like to classify that life-form, Doctor.тАЭ
тАЬI am not Danalta,тАЭ the Melfan Conway was addressing protested. Even
though the process of translation tended to filter the emotional overtones from
messages, the ELNT sounded displeased.
тАЬMy apologies,тАЭ Conway said, looking around for its twin, in vain. He
decided that Danalta, for reasons known only to itself, had hidden behind the
group of Tralthan trainees. Before he could redirect the question, one of the
Tralthans answered it.
тАЬThe being you indicate is encased in a heavy-duty protective suit,тАЭ the
big FGLI said, this deep modulated rumblings of its native speech reinforcing
the ponderous and pedantic style of the translated words. тАЬThe only part of the
being visible to me is the small area behind the visor, and this is indistinct
because of reflections from the ward lighting. Since the protective suit is
self-propelled, there is no evidence available as to the number and type of the
locomotor appendages. But the overall size and shape of the suit together with
the positioning of the four mechanical manipulators spaced around the base of
the conical head sectionтАФassuming that for ergonomic reasons these mechanical
extensions approximate the positions of the underlying natural limbsтАФleads me to
state with a fair degree of certainty that the entity in question is a Kelgian
of physiological classification DBLF. Glimpses of a gray, furry tegument and
what appears to be one of the Kelgian visual sensors revealed, however
unclearly, through the small area of the visor, supports this identification.тАЭ
тАЬVery good, Doctor!тАЭ But before Conway could ask the Tralthan its name,
the entrance lock of the ward swung open and a large, spherical vehicle mounted
on caterpillar treads rolled in. The sphere was encircled equatorially by a
variety of remote handling and sensory devices, and prominently displayed on the
forward upper surface was the insignia of a Diagnostician. Instead, Conway
pointed to the vehicle and said, тАЬCan you classify that one?тАЭ
This time one of the Kelgians spoke first.
тАЬOnly by inference and deduction, Senior Physician,тАЭ it said as slow,
regular waves rippled along its fur from nose to tail. тАЬPlainly the vehicle is a
self-powered pressure vessel which, judging by the external bracing evident on
the sphere, is designed to protect the ward patients and medical staff as well
as the occupant. The walking limbs, if there are any, are concealed by the
pressure envelope, and I would say that the number of external handling and
sensory devices is so large that it is probable the being has only a small
number of natural manipulators and sensors, and operates the external devices as
required. The walls of the pressure vessel are of unknown thickness, so that
there is no accurate data available to me regarding the size and physical
configuration of the occupant.тАЭ
 The Kelgian paused for a moment and sat back on its rearmost legs, looking
like a fat, furry question mark. Silvery ripples continued to move slowly along
its back and flanks, while the fur of its three fellow DBLFs twitched and tufted
and flattened randomly as if there were a strong wind blowing in the observation
gallery.
An air of restlessness, of low-key agitation, seemed to pervade the other
members of the group. The Tralthans were each raising and lowering their stumpy,
elephantine feet in turn. The continuous clicking and scraping sound was the
Melfans tapping their crablike legs against the floor, while the teeth of the