And then the creature did something very odd. It reached up and grasped the thing surrounding its head and twisted it. It then raised it up off of its head. It turned for a moment, and evidently put the thing down. Then it pulled at a tab at the front of its body, and its skin began to part. Of course! It was wearing garments. Underneath the orange outer clothing, the creature’s skin was a deep matted brown. It appeared to have knitted its fur into a regular pattern.
When the creature had removed the garment, he saw that its hands were the same complexion as its face, and that the brown fur wasn’t fur at all, but rather, another layer of garment. He wondered why the creature was removing its clothing, but was curious to see what it actually looked like. He was mildly disappointed when it failed to continue removing layers.
“What are you?” he asked.
“Not Noaud,” it replied.
“That is obvious.”
“We use name of ‘hewmen.’ “
“You are a mammal.”
“Yes.”
“Are you from another star?”
The creature looked up and said something in its language. Again, there was a response from his right, and then it answered.
“We are from Our Place.”
“I have not seen your kind before.”
“When you began your sleep, we did not exist.”
For the first time, Garlmek wondered how long he and Touolok had been in suspension. They had expected that it might take from a few dozen to as many as several thousand years or more before the planet would recover from the asteroid strike sufficiently to permit them to be awakened. The Controller had been told to weigh the outside temperature, moisture and light levels in making its determination. But the engineers had been extremely cautious. The energy cells below them that ran the support system were massively over-built and separate from the mastaba’s main power systems. The engineers had said that, considering the minuscule drain of the system, they could survive virtually indefinitely.
“Do you know how long we have been ‘asleep,’ ” he asked, using the term she had employed.
“We believe you’ve been asleep for approximately 65 million years.”
Now the creature made a sharp barking sound, and raised the container of water to its own mouth, squirting some inside.
Still feeling groggy, he was certain that there had been a breakdown in understanding — the creature obviously had made a mistake either in numbering or translation. He closed his eyes. There would be time to sort out the facts once he and Touolok were fully revived.
“Can we help you out of your foot?”
He frowned, and then realized that the word for “enclosure” sounded similar to the one for “foot.”
He opened his eyes and smiled. To his astonishment, the creature smiled back.
“No. We must wait eight measures. Even now, the revival system is working.”
“I understand. Is there anything we can do for you?”
“Yes. Let us rest until the cycle is completed.”
The creature turned and held a brief conversation in its language with another of its kind that he couldn’t see, but with yet another new voice. That meant at least four of them.
“We will wait in the library.”
“Thank you.”
The creature moved away, and Garlmek closed his eyes again. With each minute he felt stronger, but communicating with the creature had been a strain.
“Touolok, can you hear me?”
“Yes, Garlmek.”
“Are you well?”
“I feel pain, and I am weak, but otherwise I am well.”
“These creatures do not appear to pose a threat, and they speak in our manner, but we must be cautious about what we say until we know more about them.”
“I agree.”
“Let us rest, then.”
He began the meditation he usually practiced in the morning, and the old habit calmed him immediately.
There would be much to learn in the coming days.
•
In the library, Mitchell’s smile was so big it barely fit her face. “Can you believe this?” she asked no one in particular. “We’ve got two living Sapiosaurs out there! Dinosaurs who not only lived at the end of the Mesozoic era, but can actually tell us about it!”
“I didn’t think there was more than a one-in-a-million chance,” said Reynolds. “Flo, what was the last part of the conversation about?”
“The full revival process will take about twelve hours.” She took another sip of water. “I tell ya, speaking Sapio’s hard on the vocal cords.”
Reynolds smiled, and then turned to Mitchell. “So now comes the really big question: now what?”
“I’d say the next step would be a classic debriefing,” said Lightfoot.
“Hal,” said Mitchell, “I suspect our Sapio friends are going to have as many questions for us as we have for them. More, probably. For the time being, I think we should keep them here, with either Flo or Sandy available for translation.”
“What if they don’t want to stay here?” asked Greissman. “These aren’t lab animals, they’re fully sentient creatures.”
“I’d be willing to bet that they’ll understand our practical considerations, but I think we should make it a suggestion to them, rather than an order.”
Lightfoot turned to Reynolds. “I’d like to suggest that in addition to Flo or Sandy, either Fred or I also be present during waking hours, at least until we feel comfortable with them.”
“Armed guards?” asked Mitchell.
“I’d prefer the term ‘bodyguards,’ for everyone present. He almost added “and every creature,” but decided not to indicate that the Sapiosaurs might be in any possible danger.
“Look,” said Reynolds, “Rather than have us all sit here for twelve hours, how about we head back uptown? Sandy, would you mind taking the first watch with Dan? We can send Flo and Fred down in six hours to relieve you.”
“No problem. I have lots to keep me busy here.” Lightfoot nodded his assent.
The other five members of the team left the library and walked quietly along the wall to the exit. The inner door slid open, and then closed after them.
When they reached the office, they were mobbed by the rest of the team. Hummford’s conversation with the Sapio had been audible over speakers, but except for the small amounts she’d translated at the time, was gibberish to the rest of the team. She translated it for them.
All five members of the revival team later submitted to interviews with Dewey Manley and Jeffrey Lyons.
When things had settled down, Reynolds, Mitchell and Hummford found a quiet spot to plan their strategy.
“Flo, I need to be able to speak Sapio,” said the paleontologist. “I’ve picked up a few words, but now I need more, and fast.”
“I think a lot of us would like to learn the language,” said Reynolds.
“How ‘bout we set up classes,” said Hummford. “Sandy and I can alternate holding morning and afternoon sessions. With the grammar tablet as an aid, I think we can get the more language-gifted folks up to a basic level pretty quickly.”
“That’d be wonderful,” Mitchell replied. “Hal, I’d like to see if we can get an Internet link in the library. I’ve got an encyclopedia on DVD-ROM that I can use to help the Sapios learn about us, but a link to the web would be a great supplement.”
“I think the big problem will be that we’re keeping the doors closed, but I’ll check with Barry. Maybe he can use the intercom transceivers to jury-rig something together.”
“Great. So… How long are we gonna keep them locked up down there?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me.”
Mitchell thought for a moment before answering. “Well, they’re going to need time to adjust, and to learn about us. The Penthouse is a familiar and presumably comfortable environment for them, so it makes sense to use it as our initial base. But we can’t keep them there indefinitely. Eventually, we�
��re going to have to move them.”
“Any ideas?”
“Actually, yes. Cal has a botanical research facility on an island off Puerto Rico. From what I’ve seen in the tablets, the climate should be comfortable for the Sapios. I was planning on contacting my department chairman to see if we might be able to set something up there.”
“I’ll ask Royce to help out. I can’t imagine Berkeley not jumping at the chance to set up a habitat for the only two living dinosaurs in the world.”
Mitchell looked at him for a moment, musing. “Dinosaurs. Hal, we have two living dinosaurs in our care.”
“I know. School’s about to open. And both species will be both students and teachers.”
“Un-fucking believable.”
Chapter 26
Conversations
Fred Taylor was looking at a tablet that appeared to be a Sapiosaurian travelogue, having given up on the previous one that covered their computer technology. At least he could get something out of this one. The tablet provided a tour of nine major Sapio cities. Flo Hummford was a few terminals away, soaking up information on the Sapio culture.
He’d been checking the main chamber every hour, and glancing at his watch, he saw it would soon be time to check again. More than eleven hours had elapsed since the suspension units had been activated.
He was about to get up when Hummford spoke. “Fred,” she said, with an odd sound in her voice. He glanced over, and saw that she was looking at the doorway to the main chamber, which was out of his line of sight. He rose and walked over to where she sat, and followed her gaze.
Standing in the doorway were the two Sapiosaurs.
Taylor resisted the impulse to look back at his knapsack, which contained both a Sapio weapon and his Beretta.
Hummford was wearing her headset, and with as casual a movement as she could make, she reached up and switched it on.
“Klauguou,” she said.
“Klauguou,” replied the Sapios, in unison.
“What was that?” asked Taylor.
“That was hello.”
“Is it permissible to record our conversation?” she asked.
“Yes,” said the Sapio on the left. As she retrieved her digital recorder from her bag, she noticed that the one that had spoken was slightly taller than the other, and guessed that he was a male, and the other was a female.
“Please come and…” she realized she didn’t know the word for “sit.”
“Join us. I asked them to join us.”
The Sapios walked forward slowly. She wasn’t sure whether it was from caution, or because they were both still stiff. They stopped about four feet from the two humans. Hummford motioned to a stool.
“No, thank you,” said the taller of the pair. Instead, they both crouched down, using their tails for support. This put them at roughly eye level with Hummford. Taylor turned and moved the stool from the next terminal closer and seated himself.
“Flo,” Mitchell’s voice came over the headset. “We’re on our way.”
“Are you feeling well?”
“Our conditions are much improved.”
The Sapios looked at the two humans, and the humans looked back, and it was obvious that no one knew where to begin. Finally, Hummford broke the silence.
“I know you have many questions.”
“Many,” said the presumed male.
She touched her microphone. “This is a communications device. Others of our kind will be joining us in a few moments, including one who studies your kind. May we wait for them before we start our talk?”
“Yes.”
“We would also like to make a visual record of our talk. May we set up our devices?”
“Yes.”
“Fred, would you mind setting up some cameras to get this on tape?”
“Sure.” Taylor began to adjust and turn on several of the cameras that were already set up.
“My name is Florence. I am a female. I study manners of speaking.”
The two Sapios bowed their heads slightly, obviously in greeting.
“My name is Garlmek. I am a scientist.” Hummford bowed her head towards him, repeating their gesture.
“This is my mate, Touolok. She is a doctor of medicine.”
Again, she bowed. “Garlmek, Touolok, it is a pleasure to know you. My companion is named Fred. He is a male.” She hesitated, not sure whether it was wise to reveal that he was a military officer, since the only word she knew in Sapiosaurian that would describe him was something like “destroyer.” “He is a communications specialist.”
She knew that her skills with the Sapio’s language was still rough, and decided to forestall any possible offense. “My understanding of your manner of speaking is limited. If I make a mistake, please forgive me.”
“You are speaking quite well,” said Garlmek.
“Thank you.” She sensed from his speech, as she had from the tablets, that Sapio conversations were quite formal.
Taylor was just finishing the camera setup when Mitchell’s voice came over the headset. “Flo, we’re at the entrance. Deirdre, Hal and I are coming in.”
“OK. Our other companions are here. They will join us in a moment. There are three of them.”
Garlmek stood, followed by Touolok, and they turned so they could see the entrance. Garlmek wasn’t pleased about being so outnumbered, especially having quickly checked the tool room before entering the library. All of the rifle energy packs and sidearms were missing.
The three new humans appeared at the doorway, pausing momentarily, and then entering the room slowly.
Judging from the differences between the first two humans, Garlmek guessed that two of the new ones were females, and the other male. The males seemed to have shorter fur on their heads, and the body shapes were subtly different. The males were larger, and the females had what he was guessing were mammary glands that evidently varied in size between individuals.
As the three approached, Hummford began introductions.
“This is Deirdre. She is a doctor of medicine. This is Stephanie. She studies species such as yours.”
At the sound of her name, Mitchell waited for Hummford to pause, and then tried out her language skills.
“Klauguou,” she said.
“Klauguou,” said the Sapios, bowing slightly. Mitchell bowed back.
“Flo, that’s about all I can manage right now.”
“Stephanie regrets that she cannot speak more of your language yet. And this is Hal, who studies rocks. It was he who found you.”
The Sapios and Hal exchanged a round of bows.
“Please, explain what you mean when you say that he ‘found’ us.”
“Let us be comfortable,” said Hummford. “Would you guys grab stools?” she asked the three newcomers.
When the humans were seated, and the Sapios crouched, she translated the question for her colleagues, and then began to answer.
“Your city is located near the coast of a continent we call ‘Antarctica.’ When you began your sleep, it was located in a position closer to the equator than it now occupies. It is now at the bottom of Our Place.”
Garlmek and Touolok exchanged glances, but said nothing.
“Your city is currently located under more than 70 heights of ice,” she said, converting the measurement quickly in her head. “It has been buried under ice for 50 million years or more.” She didn’t even try to convert the numbers from base ten to base nine. Either way, it was one hell of a long time.
Garlmek was motionless and silent for a long moment. He had assumed that the previous mention of 65 million years was a mistake, but now this Florence creature was discussing continental drift, an ice pack and again, nines of millions of years. It was a bit much to swallow.
“Please — no disrespect is intended. I would like to see this ice for myself.”
Hummford hesitated, and then nodded.
“Hal, I’ve told him that their city is buried under 500 feet of ice. He’d like to see
it for himself.”
“That’s taking a big chance,” said Taylor. “They could panic, and run.”
“I don’t think so, Fred,” countered Hummford. “They appear to have a great deal of dignity, and I can’t see them running. Besides, there’s nowhere to go.”
“Fred, we need to gain their trust,” said Mitchell. “Showing them that we’re telling the truth could go along way toward achieving that.”
Taylor raised his eyebrows, but didn’t argue further.
“Come, I will show you.”
She rose, as did the Sapiosaurs, and headed for the doorway. With the other humans trailing behind, they crossed the main chamber and went through the inner door. As they approached the outer door, Garlmek felt a sense of dread. If what the humans were saying was true, then his and Touolok’s world had changed far beyond their imagining.
The last time he had looked out this portal, the world outside had been bright, and the distances beyond Tarsill were green. A huge variety of life had existed in the surrounding forest.
He had expected to find the world changed when he again left the mastaba, but at the very least, hoped to see the city stretched out before him, even in ruin and with the rest of his race gone.
They reached the outer door, and it was triggered to open by the combined weight of the humans and Sapios. As it did, Garlmek emotions sagged. In the glare of work lights, not two heights from the door, was a wall of ice. He looked up, and saw only the illumination of the lights — no light filtered down from above. Stepping outside, he saw to his right another wall of ice. To his left was a tunnel through the ice along the side of the mastaba. He turned to Hummford.
“May we see?” he asked, indicating the tunnel.
“Yes.”
The party made their way along the side of the Penthouse, then turned the corner and moved to the top of the stairs. Looking down the tunnel, it was obvious to Garlmek that the humans were telling the truth. After a long moment, he turned to Touolok, and with their eyes, they spoke to each other. Having been together for more than 50 years before they were suspended, there was no need for words.
He turned to Hummford. “It is cold. Let us go back.”
When the group was back in the library, Hummford waited until all were seated — or crouched — before speaking.
Sapiosaurus | Out Of Time Page 24